Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

High Tech Tour de France

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the still-waiting-for-cybernetic-implants dept.

jefu writes "As you may know, the 2006 Tour de France finished yesterday with an American, Floyd Landis, the overall winner. This years Tour had a very nice live website, including frequent news postings and a flash interface that showed the gaps between the lead riders updated every couple of minutes. The site was taking up to 35,000 hits per minute. There is lots of technology involved in this race, including carbon fiber bikes, serious aerodynamic studies to improve the bikes, the helmets and even the riders. There are also bike transponders, GPS trackers , fancy radio systems to connect the riders to the team cars, online database access to race statistics, and probably lots more."

5 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. Oh.. nice.. by joshier · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, brilliant.. Tell us now!.. you know, when it's over.

  2. Americans in France! by jkrise · · Score: 3, Funny

    the 2006 Tour de France finished yesterday with an American , Floyd Landis, the overall winner

    I wonder how Americans always keep winning in France.. these last few years. To hell with all this fancy schmancy technology carbon fiber bikes, serious aerodynamic studies to improve the bikes, the helmets ... blah blah

    As Alistair McLean figured out with Vyland and Royale... Fear is the Key. Americans are plain scared in France, methinks!

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
  3. American technology is best by jmcoursi · · Score: 1, Funny

    ... especially in ma(s)king forbidden substances... Greg LeMond, Lance Armstrong, Floyd Landis : 11 wins between them.

  4. I love drug scandals by walnutmon · · Score: 4, Funny

    I just want to know why people care so much about performance enhancing drugs. I would rather see a bunch of juiced up frenchmen flying at 200 MPH on a bike, crashing at the end and exploding, taking out 1500 spectators. Seriously, I watch sports for entertainment, period.

    --
    You take it, I don't want it...
  5. Improving the riders by njh · · Score: 4, Funny

    There is lots of technology involved in this race, including carbon fiber bikes, serious aerodynamic studies to improve the bikes, the helmets and even the riders.

    I'm sorry Max, but we're going to take your arm off to reduce turbulence...