The Tour de France is one of the oldest major sporting events in the world, and with such heritage comes some unwritten rules and customs which may seem odd to the uninitiated.
These rules may be commonplace at the Tour de France, but they can also apply to other races, not just the big Grand Tours. Here are some of the more prominent ones that you're likely to notice whilst watching the race:
Leader's First
The race leader's team has responsibility for being at the front of the peloton at the start of the race. They are responsible for marshalling the peloton until the day's breakaway has been formed and the initial pace-setting, with other teams joining them later on.
This isn't always the case but on most stages you will see the race leader and his team at or near the front for the race starts, unless the start is particularly unusual or a large number of riders are attempting to breakaway.
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