# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785 "2024-07-25T15:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/81 "2024-08-06T15:33:45Z")
The Tour de France is supposed to follow the border of France, right? It stands to reason that, when you’re following a border, sometimes the logical path will be on one side, and sometimes the other. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/82 "2024-08-06T15:44:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The Tour de France is supposed to follow the border of France, right? Nope. The TdF has an annually changing course, criss-crossing all parts of France and almost always including the Alps and the Pyrenees. It also often starts in or crosses other countries. I don’t know if it ever followed the borders, the race has a long history, but in my almost 50 years of watching the Tour, it never did. The typical total distance is between 3000 and 3500 km, that should be much too small a distance to cover the borders, France is the biggest country in the EU. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/83 "2024-08-06T15:55:36Z")
What @EinsteinsHund said. Here’s the 2023 route for example. The Grand depart is usually in a neighboring country (money, I assume) - that year it was Spain. > **[2023 Tour de France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Tour_de_France)** > > The 2023 Tour de France was the 110th edition of the Tour de France. It started in Bilbao, Spain, on 1 July and ended with the final stage at Champs-Élysées, Paris, on 23 July. > Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Team Jumbo–Visma) won the general classification for the second year in a row. Two-time champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) finished in second place, with Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) finishing third. > The race began in Bilbao in the Basque Country before returning to France... (2023 rather than 2024, as the latter is extremely atypical. Again because of the Olympics, the finish wasn’t in Paris. Sources differ, but this may be the first time that the men’s race hasn’t finished in or near Paris.) j ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/84 "2024-08-06T15:58:51Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I don’t know if it ever followed the borders Most roads do not follow borders, they cross borders. Imagine the time before Schengen: how would a country control a road that run along the border? Therefore it would be impossible to set up a race course along the borders or following them. Those roads seldom exist, the only ways that follow borders are perhaps waterways. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/85 "2024-08-06T15:59:12Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > The Grand depart is usually in a neighboring country (money, I assume) - that year it was Spain. This year, the first three stages were in Italy. Heck, the Grand Depart doesn’t even have to be in a neighboring country, one time it was in _Israel_. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/86 "2024-08-06T16:00:27Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > This year, the first three stages were in Italy. Heck, the Grand Depart doesn’t even have to be in a neighboring country, one time it was in _Israel_. wasn’t that the Giro? I have computer problems at the moment and can’t check right now. j ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/87 "2024-08-06T16:01:05Z")
And in 1987, to celebrate Berlin’s 750th anniversary, the Tour started in the French (!) Sector in Berlin. That was obviously before the fall of the Wall. [Cite in German](https://www.sport.de/news/ne4087301/radsport-damals-tour-de-france-start-im-geteilten-berlin/), foto in Esperanto ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/88 "2024-08-06T16:03:54Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > wasn’t that the Giro? I have computer problems at the moment and can’t check right now. Yep, you’re right, it was the Giro 2018, I got that confused. But a few years ago the Tour started in Denmark, which definitely also isn’t bordering France. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/89 "2024-08-06T16:04:00Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > This year, the first three stages were in Italy. Heck, the Grand Depart doesn’t even have to be in a neighboring country, one time it was in _Israel_. Yep, 2018 Giro, first three stages. (For once I’m impressed with my memory). The TDF has started in Ireland, though. j ETA - crossed posts. No matter. And yes, Denmark. Missed that. And I should clarify - Giro = Giro d’Italia, the Italian equivalent of the TDF. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/90 "2024-08-06T16:33:02Z")
As we’re on the Tour de France, here’s a surprising fact about prize money. As I mentioned upthread, Tours are made up of day races called stages, The three Grand Tours (as the TDF, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España are known) are the biggest bike races of the year and are each made up of 21 stages over three weeks. To win just an individual stage of a Grand Tour is a HUGE deal - for many stage winners it is career defining - their absolute highpoint. So - what’s the prize money for winning a stage of the biggest of the Grand Tours, The Tour de France? Stage wins are worth €11,000 - about $12 000 (but see below). Cite 1: [Tour de France 2024 prize money: How much does the yellow jersey win? | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cycling/tour-de-france-prize-money-yellow-jersey-pogacar-b2583169.html) And, just because it beggars belief, Cite 2: [Prize money of the 2024 Tour de France | Cyclingnews](https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/the-prize-money-of-the-2022-tour-de-france/) The economics of bike racing are crazy. Oh, and incidentally, from Cite 2 > Riders traditionally pool their prize money, with one rider in each team designated as accountant. A share of prize money is also given to the hard-working team staff. So if you win a stage - high point of your career etc etc - you’ll actually be walking away with _hundreds_ of dollars. j ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/91 "2024-08-06T16:39:35Z")
There’s still plenty of money in it, though, it just doesn’t come directly from the race organizers. You’ve got sponsorships, endorsements, book deals, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/92 "2024-08-06T16:47:21Z")
Yeah, exactly so - it’s all very odd. I don’t know off the top of my head, but the last time I looked the minimum wage for a rider _at the highest level of the sport_ (World Tour) was something like $30 000. I don’t know for sure that the women are paid the same. I must check. j ETA - I should have been clearer. I was answering regarding the sources of income. Regarding how much money is in the sport: > Disparities are broader from respondents who compete outside the World Tour, as 41% said they have been unpaid or have no salary. More than 70% of riders outside the WorldTour earned less than €10,000 a year, which is less than minimum wage in most countries, the TCA noted… > > …The UCI increased minimum salaries for Women’s WorldTeams in 2023 to €32,102 (employed) / €52,647 (self-employed) in 2023. The salary structure also included a neo-pro minimum salary of €26,849 (employed) / €44,032 (self-employed). From the WorldTour respondents, 34% said they earn more than €50,000, which is up 11% from 2022. Source: [Safety, minimum salaries top concerns from The Cyclists' Alliance 2023 survey | Cyclingnews](https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/safety-minimum-salaries-top-concerns-from-the-cyclists-alliance-2023-survey/) This does appear to be less than the men earn, but I’m still looking for a single cite with comprehensive figures ETA 2 : World Tour men’s minimum about 42 000 euro > **[Accord Paritaire - Joint agreement](https://www.cpacycling.com/en/joint-agreement.asp)** > > The formal written agreement of CPA and AIGCP regulates the employment contract of the professional riders ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/93 "2024-08-06T17:04:00Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > For those who haven’t heard that meme: helmets seemed to cause an increased number of head injuries; but this was because helmets were moving people from “killed” to “wounded”. Apparently something similar happened when we first put seat belts in cars (and people started actually using them). Emergency rooms actually started seeing _more_ car accident victims, but that was because seat belts were moving people from “killed at the scene” to “injured”. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/94 "2024-08-06T17:55:22Z")
I was just reminded of something by all the talk of dead and surprising Presidents. Given L.A.'s reputation for continually tearing down and reinventing itself, on being told that San Pedro Street School was the oldest original-site public school in the city, and that it was founded during the Johnson administration, I think a lot of people would assume LBJ. But it was during the Andrew Johnson administration, in 1866. Of course the buildings are a lot newer than that. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/95 "2024-08-06T18:51:03Z")
In San Mateo County near San Francisco, Lemos Farm has a [horse statue](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=f4697666ae837dc6&sca_upv=1&rlz=1C1SJWC_enUS1070US1099&sxsrf=ADLYWIJGidf0yBeZbfimbaUi8jh8i4MgWg:1722969741593&q=lemos+farm+horse&udm=2&fbs=AEQNm0Do4mQ_iNuvMb8tSM7GyIgpWGSY1QZPN8CE5R0j9A14QFvhiWLJdw40lnXTdX4cOYegYQnNiqlClcUmqqEn_qvvel3Qe5Rn5vb87TJ9LdRxHJzO2i5YS07jzHOcSM5xfpUQVI8GXNlM-3k8IVYfLKTzjnelMnvrhgli777MwtD0bkVz163ywmfXnaoIgALN0feN8pc5Jt31hTkCsAV7p1mxYeRcew&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjB9Z-7guGHAxUsweYEHWb7DuwQtKgLegQIDxAB&biw=1249&bih=826&dpr=1) that is repainted very frequently and quite artistically, usually in a style that coordinates with a holiday. I’m continually impressed by the effort they put into this. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/96 "2024-08-06T18:59:45Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Given L.A.'s reputation for continually tearing down and reinventing itself, on being told that San Pedro Street School was the oldest original-site public school in the city, and that it was founded during the Johnson administration, I think a lot of people would assume LBJ. Given the number of century-old school buildings in my city, and the general American attitude towards actually spending money on schools, I would never assume that the oldest school in a district dates back only to LBJ. Around here, that’s what we’d call a new school building. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/97 "2024-08-06T19:05:49Z")
Most of the schools I encountered growing up in Southern California were either built in the aftermath of the 1933 Long Beach earthquake when many of the existing schools were deemed unsafe or around 1950 to accommodate the baby boom. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/98 "2024-08-06T19:12:57Z")
Yep. My LA High School started in 1911 and was destroyed in 1933 and rebulit in 1935. The “New Building” was built in the 1950s. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/99 "2024-08-06T20:16:17Z")
The high school I graduated from is the oldest California high school (f. 1891) still functioning on its original site. One of the auditoriums dates to 1928. The Girl’s Gym was built as a New Deal project. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/100 "2024-08-06T22:47:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Given the number of century-old school buildings in my city, and the general American attitude towards actually spending money on schools, I would never assume that the oldest school in a district dates back only to LBJ. Around here, that’s what we’d call a new school building. He was active in Texas promoting education in the 30s well before becoming president. A lot of schools in this country were built in the 50s to handle the baby boom. None the less, I went to an elementary school initially built in 1905. It seems like some of the teachers started then too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=6)