# What's with the stuffed animals...



## mendo (Apr 18, 2007)

...they give the yellow jersey holder after each stage? It seems a little incongruous. "You're leading the most brutal sporting event on the planet...so here's a stuffed lion!" You're thoughts?


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## justinb (Nov 20, 2006)

The race is sponsored by Credit Lyonnais. The lion is advertising for them.


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## bikeboy389 (May 4, 2004)

The Giro was much better. The race was sponsored by a cheese consortium (Parmagiana Reggiano?) so they all got a nice silver cheese spade for the win. Useful and attractive.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i love the lion. my wife says we should get one for our kid, as it is his favorite part of the race.

i told her she married the wrong guy if she expects me to come home with one.


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## MikeBiker (Mar 9, 2003)

Tyler fed his to his dog.



> As for Tugboat, he's been making himself busy by chewing the daylights out of one of the Credit Lyonnais lions CSC-Tiscali was given while leading the team competition during the early stages of the race. He kind of made the executive decision that one of my three miniature lions would become a dog toy. He has yet to put it down. He's even sleeping on it like it's some kind of pillow. Normally, Tugboat likes to go to town on his toys until he can get the stuffing out of them. So, I'm going to have to keep an eye on him with the lion. Because you can't get a replacement model at Petco.


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## IAmCosmo (Jul 26, 2005)

I've bid on several of the lions on Ebay, but they all go for more than I want to pay. All of them have gone for over $100. One on Ebay right now is over $300.


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## pedal power (Jun 16, 2007)

mendo said:


> ...they give the yellow jersey holder after each stage? It seems a little incongruous. "You're leading the most brutal sporting event on the planet...so here's a stuffed lion!" You're thoughts?


I`ve had the same thought over the past 17years but never thought of asking. 
Ok so the lion is the sponsor`s mascot but don`t the stage winner at least get a trophy or medal?


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## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

The Tour of California had the Big Burrito.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2...california07/california070/toc_07_prlg_1427_N


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

bikeboy389 said:


> The Giro was much better. The race was sponsored by a cheese consortium (Parmagiana Reggiano?) so they all got a nice silver cheese spade for the win. Useful and attractive.


Also sponsored by Este Thé, so the stage winners also get a stuffed can of iced tea. Sorry about the PG content, but it was the only image I could find of the Esta Thé mascot.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

mendo said:


> ...they give the yellow jersey holder after each stage? It seems a little incongruous. "You're leading the most brutal sporting event on the planet...so here's a stuffed lion!" You're thoughts?



http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/news/22459/Plush-toy-lions-remain-as-Tour-de-France-icons




Plush toy lions remain as Tour de France icons
Jul 11th
French finance giant Crédit Lyonnais - famous for giving out cuddly lions to Tour stage winners - has signed a new sponsorship deal, good until 2008, with Amaury Sports Organisation, organiser of Le Tour.
Crédit Lyonnais will pay an annual fee of $4.47m. It has been a major Tour sponsor since 1987 and currently sponsors the famous yellow jersey.

However, like other corporate backers of cycling, Crédit Lyonnais only signed on the dotted line because of an opt-out clause that allows the company to jump ship if Le Tour is embroiled in any future doping scandals.

In theory, such scandals should be a thing of the past as riders in the Tour de France are now the most scrutinised, and dope-tested, athletes on the planet.


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## Run1stBike2nd (Oct 28, 2005)

pedal power said:


> I`ve had the same thought over the past 17years but never thought of asking.
> Ok so the lion is the sponsor`s mascot but don`t the stage winner at least get a trophy or medal?


Yes, stage winners do get some kind of a trophy or other keepsake.


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## 2shifter (Jul 15, 2004)

Fredke said:


> Also sponsored by Este Thé, so the stage winners also get a stuffed can of iced tea. Sorry about the PG content, but it was the only image I could find of the Esta Thé mascot.


Gee, ok, we'll suffer through the girls- just don't let it happen again...


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## IAmCosmo (Jul 26, 2005)

2shifter said:


> Gee, ok, we'll suffer through the girls- just don't let it happen again...


Yeah. Next time just send the pictures of scantily-clad girls directly to me. That will save a lot of trouble...


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