<p>On Sunday's opening day of the week-long <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/richmond-2015-uci-road-world-championships-of-cycling-2015-8">UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia,</a> riders from the Tinkoff-Saxo squad were racing in the team time trial at 40 mph when two of them touched wheels and crashed hard.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55ff70d59dd7cc1f008bbb6c-577-358/crash%20front%20view%20#richmond2015.gif" alt="crash front view #richmond2015" data-mce-source="Universal Sports/YouTube" data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=65&amp;v=D0h82WCL9-I"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=65&amp;v=D0h82WCL9-I">Universal Sports/YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>For the two cyclists&#xa0;involved it was brutal.</p><p>They hit the road before rolling into the grass:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55ff74449dd7cc21008bbb9f-577-358/cyclists%20touch%20wheels%20crash%20hard%20at%20worlds.gif" alt="cyclists touch wheels crash hard at worlds" data-mce-source="Universal Sports/YouTube" data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=65&amp;v=D0h82WCL9-I"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=65&amp;v=D0h82WCL9-I">Universal Sports/YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>The two would get up and continue racing but only after coming to grips with what had happened:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55ff738bbd86ef15008bba11-577-358/carnage%20at%20cycling%20world%20championships.gif" alt="carnage at cycling world championships" data-mce-source="Universal Sports/YouTube" data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=65&amp;v=D0h82WCL9-I"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=65&amp;v=D0h82WCL9-I">Universal Sports/YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p><a href="http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/crash-at-60kmh-stops-tinkoff-saxos-worlds-ttt-dreams/">The team said it was hugely disappointed</a>, naturally, but happy that neither rider broke any bones or was more seriously injured.</p><p>Images posted on Instagram showed some&#xa0;gnarly road rash:</p><p><div><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/73vo3BTem1/embed/" width="658" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></div></p><p><div><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/73cFgmC0La/embed/" width="658" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></div></p><p class="embed-spacer">Watch the full clip below, via <a href="http://universalsports.com/cycling/">Universal Sports</a>:</p><p class="embed-spacer"><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/D0h82WCL9-I?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></p><p class="embed-spacer">Get more info about this week's&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/richmond-2015-uci-road-world-championships-of-cycling-2015-8">cycling's road world championships here</a>.</p><p class="embed-spacer">And here's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tv-schedule-uci-road-world-championships-rva-2015-9">how to watch the races live and for free</a>.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stromer-st2-electric-bicycle-review-specs-video-test-2015-7">For $7,000 this bike will get you to work in half the time and keep you from breaking a sweat </a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="B5NHU4djqMl6QPSJt3RKBESKLWkqxnBC" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'B5NHU4djqMl6QPSJt3RKBESKLWkqxnBC',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

2 cyclists who crashed at 40 mph at the world championships continued racing with gnarly road rash

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53fccdb1ecad047d7e742016-1058-702/spain heat contador ice bucket challenge.png" border="0" alt="spain heat contador ice bucket challenge"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROlhp4QmyeE">screenshot/YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Some like it hot, and some say they like riding a bike because it helps them lose weight.</p>
<p>That's probably not what's going through the minds of cyclists in Spain this week, where it feels like an inferno:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53fcca2169beddb1531022ce-800-386/heat in spain vuelta a espana.png" border="0" alt="heat in spain vuelta a espana"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/telediario/calor-golpea-dureza-vuelta-ciclista-espana-2014/2727557/">screenshot/RTEV.es</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div> It's so hot at the <a href="http://www.lavuelta.com/14/es/index.html">Vuelta a España</a>, or Tour of Spain, that the riders are drinking 12 water bottles and losing 10 pounds a day, VeloNews' Andrew Hood <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/08/news/intense-heat-taking-toll-vuelta-peloton_342759">reports</a> from the race.</p>
<p>Riders can't seem to get enough water into their bodies - or over their heads:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaVuelta?src=hash">#LaVuelta</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Ride_Argyle">@Ride_Argyle</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BrakeThrough">@BrakeThrough</a> <a href="http://t.co/t6cUjKXGu7">pic.twitter.com/t6cUjKXGu7</a></p>
- Eurocyclingnews (@eurocyclingnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/eurocyclingnews/statuses/504146029441474561">August 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p><br>"Air temperatures are pushing 100F, and it's even hotter with the sun beating off the asphalt," <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/08/news/intense-heat-taking-toll-vuelta-peloton_342759">Hood reports</a>.</br></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>Today at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/laVuelta?src=hash">#laVuelta</a> - how hot was it? This hot. <a href="https://twitter.com/jensdebus">@jensdebus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Lotto_Belisol">@Lotto_Belisol</a> belisol <a href="https://twitter.com/lavuelta">@lavuelta</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevindish">@kevindish</a> <a href="http://t.co/ZvuNDZBRrL">pic.twitter.com/ZvuNDZBRrL</a></p>
- BrakeThrough Media (@BrakeThrough) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrakeThrough/statuses/504026128466862080">August 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p><br>One team, Tinkoff-Saxo, said its riders were getting up to 12 water bottles a day, although some of that water was poured over their heads to counter the oppressive conditions:</br></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53fcba6269bedda57d1022cd-1200-800/high heat tour of spain water bottles losing weight.jpg" border="0" alt="high heat tour of spain water bottles losing weight"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/">Tinkoff-Saxo</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Fabian Cancellara, considered one of the toughest pro cyclists, said on Twitter that he lost the equivalent of about 10 pounds after racing Monday's stage, adding no matter how much he drank he still got cramps:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>I lost 4,5kg weight today.was constant drinking and got still cramps i empty my hohle body.soloution was simply= motor over heatet.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/crazy?src=hash">#crazy</a></p>
- Fabian cancellara (@f_cancellara) <a href="https://twitter.com/f_cancellara/statuses/503961436599910400">August 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p><br>The Vuelta is one of pro cycling's three grand tours, or three-week races, the other two being the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) and the Tour de France.</br></p>
<p>This year's Vuelta has a stacked field with top riders such as Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, and Nairo Quintana participating.</p>
<p>To help beat the heat, Contador and his team are using a new "bar vest" for carrying water bottles during the race, as first reported by <a href="http://pelotonmagazine.com/goods/new-water-bottle-vest-at-tour-de-france/">Peloton magazine</a>:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53c1778c6da8111d682dc4fd/water bottle vest sportful #tdf tour de france.gif" border="0" alt="water bottle vest sportful #TdF tour de france" width="727" height="486"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/">NBC Sports</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>Coincidentally, Contador, who won the Vuelta in 2012 and is hoping to win again this time, just did the ALS <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROlhp4QmyeE">Ice Bucket Challenge</a>.</p>
<p>He picked a good time to do it:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53fcc91ceab8ea8915b8812b/contador ice bucket .gif" border="0" alt="contador ice bucket "><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROlhp4QmyeE">YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div> "When it comes to heat-related illnesses, conditions are generally categorized by severity, with heat stroke - a condition where the body's core temperature reaches 104 degrees or more - being the most severe," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/exercising-safely-in-the-heat-2014-7">writes Lacie Glover</a> of U.S. News &amp; World Report. "Early symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and confusion. If you have these symptoms while in the heat, you should seek medical attention."</p>
<p>Unfortunately for the riders, things will likely get worse before they get better.</p>
<p>The intense heat in Spain is expected to last for several more days.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53fcc5d56bb3f7080837446f/sexy beast movie boulder fan.gif" border="0" alt="sexy beast movie boulder fan"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osexRaPM_Gc">"Sexy Beast"/YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div> Spain's national tour started Saturday and finishes Sept. 14.</p>
<p><a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/08/news/intense-heat-taking-toll-vuelta-peloton_342759">Read more at VeloNews here &gt;&gt;</a></p>

It's So Hot At The Tour of Spain That The Pro Cyclists Are Losing 10 Pounds A Day

<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:480px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5203ae26eab8ea096c00000a-628-471/tinkoff-credit-systems.png?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Tinkoff Credit Systems" width="480" /><p class="source"><a href="https://www.tcsbank.ru/eng/about_bank/">Tinkoff Credit Systems</a></p></div></div>In 2008, Dmitry Agarkov received an <a href="https://www.tcsbank.ru/eng/about_bank/">unsolicited letter from Tinkoff Credit Systems (TCS)</a> offering the 42-year-old Russian man a credit card with what he found to be unattractive rates.</p>
<p>While most people would have just thrown away the letter, Agarkov decided to do something different. He scanned the contract in the letter into his computer and altered it in his favor, including, for example, a 0% interest rate, no fees, and no credit limit. Moreover, every time the bank didn't stick to these rules, they'd be fined 3 million rubles — $91,000 — which of course would go to Agarkov. If they broke the contract, they'd have to pay Agarkov 6 million rubles ($182,000).</p>
<p>Agarkov's altered contract was, surprisingly, accepted and he received a credit card. "The Bank confirmed its agreement to the client's terms and sent him a credit card and a copy of the approved application form," Agarkov's <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=ru&amp;u=http://kommersant.ru/doc/2250147/print&amp;prev=/search%3Fq%3D%25D0%2594%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B8%25D1%2582%25D1%2580%25D0%25B8%25D0%25B9%2B%25D0%2590%25D0%25B3%25D0%25B0%25D1%2580%25D0%25BA%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B2%26biw%3D1920%26bih%3D831%26tbs%3Dqdr:d">lawyer Dmitry Mikhalevich told Kommersant this week</a>.</p>
<p>Two years later TCS sought to close the account due to overdue payments, and at this point, things began to get difficult.</p>
<p><keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword> Today <a href="http://rt.com/business/man-outsmarts-banks-wins-court-221/">reports that in 2012 TCS</a> decided to sue Agarkov for 45,000 rubles ($1,363), an amount that featured fees and charges not included in the altered contract. This week a Russian judge decided that Agarkov was right — as the bank had signed the contract (apparently without looking at it), they were legally bound to it, and Agarkov was only asked to pay his outstanding balance of 19,000 rubles ($575).</p>
<p>TCS isn't out of trouble yet either. Agarkov has reportedly decided to sue the group for breaking the terms of the contract, allegedly for 24 million rubles ($727,000). The court will <a href="http://rt.com/business/man-outsmarts-banks-wins-court-221/">review his case in September</a>, Russia Today reports.</p>
<p>In a counter move, RAPSI news agency <a href="http://rapsinews.com/judicial_news/20130808/268492632.html">reports that TCS is attempting</a> to start a criminal case for fraud against Agarkov. TCS founder Oleg Tinkov took to Twitter to say that his lawyers think <a href="https://twitter.com/olegtinkov/status/365229853798174722">the 24 million rubles figure is a "pipe dream"</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/olegtinkov/status/365218836703756288">that Agarkov will get four years in prison for fraud</a>. Agarkov's <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=ru&amp;u=http://tvrain.ru/articles/zhitel_voronezha_protiv_banka_tinkoff_kreditnye_sistemy_hotel_24_milliona_rublej_no_soglasen_i_na_900_tysjach-349608/&amp;prev=/search%3Fq%3D%25D0%2594%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B8%25D1%2582%25D1%2580%25D0%25B8%25D0%25B9%2B%25D0%2590%25D0%25B3%25D0%25B0%25D1%2580%25D0%25BA%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B2%26biw%3D1920%26bih%3D831%26tbs%3Dqdr:d">lawyer told TV Rain</a> that these comments made his client fear for his safety.</p>

Russian Man Who Got Bank To Sign Homemade Credit Card Contract Now Suing Them For Not Following Terms

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540e14d1ecad047234d419c9-792-429/cyclists fight at tour of spain vuelta a espana.png" border="0" alt="cyclists fight at tour of spain vuelta a espana"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://universalsports.com/video/2014-vuelta-a-espana-stage-16-fight/">Universal Sports</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Monday's stage 16 of the three-week Vuelta a España, or Tour of Spain, featured a bit of bike racing and boxing: Italian Gianluca Brambilla and Russia's Ivan Rovny got into some pro slapping and fisticuffs midrace.<br><br /></br></p>
<p>"In bizarre circumstances both men landed punches and elbowed each other whilst continuing to cycle as they made up a breakaway group of 13 riders," AFP <a href="http://pelotonmagazine.com/feedzone/brambilla-rovny-thrown-out-of-vuelta-for-mid-race-fight/" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p>
<p>Race officials kicked both riders out of the race. Organizers said the fight was not good for the image of cycling or the Tour of Spain, <a href="http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=74946" target="_blank">reported</a> Biciciclismo. "It is believed that [Brambilla] was upset that Rovny was disrupting the pacemaking in the break," AFP <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/09/news/riders-come-blows-vuelta-espana_344542" target="_blank">said</a>.</p>
<p>Here's a quick recap:</p>
<p><strong>Rovny, in yellow for Team Tinkoff-Saxo, had some sort of beef with Brambilla, who rides for Omega Pharma-Quick-Step. Rovny turns around and appears to grab Brambilla's jersey:</strong></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540e01a66bb3f75a08fb05e4/vuelta fight 1.gif" border="0" alt="vuelta fight 1"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://sporten.tv2.dk/2014-09-08-riis-rytter-smidt-ud-af-vueltaen-efter-slagsmaal">TV2.dk</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p><strong>Brambilla looks none too pleased by the Russian's aggression, and he hits Rovny away:</strong></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540e022769bedd645a255d17/vuelta fight 2.gif" border="0" alt="vuelta fight 2"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://sporten.tv2.dk/2014-09-08-riis-rytter-smidt-ud-af-vueltaen-efter-slagsmaal">TV2.dk</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p><strong>Rovy's looks even more upset as he pedals up to Brambilla, ducking blows along the way:</strong></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540e04006bb3f7ea15fb05e8/vuelta fight 3.gif" border="0" alt="vuelta fight 3"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://sporten.tv2.dk/2014-09-08-riis-rytter-smidt-ud-af-vueltaen-efter-slagsmaal">TV2.dk</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p><strong>This back-and-forth goes on for a bit more, then the two sort of tell each other to get lost:</strong></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540e04da6bb3f7501bfb05fa/vuelta fight 4.gif" border="0" alt="vuelta fight 4"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://sporten.tv2.dk/2014-09-08-riis-rytter-smidt-ud-af-vueltaen-efter-slagsmaal">TV2.dk</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p><strong>Then Brambilla actually goes off the side of the road and onto the grass. Both were OK physically after tempers settled:</strong></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540e2042eab8ea1c34bac882-847-447/vuelta cyclists fight.png" border="0" alt="vuelta cyclists fight"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hosp4D8hncA">Universal Sports Network/YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Brambilla was first to get the boot. He seemed to cry once the news of his ejection sank in:</p>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540e209c6da8112219f5facf-850-450/brambilla cries vuelta fight.png" border="0" alt="brambilla cries vuelta fight"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDfguSpZn_M">Eurosport/YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></strong>A short time later Rovny was ejected, too.</p>
<p>In the end, it's a shame for all involved. The riders are now out of the race, their teams are down one man each, and the event suffers from some bad PR. The riders might fare the worst, though, because it's tough to get a contract renewed - and getting kicked out of a major race like the Vuelta is a huge blow to your team.</p>
<p>Watch a recap here:</p>
<p><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&amp;isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="sport=cycling&amp;sub=vuelta-a-espana&amp;sub2=null&amp;location=null&amp;videoId=3773142213001&amp;linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Funiversalsports.com%2Fvideo%2F2014-vuelta-a-espana-stage-16-fight%2F&amp;playerID=1247007370001&amp;playerKey=AQ~~,AAABIWNFy3k~,IsIN_i1DdxRQ3fqgJ28Uxv111WXNcPem&amp;domain=embed&amp;dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;" /></p>

2 Cyclists Were Kicked Out Of The Tour Of Spain For Slapping Each Other During The Race

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53c175c9eab8ea2714eaa189-1000-840/unnamed-131.jpg" border="0" alt="water bottle vest cycling tour de france invention" /><p class="source"><span>tinkoffsaxo.com</span></p><p class="caption">A professional cyclist on his way to delivering water bottles to his teammates wearing a new specially designed vest.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Professional bike racing is one of the most dynamic sports when it comes to relentlessly pursuing technological advances. Today's bikes are incredibly stiff, lightweight, and fast, making use of materials like carbon fiber that allow riders to fly up high mountains. Helmets are super-lightweight, ventilated, aerodynamic, and the safest they've ever been. Jerseys, shorts, and gloves offer sweat-absorption, protection from UV rays, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-cyclists-shave-their-legs-2014-7">aerodynamic benefits</a>. Food has come a long way for endurance athletes, with energy bars, drinks, and gels now the norm.</p>
<p>But until recently there's been at least one area where technology was missing - a means for a team to get water bottles easily and safely from the support cars to the riders.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53c186d569bedd9247d314da-1200-1091/cyclist water bottles stuffed in jeresy.jpg" border="0" alt="cyclist water bottles stuffed in jeresy" /><p class="source"><span>Bryn Lennon/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">A rider carries water bottles for his teammates the old-fashioned way - stuffed in his tight-fitting jersey.</p></div><p></p></div></div>For the better part of a century, team helpers have had to awkwardly stuff their already tight jerseys with a half dozen or so water bottles, handed out from team cars, then ride back through the pack, delivering each bottle to thirsty teammates - hopefully without dropping a slippery bottle and causing a crash.</p>
<p>Now a company called <a href="http://www.sportful.com/" target="_blank">Sportful</a> has produced the "<a href="http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/sportful-designs-innovative-bottle-vest-requested-bjarne-riis/" target="_blank">bottle vest</a>," which is worn by a designated team rider and loaded with up to seven bottles neatly and securely, as first reported by <a href="http://pelotonmagazine.com/goods/new-water-bottle-vest-at-tour-de-france/" target="_blank">peloton</a>. Once the vest is filled with bottles by support staff back in the team car, the rider puts it on and pedals back up to his teammates:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53c1787fecad043a742d3a68/bar.gif" border="0" alt="bar vest water bottles cycling" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/">NBC Sports</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>The helping rider no longer has to remove his hands from his handlebars to hand out bottles, which means he's safer to himself and those around him since he's less likely to lose control of his bike and cause a crash (something that's happened countless times in the past).</p>
<p>He just lets his teammates grab a bottle while he rides along next to them. <em>Care for a refreshing drink? Why yes - thank you!</em><br /><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53c1778c6da8111d682dc4fd/water bottle vest sportful #tdf tour de france.gif" border="0" alt="water bottle vest sportful #TdF tour de france" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/">NBC Sports</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>The idea apparently came from a pro rider, Michael Rogers, according to his <a href="http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/sportful-designs-innovative-bottle-vest-requested-bjarne-riis/" target="_blank">Tinkoff Saxo team</a>. His team's apparel sponsor, Sportful, produced the vest exclusively for the squad to use in this year's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tour-de-france-photos-2014-7">Tour de France</a>.</p>
<p>"It's a really nice idea and no one has thought about it before," <a href="http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/sportful-designs-innovative-bottle-vest-requested-bjarne-riis/" target="_blank">said</a> Italian rider Daniele Bennati. "The bottle vest is much faster. When I go to the team car, the sport director or mechanic has prepared it for me, I put it on and off I go. When I reach my teammates, they can just take the bottles straight of my back."</p>
<p>A lot of technology comes and goes, but this handy bottle vest looks like one that might stick around. It's inexpensive, easy to use, and safe.</p>

This Incredibly Simple, Clever Invention Solves An Old, Annoying Problem For Tour De France Teams

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55a4038beab8ea4961028aca-1200-900/ivan-basso.jpg" border="0" alt="ivan basso"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div>PAU, France (AP) - Stunning the Tour de France on its first rest day, doctors diagnosed a tumor in the left testicle of two-time Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso on Monday, forcing him out of the showcase race.</p><p>His former rival Lance Armstrong, who survived testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain, immediately tweeted his support.</p><p>At age 37, Basso wasn't a contender to win the race, as the Italian was in his heyday before he was banned for doping. But his experience and pedigree - Basso finished second at the 2005 Tour and third in 2004 - meant his withdrawal was keenly felt by his team leader Alberto Contador.</p><p>The 2007 and 2009 champion must now tackle the most arduous two weeks of the Tour, with decisive climbs in the Pyrenees and Alps, without the assistance and moral support of his veteran teammate and training partner.</p><p>On what is often an uneventful day of rest and relaxation when riders recharge their batteries before the high mountains, a visibly shaken Basso appeared with Contador at a news conference and announced that just two hours earlier, doctors diagnosed a tumor in his left testicle that had been painful since he crashed on Stage 5.</p><p>Contador put his arm around Basso and vowed, his voice cracking with emotion, to do his best to win the race to honor his teammate.</p><p>Basso said he has cancer.</p><p>"I have a small cancer in the left testicle," he said. "I have to stop and go back to Italy."</p><p>But his Tinkoff-Saxo team said more tests are needed to be certain the tumor is cancerous.</p><p>"Probabilities are very high," Pierre Orphanidis, a team spokesman, said in an Associated Press interview. "We still need the further analysis to be 100 percent sure."</p><p>Tumors can be benign, meaning they're not cancerous and don't spread to other parts of the body, or malignant, which means they are cancerous and can spread.</p><p>Armstrong, who came back from cancer to win the Tour in seven victories later stripped from him for doping, tweeted: "Thinking about @ivanbasso and wishing him the very best as he embarks on his cancer journey. #IvanSTRONG!!"</p><p>He and Basso had memorable battles on the Tour's roads when both were in their prime, long before Armstrong eventually confessed to doping. Basso served a two-year ban for his involvement in a blood-doping ring.</p><p>In what he called "a moment of weakness," Basso said at the time that he "attempted doping" but never actually went through with it. His wins at the Giro, one of cycling's three biggest stage races along with the tours of France and Spain, came on either side of that suspension, in 2006 and 2010.</p><p>Now dedicated at this 102nd Tour to helping Contador win, Basso was in 158th place - out of 185 remaining competitors - and trailing race leader Chris Froome by more than 50 minutes after nine stages.</p><p>His team said Basso will have surgery to remove the tumor and that other treatment will depend on the findings of more checkups.</p><p>"It has been a blow to all of us," said Contador. "The entire team will give its best in order to get the yellow jersey and enjoy it in Paris with him."</p><p>Contador, who won his second Giro d'Italia this May, is attempting to become the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win that race and the Tour in the same year. But he heads into the Pyrenees already trailing Froome by 1 minute, 3 seconds.</p><p>The time gaps will force Froome's main rivals to attack him in the mountains. Unlike last year, when the-then defending champion had to pull out injured on Stage 5, he safely negotiated bone-breaking crashes, peloton-splitting winds and, on Stage 4, teeth-rattling cobblestones on this Tour's opening swing from Utrecht in the Netherlands, through Belgium and across northern France.</p><p>"If nobody attacks, we've won the race," the manager of Froome's Sky team, Dave Brailsford, said Monday.</p><p>Tuesday's 15-kilometer (9-mile) final ascent to the Stage 10 finish at La-Pierre-Saint-Martin is sufficiently long and arduous to provide the first acid test of which riders are genuine contenders for victory in Paris. The ski station perched high in the Pyrenees is known for its underground network of caves. The climb up there, with leg-burning 10-percent gradients in parts, could swallow the podium ambitions of contenders who struggle.</p><p>It's the first big chance for lithe, lean climbers to shine. Froome, a human toothpick in Lycra, looks to be the strongest of them and seemed to actually be looking forward to the pain. His closest challenger, Tejay van Garderen of the BMC team, is 12 seconds back.</p><p>"This is the heart of the race," Froome said Monday. "All the action is going to be happening. We are going to see who has done their homework, who has got what in the mountains. This is where the real race for yellow truly starts. "</p><p>___</p><p>Jamey Keaten in Pau contributed to this report.</p><p>Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-reverse-lunge-cj-koegel-workout-legs-exercise-2015-5">How to build strength and muscle in your legs superfast</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="02N3VhdTp64gKJhz4vAnBWUJq0OT6qsz" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '02N3VhdTp64gKJhz4vAnBWUJq0OT6qsz',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Tour de France rider pulls out of the race after being diagnosed with a tumor

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53d490f86bb3f76f100770bd-1200-800/vincenzo nibali wins the tour de france 2014.jpg" border="0" alt="Vincenzo Nibali wins the Tour de France 2014" /><p class="source"><span>Bryn Lennon/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div> Italy's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oblivious-spectator-on-cellphone-nearly-crashes-down-vincenzo-nibali-2014-7">Vincenzo Nibali</a> won the three-week <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/tour-de-france">Tour de France</a> on Sunday after dominating nearly the entire race from Leeds, England, to Paris. He finished with a time of 89 hours and 58 seconds.</p>
<p>The 29-year-old Sicilian, who rides for the Astana Pro Team, beat France's Jean-Christophe Péraud of the Ag2r-La Mondiale team by 7 minutes and 52 seconds. In third was another Frenchman, Thibaut Pinot of the FDJ.fr team, 8 minutes and 24 seconds back. The top U.S. rider was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/americans-in-tour-de-france-2014-7">Tejay van Garderen</a> of BMC Racing, 11 minutes and 44 seconds behind in fifth.</p>
<p>"I've taken my place in the history of the Tour and that's very important," Nibali <a href="http://pelotonmagazine.com/feedzone/nibali-without-doping-controllers-i-wouldnt-be-here/">told the AFP</a>.</p>
<p>Nibali <a href="http://pelotonmagazine.com/feedzone/nibali-without-doping-controllers-i-wouldnt-be-here/">said</a> he would never have come even close to winning the Tour if it were not for improved doping tests. "Steps have been taken and great progress has been made and with it so my results have arrived," he said. "I have to thank [the doping controllers] because without these iron controls maybe I wouldn't be here today."</p>
<p>The Tour started on July 5 with three stages in England before heading to France. This year's race was marked by the early withdrawals of favorites Britain's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-froome-quits-tour-de-france-2014-7">Chris Froome</a> (Sky Pro Cycling) and Spain's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/alberto-contador-crashes-out-of-tour-de-france-2014-7">Alberto Contador</a> (Tinkoff-Saxo), both of whom crashed out in the first 10 days. Along the way, spectators with smartphones made headlines as they nearly <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tour-de-france-selfies-2014-7">caused riders to crash</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oblivious-spectator-on-cellphone-nearly-crashes-down-vincenzo-nibali-2014-7">almost took out</a> the race leader.</p>
<p>Here's a breakdown of how Nibali won the 101st edition of the Tour de France:</p>
<h3>He Attacked Early And Often</h3>
<p>Nibali let his rivals know early on that he was at the Tour to win. Stage 2 finished with a select group of riders charging into Sheffield, including overall favorites Froome, Contador, and Van Garderen. Nibali, aka the Shark, launched a beautifully timed attack in the closing kilometers and powered his way to the finish line solo.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53d517a1eab8ea381361c40a/nibali scores first stage win at tour 2014.gif" border="0" alt="Nibali scores first stage win at Tour 2014" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.nbcsports.com/show/tour-de-france">NBC Sports</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>He was already well known for his astute tactics; this move showed he'd brought super legs to the big show too. He found himself in the leader's jersey only two days into the race, and suddenly everyone was talking not just about Froome and Contador but also the Shark as a true favorite for the overall.</p>
<h3>He Mastered The Dreaded Cobbles</h3>
<p>Stage 5 was the most feared day of the Tour. The route featured several sections of cobblestones, which Tour riders usually don't race on. To make things worse, it was raining on this hellish stage, so the century-old stones were super-slippery and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rain-cobblestones-tour-de-france-2014-7">sure to cause chaos</a>.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53d476ad6bb3f7351f0770c4/nibali on the cobbles tour de france.gif" border="0" alt="Nibali on the cobbles Tour de France" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.nbcsports.com/cycling">NBC Sports</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>But Nibali surprised the cycling world by absolutely flying over the pavé, dropping nearly everyone and gaining time in the general classification. He took third on the stage but the real damage had been done behind: He distanced chief rivals Contador and Froome (with the latter crashing out). The Tour was looking more and more like Nibali's to lose, yet the big mountains were still to come and some wondered if the Italian would be able to keep his lead when the "real race" started.</p>
<h3>He Lit Up The Climbs</h3>
<p>On the Tour's first mountain stage, Nibali's main rival, Contador, crashed out. That left the race open for others to attack on the summit finish at La Planche des Belles Filles. Yet all day Nibali benefited from his strong team, which set him up for a brilliant climbing debut in the Voges Mountains.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53d47d576bb3f705430770bf/nibali climbs to second stage win.gif" border="0" alt="Nibali climbs to second stage win" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.nbcsports.com/cycling">NBC Sports</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>Though some had wondered whether Nibali would have the legs to take the lead back, by day's end there was no doubt who owned this Tour. He went on the attack in the closing kilometers, soloing to his second stage victory and into the race lead once again. What's more, he went on to two more mountain stages, at Chamrousse and again at Hautacam, proving he was not only the best all-around rider at the Tour but also the strongest climber.</p>
<h3>He Constantly Stayed Vigilant</h3>
<p>To win the Tour you have to climb mountains fast and race time trials fast. But in reality that's not all: You also have to dodge crashes; race against headwinds and crosswinds and in gnarly weather; bunny-hop potholes; and deal with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oblivious-spectator-on-cellphone-nearly-crashes-down-vincenzo-nibali-2014-7">in-the-way spectators</a>. Nibali did all these things extraordinarily well. But there was more.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53d481a869beddf93e0770cb/nibali bridge.gif" border="0" alt="nibali bridge" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.nbcsports.com/cycling">NBC Sports</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>When it came to positioning himself in the peloton at critical moments, Nibali nailed that, too. To take one example, shown above, he found himself on stage 15 in a precarious situation where he could have crashed or been swarmed by riders as they approached a dangerous roundabout. He sensed the need to move up, and he powered solo into the wind and out of the slipstream of his teammates, right to the front of the peloton. It was tactical moves like this that helped Nibali stay out of danger and showed he could read a race as well as anyone.</p>
<h3>He Was Relentless For Three Weeks</h3>
<p>In all Nibali won four stages, which is a remarkable achievement. Even until the final stages, he never rested on his well-padded lead of over 7 minutes. <span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">He raced more aggressively as the race went on, distancing himself from everyone with calculated attacks, proving he was the strongest and smartest in the world's greatest cycling race.</span></p>
<p>With his victory, Nibali becomes the first Italian winner of the Tour de France since the late Marco Pantani in 1998. Before that, Felice Gimondi took the honors in 1965. </p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53d461c56bb3f717560770c5/nibali wins his fourth stage tour de france.gif" border="0" alt="nibali wins his fourth stage tour de france" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/tourdefrance">Le Tour de France</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>Nibali has now won each of pro cycling's three Grand Tours: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giro_d'Italia">Giro d'Italia</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuelta_a_Espa%C3%B1a">Vuelta a España</a>, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France">Tour de France</a>.</p>
<p>The Tour de France is the world's largest annual sporting event. It attracts 3.5 billion TV viewers each year, according to <a href="http://letour.yorkshire.com/news/tour-de-france-the-facts" target="_blank">the race organizers</a>, and another 12 million spectators along the route in a typical year's race.</p>

You Searched For "tinkoff" and got 7 results

2 cyclists who crashed at 40 mph at the world championships continued racing with gnarly road rash

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This Incredibly Simple, Clever Invention Solves An Old, Annoying Problem For Tour De France Teams

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Tour de France rider pulls out of the race after being diagnosed with a tumor

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Here's How Vincenzo Nibali Won The Tour De France

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