Kerre Woodham: Quaint cycling protocols absurd in modern age

The hooha over Alberto Contador's passing of Andy Schleck in the Tour de France this week was a real eye-opener for me.

Poor old Andy lost his chain and Alberto whizzed past him. Fair enough, I thought, but the howls of protest and the subsequent discussion by sports fans introduced me to the unwritten rules of the tour. They're hilarious - the peleton can't attack while the tour leader goes to the loo.

Imagine a pack of cyclists cooling their wheels while the yellow jersey disappears into the dunny, Le Monde tucked under his arm. Like if it's your birthday, you can lead the peleton for awhile.

Likewise, if you're passing through your hometown you're allowed to ride at the front. And the rule that Contador broke? You're not allowed to attack if the leader suffers an equipment malfunction.

Apparently it dates back to the first years of the tour when the riders had only themselves to depend on and became a tight-knit group during the long cycle race.

But now, when the riders have the equivalent of five-star hotels trailing behind them and are fighting off drug accusations, and when multi-million-dollar contracts are at stake, these quaint protocols seem absurd.

There's a place for sportsmanship but, as the cricket world discovered, once a sport is corrupted by money, gentlemanly conventions have no place.