One of the terms used to define a role a cyclist has on a team during a stage race is domestique. From the french for house servant, a domestique wears many hats as he rides in service of his team leader. From carrying six, seven, or more water bottles from the team car, through the peloton, back up to his teammates, to escaping in a breakaway up a mountain stage in case his captain becomes part of a select group climbing for victory, a domestique has to be strong, attentive, and be a skillful bike handler. The template for a domestique would be George Hincapie, who rode for Lance Armstrong during his 7 Tour victories, or Jens Voigt, nicknamed the Boeing, who are strong classics riders or one week stage race victors, who come to the tour for their team's glory instead of their own.
On today's stage Jens Voigt broke away on the first climb, and stayed away until the peloton caught him on the above category climb up the Col du Tourmalet. As he shot through the back of the peloton, he scooped up 5 water bottles from the team car, and sprinted back up through the peloton to hand out the bottles to the Schleck brothers and their designated team companions. Speaking of wearing many hats, Voigt is also the riders' representive for their union.
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