All Access Gallery: The inner workings of Le Tour

The Tour de France publicity caravan is comprised of 180 vehicles stretching 12 kilometers in length and passes out 14.5 million gifts and trinkets within the 21 days of racing! Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Skoda Yeti is a favorite feature at the Tour de France. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

A typical Tour de France marker is spotted on the eve of the start in Macon, where all the Tour spent the first rest day. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The finishline press tent — it's not a glamorous place, but often the best place to scope the final kilometers with access to the riders out a tightly guarded gate. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

This typical stage start clearly depicts the large spectator turn-out amidst all the Tour fanfare — in Visé for stage 2. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Tour de France boasts a virtual mobile armory of security with 47 gendarme motos, 23,000 county officers nationwide, and a permanent police commission. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

At the Tour, even a quick hug between father (Gilbert) and son incites a massive media and fan swarm! Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Heavy damage-control marked the end of stage 14 after tacks on the Mur de Péguére caused flats for 28 riders, six motos, and numerous official vehicles. Here, a mechanic outfits a Skoda car with new tires for the next day. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The "unoffical" official ASO Tour de France party is staged within the NBC Sports compound on the eve of the second rest day — celebrating the service of several veteran Tour commentators. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

A rare sight of the publicity caravan off-duty, all tucked in behind the hotel for the night after stage 14. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

On stage 14, a photo-moto breaks down on course. While several Tour officials gather to help, one friendly gendarme passes around some candies. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

During the Tour, 12 million spectators line the course as it weaves through France. On average, they spend 6-10 hours course-side waiting to see their favorites — now that's a lot of patience! Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Tour de France would not be complete with grand panoramics and sweeping vistas. On mountains like stage 11's Col de la Madeleine, spectator caravans line the course from the night before. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

One of the most famous women in La Grand Boucle, Claire Pedrono, is the official time board of the Tour de France. Her moto drives ahead of the peloton providing time gaps to the break on her LCL Chalkboard! Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Tour de France may be a month of instense pressure and concentration, but moments of levity, especially at the start with Allan Peiper and Bingen Fernandez, make the days run smoothly. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Nothing left to chance, the Tour de France support troupes are out on course vigilantly eliminating obstacles like this spill on stage 3. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Tour merchandising crews drive every kilometer of the course, every day selling all the official Tour goods, and always with a kiss and a smile. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Matt Goss of Orica-GreenEdge waits his turn at the random doping control, behind the podium after the race on stage 2. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The days are long at the Tour de France — after the race, the entire compound must be dismantled and transported. Here, a Tour TV van makes its way to the hotel after 11pm. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Bike racing is not the sole element of excitement at the Tour de France. Here, a little salsa dance livens up the crowd during the live French TV pre-race show. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

As the bunch crests the Col du Grand Colombier on stage 10, several riders stuff French newspapers into their jerseys to protect against the cold descent. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

At many stage finishes, there is barely enough room for all the team cars, buses, fans, and media to pass through. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

It's amazing to think this Europcar hostess keeps a smile on her face while entertaiming VIPs across all 3,497 kilometers to Paris! Photo: BrakeThrough Media

A looming storm cloud and numerous route deviations seem to indicate where this day is headed: what became known as the "Metz Massacre," a stage littered with bad luck and crashes. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

A behind the scenes peek at the Festina time trial control deck - the pressure is on these two guys for three days this Tour. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

One single road block on the race course could backlog the entire caravan or worse, the peloton, as experienced in the 2010 Tour. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Flustered Garmin-Sharp soigneur, Josep looks for an escape route to the finish at a very clustered entrance to Metz during stage 6. Several other soigneurs had already abandoned their cars and run the last 3k to the finish line. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The gendarmes get into formation on the finishing straight of each stage, enforcing an unbroken line that team staff and media have a hard time crossing to get to the riders. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The characteristic Tour de France road markers pepper the country villages throughout the nation. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Jean-Michel Monin breaks the calm of the motorcade up the massively steep 18-percent grade of the Mur de Péguére during stage 14. Photo: BrakeThrough Media