Patrick Dancoisne and Joel Gautriand have a slightly different job at the Tour de France.
The Tour de France is underway. Illustration picture. EPA / AOP
The Tour de France is underway, during which the cyclists deserve the spotlight.
Still, many things happen in the background before and during the stages On Patrick Dancoisne and On Joel Gautriand has its own role.
The two travel hundreds of kilometers and along the stages, they change the penis graffiti on the asphalt into butterflies or bears, and they paint hidden political messages before the start of the stages. Rouler website writes about it.
The duo’s task is to hide all messages that could undermine the image of the popular, child-friendly and harmonious Tour de France, where there is no place for political messages or sexual insinuations.
For example, on the mountain stage between Briançon and Izoard peak, they drove a total of 120 kilometers.
They drove a 60 kilometer stage forward and turned back. Going back, they had to clean off the new drawings that had come between the runs.
– Boys, you see a lot of jackals, the stage clerk stated when the two set off.
In Rouler’s article, it is described how every hundred meters on the street, a man’s genitals could be seen drawn in different shapes. Each of them had to be hidden, because the Tour de France is shown in 190 countries.
At each one, the duo jumped out of their van and painted over the drawings or turned them into butterflies or something else.
Various political messages also changed, such as “SOS réfugiés”. It’s a plea for the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, but it turned into the enigmatic number 888, according to the article.
– We move as many as possible, Dancoisne said.
Dancoisne, 57, is on the Tour for the seventh time. In his civilian life, he works as a bartender and a funeral contractor.
– I am a coffin bearer, master of ceremonies and I carry pints.
Criticism
Professor at the University of Lille Fabien Wille has written a book about Tour and its sweepers. He compares them to internet moderators.
Wiper men only use a brush instead of a computer mouse.
– Sport wants to be apolitical, but that is impossible.
Along the route, the creators of drawings and messages also came to criticize the duo.
As Rouler’s reporter followed the duo’s work for one day, 18 pens, nine syringes and 30 messages supporting the refugees arrived.