France / Cycling Quiz # 3

Going nuts? Another little quiz on all things cycling and France to while away a few minutes (and maybe increase your store of useless trivia!) Scroll to the bottom of the page for answers, let us know how you do!

 

  1. Which queen, mother of King John and King Richard I of England, is buried at Fontevraud Abbey in the Loire Valley?
  2. This is a rear derailleur. What function do the screws arrowed perform? 
  3. What are the grape varieties used at Chateau Mouton-Rothschild?
  4. What is the almost unpronounceable name of the cycle sprinter nicknamed the Tashkent Terror? He fought for the Tour de France sprinters jersey throughout the late eighties and early nineties.
  5. Château Cheverny in the Loire valley was the inspiration for Château Moulsinart, residence of Capitaine Archibald Haddock, in which comic strip story series?
  6. Singer Charles Trenet, born in Arles, Provence, wrote and sang La Mer, which was the original version of which Bobby Darin hit? 
  7. Where was 4-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome born?
  8. Which French region was French in 1870, German in 1872, French again in 1919?
  9. Which fauvist artist painted this work? 
  10. Which architect designed the Viaduct de Millau bridging the Tarn Valley in the Cevennes, the tallest bridge in the world?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Eleanor of Aquitaine. She is buried with her husband, Henry II, and their two sons, side by side in sarcophagi bearing their images. 
  2. Limit screws. They limit the movement of the derailleur (and thus the chain) at the innermost and outermost edges of the sprockets. If your chain keeps coming off, this is a good place to start!
  3. Cabernet Sauvignon (approx 80%), Merlot (15%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (1%). These are the classic Bordeaux red grapes - get a point if you said Cabernet & Merlot!
  4. Djomoladine Abdoujaparov. The Uzbekhistan rider was nicknamed "The Tashkent Terror" as he was so ferocious in the sprints. His unorthodox and often erratic sprinting caused a number of crashes.His great rival was Frenchman Laurent Jalabert.
  5. The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé. Belgian Hergé took his pen name from the initials of his real name Georges Remi (French usually write their names surname, first name, so R "err" G "zhay".)
  6. Beyond the Sea. The classic tune has been performed by Bobby Darin, George Benson, Frank Sinatra and Robbie Williams! 
  7. Nairobi Kenya. Although he rides as a British citizen!
  8. Alsace. The region was annexed by Germany after the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, then returned to France under the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War 1.
  9. Henri Matisse. The subject of this portrait is his wife Amélie The movement known as fauvism, which is characterised by strong colours and fierce brushwork, took its name from the French for 'wild animals' - the name was coined by a critic on viewing the works at a Paris exhibition.
  10. Norman Foster. The astonishing construction, of which the tallest pier stands at 336m takes the A75 motorway at a height of 270m over the River Tarn.