Bicycle racing is simple right? Like a running race, start here, finish there, first to arrive wines. Only on a bike.

Well. Yes. But also, very much no.

A bike race is simple at a basic level, but can seem quite mysterious.

Here’s some common questions answered:

The Ovo Energy Women’s Tour is a stage race. What’s that then?

A stage race is a multiple day race, like the Women’s Tour or the Tour of Britain, or the Tour de France. In the case of the Women’s Tour, it’s five stages. Those stages are treated as one race - the winner is the rider who covers the entire distance of the five stages in the shortest time.

But why then does the winner of a stage get so excited? Isn’t that like celebrating at half-time?

In a way yes. Except that each stage is also treated as an individual race. So the winner of the stage gets to stand on the podium at the end of the day and wave to the crowds. And it is recorded on their individual record. And any win is worth having.

If someone wins a lot of stages, how come they don’t win the whole race?

Ah, the Cavendish question. (He’s won multiple stages of the Tour de France, but is nowhere near winning the overall standing). It’s because the overall race (the General Classification or GC) is won on time. So if a rider wins the first four stages of the Women’s Tour by, say , a second each, but then loses two minutes on the hills of the last stage, they’re out of the overall race.

It’s entirely possible to win the GC and not win any stage - but that’s seen by some as not quite the done thing.

And what’s with all these different jerseys?

Traditionally the leader of the race wears a special jersey to make them easy to spot. In the Women’s Tour 2018 it’s a green jersey. (the race sponsor OVO energy is a’green’ energy company) The winner will be given the final green jersey of the race.

But there are other races within the main overall race (and the battle for stage wins) to keep riders who aren’t necessarily trying to win the Green jersey.

The Breast Cancer Care Pink jersey is awarded for consistent finishers. On every stage points are awarded are available for the first 15 riders at the finish, 15 for the winner, down to one pint for 15th place. The leader of the points competition wear the pink jersey.

On every stage there are a couple of stiff climbs, where points are awarded for the first riders over the top. Those points are counted in the Skoda Queen of the Mountains classification. The rider with most QoM points wears a black jersey

The Eisberg sprints jersey is awarded to the leader of the sprints competition. On every stage there are two intermediate sprints with points for the first three riders. The jersey is bright red.

The Adnams Best British Rider will wear the blue jersey. It’s given to the leading British rider in the overall general classification.

Why isn’t every rider trying to win the overall?

Some are specialists - they're sprinters who aren’t so good on the hills. Or they climb like angels but don’t quite have the power to ride away from the pack on the flat.

Or they’re riding to help their team-mate who is aiming for the GC. So they’re riding in front of her to block the wind, getting water bottles, even giving up a wheel or their own bike if needed.

So is it an individual race or a team one?

Both. There’s only one winner. And she’ll stand on the podium and get all the plaudits. But both the winner, and her team-mates know she could only win, because they all did everything they could to help. They’ll all get champagne with dinner that night.

I see the riders drinking from bottles all day? What happens if they need to, umm, relieve themselves?

Trust you to ask that one. We’re just going to draw a discreet veil over that.