Professional road cycling is an incredible discipline. The sheer scale of such an event should make it a logistical impossibility, but the absurdity of a three-week race around a country, in which legitimately exciting moments are spread relatively thin, is part of the reason the Tour is so watchable. The beautiful French scenery doesn't hurt either. Riders in the 2014 Tour will cover some 3663.5km. Such a distance could also be reached by cycling 14,654 laps of an Olympic-sized velodrome, but it would get pretty dull ... and dizzying.

Aside from the sporting element, team tactics, individual grit and engrossing sprint finishes, there is no shortage of side plots and distractions offered by this event, which holds a special place in the heart of many Australians. Here is a selection:

Ned Flanders flags

Added to the colour of the Tour is the selection of national flags carried by supporters from around the globe. One of the flags seen most frequently is that of the Dutch-speaking northern Belgian region of Flanders. The flag is a distinctive black fire-breathing lion set on a yellow background. In 2010 however an alternative Flanders flag made an appearance. This one featured Ned Flanders from The Simpsons, with the black lion super-imposed on his green jumper.

Aussies in footy jumpers

Australian enthusiasts are increasingly well-represented at the Tour de France with the event's popularity in this country being boosted by the feats of Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady and, of course, Cadel Evans. One of the inevitable byproducts, then, is Aussies sporting their footy team colours in a bid to represent the tribe from far away. As such, those watching at home will have their attention shifted from the main fare to the 1995 Melbourne jumper – replete with Toohey's logo and Garry Lyon's number three.

Nature breaks

This is a wonderfully coined euphemism; a glorified roadside toilet stop where the peloton pulls over to the side of the road and collectively relieves itself. Many of the cyclists don't care to wait for these breaks and, usually shielded by their teammates, are capable of, shall we say, doing two things at once.

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen

These two British commentary maestros enhance the viewing experience no end. Liggett, the "voice of cycling" has been calling since 1967, while his offsider Sherwen is a former professional cyclist. Together, they chat tactics, chateaus and traffic hazards, providing an eminently listenable soundtrack for much of the English-speaking world.

The Devil

German Didi Senft could be the most recognisable face in the Tour de France. Only trivia buffs and cycling nuts would know him by that name though, because his fame has been realised in the guise of The Devil. Wearing a red suite, complete with horns and trident, Senft has appeared on countless occasions at each Tour since 1993, except for 2012, which he missed for medical reasons.

Animal obstacles

Mind-bogglingly ridiculous is the amount of people who see the Tour de France as chance to take their dog for a walk. One doesn't need to be a genius to figure out that such a trend could end in calamitous circumstances. In 2007, German cyclist Marcus Burghardt's front wheel was written off after another German, of the shepherd variety, decided to take a stroll across the road.