Stage Two - Let's do it all again

The second stage of the race and the last to be run wholly in Normandie ran from Saint Lo to Cherbourg-Octeville. As a town Saint Lo is pretty nondescript, due to its location it was pretty integral in the early days of the liberation and it paid a very heavy price. The town was almost completely destroyed and at the end of the war it was suggested that the site of the old town was left as a lasting monument, with a new town built over there (somewhere). 'Non Merci' said the town and the old town was rebuilt.

Not wishing to be unkind but Cherbourg is probably even more nondescript. Though to be fair I saw very little of the place as the finish was on a main road about 2 miles from the centre. It is the second time since the war that the race has been here, though before the war the Tour was a regular visitor. One final historical point, one of the principle reasons for a landing at Utah beach was to allow the Allies to get across the peninsula and cut off Cherbourg, to stop the Nazi's getting support to protect the valuable shipping access. By the time the Allies arrived the port at Cherbourg had been destroyed as the Nazi's fled.

Back to the cycling...the stage today was slightly lumpy, couple of climbs early on, a nervy section along the coast where the wind might be a factor and finally an undulating finish, culminating in a short hill to the finish. Known in the trade as a Puncheur's finish. Too short and too early for the race favourites (probably - as I'm writing this at the finish with about 30km to go in the race) or the pure sprinters but perfect for the World Champion and well loved Peter Sagan and a handful of others.

I started my day in Saint Lo, milling about in the rain, this time from behind the barrier as Steve didn't come up trumps a second time.  Watched the teams arrive and the riders head to sign on before  heading down to the start to see them depart. Then hot footing it back to the car for the 60 mile drive north to Cherbourg. I got to within roughly 320m of the finish, which isn't to bad at all. There was a big screen but you had to be in the first 200m to be able to see it and the barriers were full by the time I arrived. So you try and follow the race using apps on your phone and the gist of the French commentator which is pumped over the tannoy.

This meant that I thought I was going to see a lone rider come into view, when suddenly the main bunch of leading contenders swept past.  The hill must have taken its toll because the field was very fractured, with the last rider coming in a considerable time after the winner.

Other notable moments today...
I did a piece to camera for the BBC, cutting from the flag to me, at which point I did 15 seconds to camera (felt like an hour). I actually did it twice because the first time after 10 seconds I couldn't think of another single word to say on anything. I am 100% certain he deleted it as he walked away, so it will never be seen. Thankfully.

There was a heist this morning, in which a highly professional thief was brazen in his audacity. The route is signed through out, direction arrows, instructions for roundabouts, road furniture and these signs are all bright yellow and have the Tour de France logo on them. So this morning in Saint Lo, two Englishman were standing by a lamppost looking at one of these, pieces of treasure, sorry I mean signs. As they did, the hero of the story, sorry, I mean a thief, walks past them, takes out his pliers (oh yes, he has brought his own pliers), cuts the metal tie around it and takes it off the lamppost. Turns to the spectators and nods at them, as if to say you two have just witnessed a professional in action. And then the thief walks down the road clasping his sign and giggling.

The sign was one of the things I had set myself as a must, hence the pliers. I will warn you now, if I manage to get a discarded water bottle (bidon) or mother of pearl, the bag they get their lunch in (musette), I'm going to be insufferable.

Right, onwards to stage 3 and moving on at last...Angers here we come.

Stat zone
Miles covered so far - 630
Times seen the peleton go past - 4
Countries passed through - still 2 and not going to change until next Sunday.
Days since pizza - 2
Tat of the day - road sign(s) obviously
Cheese of the day - a delightful little Tomme de savoie
Times I answered no when the man from the BBC said are you ready - 3
Times the flag had its photo taken by official Tour photographers - 6