Sunday 24 July 2016

Stage 21 - A Paris based finale

Stage 21 Chantilly to Paris, the now traditional roll into Paris where, until they reach the centre of Paris there are lots of photo opportunities, the jersey winners have their photos taken, they drink champagne, all on the move of course. Then the yellow jerseys team will lead the race onto the finishing circuit at which point some proper racing takes place as the sprinters get their chance to claim a win on what is now one of the most famous finishing lines in cycling...under and out again of the tunnel at the Louvre, swing left on to the Rue de Rivoli, under the flame rouge, a kink left then right across the Place de la Concorde and then straighten up on to the Champs Elysee for the finish line. They do roughly 9 laps of the circuit but it's that final punch that matters.

We wandered in to the city for a bit of culture, a slightly shambolic and expensive breakfast and an early look at the course. Barriers were up and the Norwegians were already in place on their corner but generally Paris was going about its business.

This all added to the slightly surreal feeling I was experiencing but as we walked down the Rue de Rivoli they were inflating the one km banner and once on the Champs Elysee the finish was in place as were all the barriers so it was definitely happening.

We bumped in to Ned again and after reminding him of where we met last, we had a good ten minutes on the state of the race, Sky's dominance and what everybody else needs to do. Said it before...lovely bloke.

Walked up to the Arc de Triomphe and on the way back down it was time for Chris to head home. I carried on the half hearted tourist act wandering about but leaving the Champs area and walking along the river towards The Eiffel Tower.  Problems began when I then tried to get back to the Champs Elysee. The Police had set up little road blocks and were stopping anyone with rucksacks. I completely understand the reasoning but it seemed a bit strange when I had been in the area all morning and there were lots of people walking round with rucksacks on literally yards behind the Police block. Giving up on that block, I tried the next one and he could see my reasoning or just thought sod it and got to the bag checking stage. Just as he was about to let me through he wanted to check the very front pocket, which contained (taking you back about 15 blogs) the wire cutters for taking Tour signs from lampposts. I demonstrated what they were for and then gave them to him if that would secure my entrance. It wouldn't so I snatched them back and set off for the next one. This time it was much easier as they were simply checking bags. I put the wire cutters in my pocket (devious) and after the bag was checked, twice, was back on the Champs Elysee.

I watched the opening few laps of the women's race and decided to head back to the hotel and get rid of the pesky rucksack.

After grabbing some lunch, by the time I had negotiated my way back to the Champs Elysee, the crowds were heavier and I was searched three times just using the metro to go from one side of the street to the other. The caravan was making its last appearance when I met up with the others and we left the Champs to take up a spot on the road just behind that the race which they would use to transition on to the finishing circuit. This was a nice extra and we would still have time to get back to see them come round on the first lap of nine.

Just as the peleton was coming through, we noticed a bidon in the road. I say we, I was still pointing at it as Jamie was scampering into the road to get it. To be honest, I didn't think it was particularly risky but the nearest Policeman did and as we tried to walk away he asked Jamie 'if he was stupid?' in pretty good English. However, the rest of the telling off was in French so didn't really have the effect I'm assuming the policeman was hoping for.

As we weren't on a barrier, we would see them come through and then move on, making our way round the Arc de Triomphe section. This was perfect as there were 2 screens to keep up to date and we had lots of different views over the 9 laps.

Though it had been in my mind since we arrived in Paris and was probably the reason I didn't have a great early afternoon, it was only really with two laps left, some 14km, that it properly dawned on me that the race and my trip was nearly over.  I didn't enjoy the afternoon as it just felt like it wasn't the race I had been following. Paris felt too big, too busy and I didn't recognise it as the Tour I had followed.

As they heard the bell and they came by for the last time, I actually gave them a wave. Then it was over, the final sprint was won by Andre Greipel of Team Lotto, who saved his Tour with that win and bringing up the rear Team Sky, decked out in special yellow trim on their kit, rode across the line as a team to celebrate Chris Froome's win.

And that was it, before they had even started the presentations, they were removing barriers and in the taxi back to the hotel tonight, the course was long gone and everything was back to normal.

My Tour was not quite over as me and Jamie wandered down to an area of large hotels were all the teams stay for the last night in Paris. It was good fun seeing them all come back from the race. While Jamie is a fan of the rider selfie, apart from my two that you know about, I'm much happier taking a pic from a distance. In fact I had more fun in my role as look out.

After a couple of hours (I don't think I could let go) we grabbed a taxi and headed for our respective hotels. Dinner was a cracker of a tomato and mozarella panini and a crepe and now it's blog time, before the journey home tomorrow.

(This bit should be read over a montage of race highlights - with a suitable music choice)

That of course brings us to the end of the Tour de France blog as there isn't a blog without a Tour. When I decided to write this I thought it was a good way to let people know what I was up to and for me to have a diary of my trip. I will read it back in a few weeks (some won't believe that I read it back every night and there were still that many mistakes in it - part of the charm) and see if it worked as a reminder.

Factually everything I talked about was true, especially any facts about towns or places that may have seemed far fetched and the pronunciations were as close as I could get them to what I understood it to be.

The funny thing about the Tour from the perspective of following it is that I see far less of it than if I was at home. As Chris put it so
well my Tour is made up of 21 moments which encapsulate my Tour. I understand that it hasn't been the most exciting of Tours but I didn't see
that, I have my own moments to build my own Tour picture.

It's gone better than I could have hoped and I hope that came across in the blog. Looking back there was probably only one stage that was a bit disappointing and amongst all the good ones, the hailstorm in Andorra and the French win up to Le Bettex stand out. As I said though, it has been amazing.

Thank you to everyone for your really nice comments and for reading the blog. To Chris for his company through the Alps and to new friends Jamie and Gary who treated me like a mate from the bottom of Ventoux onwards. To
Claire for putting up with this stupid idea and me banging on about it for a year. To everybody else who I have bored about it. To Nick for getting the guest pass and finally to France...for being at times a stunning country, for the majority of the time being very nice and for having this bike race every year.  This trip has done nothing to dampen my love for it and I can't wait for 49 weeks time when we can do it all over again but from the 'sports chair' this time.



3 comments:

  1. A great sign-off, Tim, and a big thank you for enlivening my lunch hours for the last three weeks. It's been a wonderful peak into the background workings of the Tour and given me an urge to get out there and see some of it too. All the best, James

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  2. Thanks James, very kind of you. I would encourage anyone who has any interest in it to see it anywhere even just once but preferably in the mountains. Hope all is good with you, Tim

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  3. Tim. Have only just got back from holiday so have only just read your final blog. For me it has added an extra dimension to the race so thank you for that. I did pass it on to a friend (laura) who's sister (Vicky?) Lives in France near the Swiss border. Vicky is a massive SKY fan and went to watch the stage into Berne. I know she has also been reading your blog. Look forward to catching up with you soon hopefully. I still hope to see a mountain stage at some point.

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