Le Tour – Wrap up

So I know everyone has moved on to the Olympics already, but I finally got around to adding photos to the rest of my TdF posts.  So if you want to relive the magic (or just check out the photos), you can find them here:

Tour stage 14 – the finish at Foix

Tour stage 15 – near the feed zone out of Marciac

Tour stage 16 – on the Tourmalet foothills near Bareges

Tour stage 17 – the finish at Peyragudes

Tour stage 18 – the start at Blagnac

Tour stage 19 – ITT near Chartres

Also, I know I didn’t put up a post about stage 20 – the grande finale on the Champs!  I started one, but I was a bit tired and it never really took off.  Here’s what I had ‘saved as draft’…

“And finally, Paris!  I’ve only followed the final week, I haven’t been on a bike for a single kilometre, and I’m exhausted.  I can’t imagine how relieved all the riders, teams, media, caravane folk, roadies, crew, gendarmes, officials and everyone else must be to reach Paris after three weeks of this crazily fascinating race.”

Sounds like it was shaping up to be a top little post, right?!  But, like you, I’ve also moved on to the Olympics and so will satisfy the need to ‘finish’ the TdF series with ‘the last day in pictures’, herewith.

It was indeed a crazy week, filled with all kinds of awesomeness and memories I’ll keep for a long time.  Glad you all enjoyed reading along.  Vive Le Tour!!

Arrived in time to stand on the hallowed avenue before the final barriers were closed up. It’s the Champs!

Family friends joined me – and looked the part!

The Brits were out in force. Quite a lot of them sported stylish stick-on sideburns, Wiggo-style.

The last caravane was the biggest of all. Even the semi-trailers got in on the act, and enjoyed zig-zagging down the Champs Elysees at frightening speeds…

Favourites from the final caravane… the giant rooster

and the Vittel formula one car (even though their water tastes horrid)

The camera position prepared for action

… and the riders arrive!

Jens leads the break. Forever young.

The bunch flies past again

British TV interviewing the punters… they didn’t want to talk to an Australian.

Impressive cycling of a different kind leads the team parade

After the presentations finish, all the teams return to parade around the Champs Elysees, accept the accolades of the crowd, take photos of each other, and generally bask in the glory of having reached the end of Le Tour

Team BMC roll by

Pierre Rolland got a lot of high fives on the way. He was spraying the crowd from his water bottles on the way back down the other side of the loop…

I’m not sure how, but the guy next to me got Jens Voight to come over and sign his shirt. JENS!

L’Arc de Triomphe at the head of the avenue

All the way to the Champs! What a ride!

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