Today Bananas About Bikes is back and we bring you a story about a very recent race, a story about the last stage of the 2011 Tour de France by Marleen. As you all may know this years Tour de France was won by Cadel Evans. Andy Schleck came second and Fränk Schleck completed the podium with a third place.
On the 24th of July I went to the Champs-Elysees with four other cycling fans (including my fellow Bananas About Bikes blogger Mar and Eva, the blogger from lycraandleopards.tumblr.com who also wrote a story for Bananas About Bikes) to see the final stage of the Tour de France and the final podium of the race. We arrived at the Champs-Elysees around 11 o'clock. We walked around the street to find a good place to see the riders race and see the final podium. Once we had reached our spot we sat down on the ground and waited for a long time. The riders would reach the Champs-Elysees around 16 o'clock for the first time. So we had to wait and entertain ourselves for 5 hours. While we were sitting on the ground we could see the organisers bringing the podium on the Champs-Elysees to see if they could get the right shots for the tv broadcasting. Bernhard Hinault was already there and he climbed on the podium. It was pretty funny to see the podium we had been seeing on TV for so many years ride past in pieces. After they checked if they could get a good shot of the podium they rode the podium off the street again. In the picture below you can see the podium when it was put in place for the first time (before the riders arrived).
After this we had to wait for the riders to arrive for the first time. You have to be patient when you want to see the riders. We actually had a lot of fun just sitting on the Champs-Elysees. We still had to wait for 3 more hours. After some time the big screen in front of us started to broadcast the stage from the start. So some of us stood up and watch the riders on the big screen. On the picture below this you can see Stuart O'Grady and Andy Schleck from Leopard-Trek getting back to their teamcar (our view on the big screen)
Around 16 o'clock the riders arrived for the first time at the Champs-Elysees. Everybody started to clap and cheer for the riders. Compared to the footage we saw on the big TV-screen in front of us we could tell the riders were ready to race. They started to ride faster. There was a small group that got away from the peloton. You can see the riders from that small group in the picture below.
After some time, the peloton came to the Champs-Elysees led by team BMC of this year's winner Cadel Evans, and team Leopard-Trek right behind, as you can see in the pictures below.
Because there were a few big guys standing in front of us we had to take pictures by putting our arms in the air and trying to get a good shot. Some shots were successful, other failed misserably haha! We saw the riders pass a few times so we had a few chances to try and take a good picture. After they passed us for the last time they had to sprint for the victory. We were all hoping for Mark Cavendish to win today's stage so he could secure his green jersey. We got what we wanted because, as you all may know, Mark Cavendish won the stage and he won the green jersey!
After all the riders had finished the stage, the organisers brought the podium back on the Champs-Elysees and everything was ready for the final ceremonies of this year's Tour de France. First was Mark Cavendish because he had won the stage. After that, Mark Cavendish came back and to receive his green jersey for the final time this year.
After the green jersey we got to see the ceremony for the jersey of the best climber in this years Tour de France. This year the jersey was worn by Samuel Sanchez. After that we got to see Pierre Rolland take the White jersey for the best young rider of this year.
Unfortunately I was not able to take a good picture of both the jersey ceremonies. After that we got to see Jeremy Roy take the combativity prize, the one for the rider that attacked the most. The final jersey was of course the yellow jersey, won by Cadel Evans.
He was really happy taking the jersey and he should because he deserved it. I really wanted one of the Schleck brothers to win the Tour de France but Cadel Evans was better this year, so he deserved to win. After the ceremony for the yellow jersey, both Andy and Fränk Schleck came on stage so the first 3 riders of this year could get honoured. It was a great podium to see. All of the riders looked happy.
When this lady on the podium started to sing the national anthem of Australia, the Australian guys behind us started to sing along very loudly. It was a very nice moment. You could feel they were really proud of their fellow Australian, and they should be! After this Garmin-Cervélo came on stage to receive the team classification award. It was really funny to see that they brought a cardboard cutout of David Zabriskie, who unfortunately crashed out with an injury.
Congrats to Cadel Evans and his team BMC!
-written by Marleen-
Oooh this totally brings me back to Paris!
ReplyDeleteAnd you didn't even write about the lap of honour.. and the ride to the hotel ;) as I said, these are good memories :)
Oh that's right I forgot to write about that! but that would have made my story really long...
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Marleen! 'Some shots were successful, other failed misserably': LOL!!
ReplyDeleteWatching the last stage of the Tour must be a very exciting experience, I'm a bit jealous right now ;)
How could I miss the combativity prize being given to Roy? The boy deserved it - although I think that someone should have created a special prize for Flecha and Hoogerland ('most unlucky riders of the Tour' could have been a good name for that award!).
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ReplyDeleteMarleen, you seem to have been quite close to the podium, and your patience was rewarded! I think it's interesting to read other people's perspective on the same day--for me personally, it adds the missing pieces to my day. All of our stories, taken as a composite whole, give readers a fairly thorough idea about what it's like to attend a race--which I think is the raison d'être for Bananas About Bikes.
ReplyDeleteMy experience of stage 21 was quite different. I had stumbled on it by accident 15 minutes before the peloton arrived, and was extremely fortunate to get a place at the front of the barrier on the Place des Pyramides, near the Rue de Rivoli. I really cannot thank enough, the kind French family who gave me a place at the front. One of the disadvantages of being short, is that you can't really afford to stand behind anyone, as the only people shorter than you, are usually children!
After the cyclists took their laps, I missed much of the podium ceremony, meandering along the Rue Saint-Honoré, trying to reach the Champs--not an easy task, given the level of security in place. I thought I was never going to find a street without barriers, and Republican guards! I ran like a criminal on the lam when I finally found an unguarded bit of road.
Mar, is "lap of honour" what the lap, after the podium ceremonies is called? Thanks for that, I really had no idea, so now I can edit my own post. :)
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@Mar
ReplyDeleteAww, you totally should have included the lap of honor and the ride to the hotel. ;-)
@Fede
Lol, the most unlucky readers prize. Let me tell you, not such a bad idea. :D There's always a someone who fits the criteria.
@Figgy
I'm in love with your entire first paragraph <3
So thoughtful. :D
And I feel your pain for being short. :( My baby is probably going to be taller than me when she's, like, 7. (Well, not really, I hope not. But you get the point ;)
Cristin,
ReplyDeleteI feel so silly talking about things like Andy clones, when you're already a proper mum! But I think your baby is so lucky to have a mum with a terrific sense of humour (hee hee, pocket Andy with an enormous head!).
I think one of the advantages of being short, is that even the narrowest of seat pitches on an airplane, won't bother you--as an aside, I love the names airlines give their economy class, like "freedom" and "horizon". Translation = sardine class.
Of course, you really should have seen me on the cyclist's first lap around the Rivoli--I literally was jumping up and down :P
-susan
Aww, Figgy <3
ReplyDeleteThat's the the best compliment I've got from someone in a while. :)
And while we're back at it, I don't think Olivia would mind a talking Andy doll with a big head either. :D
Sorry for my late reply! I just wrote a very big reply to all of you and when I wanted to post it, it was gone :/ So I'll try and write it again :P
ReplyDelete@Fede hehe I can understand why you would be a bit jealous! ;P It was realy cool being there and seeing it! If there would be such a "prize" for the most unlucky rider, Flecha and Hoogerland would definately deserved it this year!
@Susan I was very lucky with taking the pictures I guess, because I just put the camera in the air and kept clicking the button to take pictures :P If I would have used the camera the normal way I would have got a lot of heads on the pictures xD
How nice of the French family to let you stand on a good spot to see the race! That's very friendly of them! :)
@Cristin I totally forgot about the lap of honour :/ It was really great to see them ride on the Champs-Elysees. They were all very happy and relaxed. When we were ready and wanted to find a restaurant to get something to eat we were walking in a street behind the Champs-Elysees and the Leopard-Trek team rode past us on their way to their hotel. They were all high-fiving everyone and were all very happy. That was really cool to see! I feel so stupid leaving that out of the story :|
Marleen