Paris Video !! Rode the Champs Elysees and around the Arc De Triomphe

I'm sitting here the day after Cadel won Le Tour, the day after we rode the Champs Elysees and around the Arc De Triomphe. What a finale for our 14 days riding the Cols of France and Italy.

Hard to believe but it's almost over for us and so many memories, all of them amazing.

After seeing this post from SBS cycling host Michael Tomalaris yesterday morning, from what I could see on French TV, they found an aussie living in Paris to sing the national anthem and none other than Tina Arena. How about that.

miketomalaris Michael Tomalaris

Tour de France organisers asking us to check the tune for the Australian national anthem - to make sure it's the correct one. #sbstdf

 

Just loved this image of our ride yesterday morning from Garmin Connect:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/101268521

and of course these images:

Can you believe it - Cadel in Gold

Well we're still pinching ourselves. We took over a local pub / restaurant down the road from our hotel in Paris and counted down the riders until Cadel hit the Grenoble TT course. He looked focused and super calm at the start gate and Andy looked, well, how shall I put it, s&^t scared - wide open pupils and looking like he'd already lost the TdF. Experience counts. It will be his time in the future no doubt, once he learns to TT.

I saw on Twitter that Channels 2,7, 9 and 10 from OZ were all in Grenoble this morning. Wouldn't be surprised to see Kochie and Stefanovic on Syd TV live from Paris.

Now to pick out our spot in Paris to watch the racing laps and hoping we get on the course tomorrow am.

In the meantime, off to our final Bikestyles dinner which will no doubt be a champagne fest toasting Cadel.

Just a handful of pics today of our Paris experience to date:

The crazy TGV station in Lyon for our train trip up to Paris

Not another bloody photo Paul !!

French version of Vegetables. A remarkable lack of vegies and fresh fruit here but plenty of pastries

and Deserts

What would you choose to celebrate with from the choice of Champagne ?

Alp D'Huez !!

No riding for me today as I waned to soak up the mountain vistas and Alp D’Huez on a real summer’s day. T Shirts and shorts today. The others’ still rode however from our Hotel to the base of Alp D’Huez to enjoy some minor climbing and a super fast descent to the valley floor of Bourg D’Oisans of around an 80 km ride.

I’ve included some more pics of the Lauteret and Galibier today just to show what it should look like, even though it was still full of Belgian and Dutch campervans. No doubt they stayed as today’s TdF race stage came down the Galibier and then onto Bourg D’Oisan that our riders also rode. For those who watched the TdF today, that downhill was the 42 kms that Cadel has to bridge back up to Contador and Andy Schleck.

After dropping the bus, we were free to walk around Bourg D’Oisan and or head up to Alp D’Huez.

I took the opportunity to take in the town, buying a cheesy Alp D’Huez jersey and took some pics.

 

Time to walk over to the base of the mountain and head upwards. There’s about 20 hairpin bends and 1200 metres of elevation. After about 2 hours of walking upwards, I made it to hairpin 10 and decided that was enough when I looked up and simply saw them continuing on and on. Decided I should have ridden up again as it was a lot easier.

 

The bonus of walking up however were the photographic opportunities. Mankind comes in all shapes and sizes as you will see below:

That famous Diablo character

Classic Euro look - black socks, rolled up shorts, rolled up bucket hat and no shirt

He's reading the daily sports paper L'Equipe

Baugette, Cheese and Red Wine - way to go

That's a baguette strapped in there

Father and Son in full Sky Kit

Dutch Indians ?

Had to feel for her - after only 3 hairpins

Tiny children riding Alp D'Huez

Didn't know they made bikes with Derrailleurs this small

This guy was perched on top of his motorhome

Look closely - how did he secure the flagpole ?

Saw this a few times - cross country skis up 10% gradients

Daughter to Father - what were you thinking with that hat ?

 

Once the Caravan came through, and more free junk consisting of lollies, caps, hats etc, a short while later the racers came through and I hope you enjoy the below pics:

All the riders noticed and smiled !!

Famous photog G Watson

After the last racers came through, back down the hill through humanity to find a TV to see what happened and we all cheered with Cadel’s fight back. That TT in Grenoble sure is going to be one interesting event  - GO CADEL. Unfortunately we’ll be in Paris by the start of the TT (tough I know but someone has to do it). Had visions of going to see Museums on Sat arvo but reckon we’ll do a little of that before finding a bar to watch the Schlecks and Cadel duke it out around 4 pm.