The Tour de France is arguably the biggest sporting event in France (at least I would argue that). The race is an amazing mix of complex strategies, teamwork, luck, perseverance, engineering, technology, scandals, bravado, and of course individual talent. But then for the complete package (on French TV anyway), add in local culture, breath-taking scenery taken by helicopter, mini-history lessons, and unabashed patriotism (by all countries involved), and you have something in my opinion both magical and mesmerizing.
The Tour is comprised of 21 daily stages. The routes change each year, and in this the 100th Tour de France, the 12th stage ends in the city of Tours which is just an easy bicycle ride away to the west of Amboise. I took this photo with less than a kilometer remaining in the stage. Here is the leading group of riders and they are bearing down for a very fast sprinters' finish.
For you serious followers of the Tour, you can pick out the eventual stage winner Marcel Kittel, the rider in white on the far left. In the green jersey just to the right of him in the photo is Peter Sagan who finished 3rd today but is currently wearing the race's official Green jersey (representing the overall leading sprinter). The other mostly white jersey in the center (or, 5th helmet from the left) is Marc Cavendish who finished 2nd today; coming into the race he was generally regarded as the best sprinter in the world. In the yellow jersey is the overall race leader Chistopher Froome (who is so far ahead overall that he is simply trying to avoid any crashes by being at the front of the pack). Like I said, it's complicated.
I have seen a few hours on Eurosport, as a keen cyclist myself it's fun to see the best in the world in action.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to see these guys up close to see how really fast they are going. I'm also a cyclist but more of the casual touring variety (gotta stop and take photos!).
DeleteWe've been watching everyday on TV! What a great shot you got with the big names all in there.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I was really lucky to catch this elite group in one shot.
DeleteNous suivons le Tour de France et hier j'étais persuadée que tu étais près de Tours pour prendre une photo et faire 'coucou' à la caméra. Je ne me suis pas trompée sur le premier point mais j'ai peut-être manqué le second point...
ReplyDeleteTon premier paragraphe est un excellent résumé!
Merci, Anne. Je regarde le Tour tous les jours bien sûr. C'était vraiment excitant de le voir en personne à Tours, mais il est certainement beaucoup plus facile de le regarder à la télévision. Et par rapport le deuxième point, hier la caméra de TV ne me regarde pas (bon montage de leur part)!
DeleteWe've been watching every day too. Nice to have it come close enough for you to see it live! The Las Vegas marathon used to come very close to our house, we would go out and cheer everyone, and help at the water stations. It's since relocated down to the Strip, a little too crowded and distant for us now. (nothing like the Tour though.)
ReplyDeleteI think watching it in person is like all sporting events...it's really exciting but you don't really see it so well (as on TV). Thank goodness for the DVR.
Delete