Anyone been to the Tour de France

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 5th, 2006, 4:05 am

Just finishing reading about my 6th book on the T de F (this one is on Greg LeMond) and wondered if anyone had actually been .... especially to a mountain stage

I would love to hear your impressions of an up close and personal look at an event which as you can tell from my reading habits has become a fascination for me.

tks George

ancho · Post by **ancho** » September 5th, 2006, 5:08 am

I haven't been to the Tour, but where I used to live some years ago, the Spanish "Vuelta" passed just in front of my home for several years.
I could see the bikers pass below my balcony!
Although it was not a mountain stage, and not the Tour, I think some impressions still may be valid:

It's very dissapointing to be waiting for a long time and then: publicity cars and more publicity cars (for about 45 min), a few police motorbikes, then: woosh!, the stage leader, woosh-wosh!, the followers, a huge WOOOSHH!!! for the peloton, then the medical services, some biker with problems and more publicity cars.

Huge marketing action for very little enjoyment.
I suppose that on the tough mountain stages the atmosphere and racing must be better, anyway I think that biking road races are best seen on TV!

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 5th, 2006, 5:38 am

Thanks Ancho, yes I have heard of the Vuelta and your impressions are much as I imagined they would be of the flat stages where essentially it comes down to the sprint.

I think the real 'effort' comes towards the end of the second week and into the third when the legs and bodies are worn down and the mountains begin. Long long days of pain I would imagine

George

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » September 5th, 2006, 5:54 am

George!

the Tour is great to watch from a moutaintop, don,t go to teh alp d'huez or an other famous one, you won't see a thing!

Check out the the less famous ones! and pick a spot where most people can't easily reach!

You will have great day!

BRING your own Food & drinks!!!
The french have lots of it on the top, but
they eat it themselves!!

I ve been to the madeleine and the galibier and loved it!

Go to the famous tops on the days the peleton isn;t there!

Cheers

ancho · Post by **ancho** » September 5th, 2006, 6:51 am

What's a moutantop?

Agree, mountain stages towards the end must be the best.
And don't forget the beer!

Sir P · Post by **Sir P** » September 5th, 2006, 3:05 pm

George, I have done the tour de France mountain stages, I have ridden up both the L’Alpe d’Huez and the Galibier. I have some photos of me at the top of L’Alpe d’Huez, I will scan them in and post them for you to see.

I have also seen the final stage of the Tour twice, one of those was when Greg Lamond won it for the 1st time.

I will write a more detailed account over the next few days if you are interested.

Sir P

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 5th, 2006, 4:52 pm

Sir P wrote:George, I have done the tour de France mountain stages, I have ridden up both the L’Alpe d’Huez and the Galibier. I have some photos of me at the top of L’Alpe d’Huez, I will scan them in and post them for you to see.

I have also seen the final stage of the Tour twice, one of those was when Greg Lamond won it for the 1st time.

I will write a more detailed account over the next few days if you are interested.

Sir P

That would be great Phil as I am reading Greg's autobiography at the moment

George

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » September 5th, 2006, 4:52 pm

I read Greg Lemond's book about training a few times.

It is good.

Bicycle racing is quite boring though, with the exception of climbing the hills which is fun.

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 5th, 2006, 6:47 pm

John Rupp wrote:I read Greg Lemond's book about training a few times.

It is good.

Bicycle racing is quite boring though, with the exception of climbing the hills which is fun.

John what was that book called called, as I think it is different to the one I am reading which is more about his career than anything specific.

George

Citroen · Post by **Citroen** » September 5th, 2006, 6:48 pm

GeorgeD wrote:Just finishing reading about my 6th book on the T de F (this one is on Greg LeMond) and wondered if anyone had actually been .... especially to a mountain stage I would love to hear your impressions of an up close and personal look at an event which as you can tell from my reading habits has become a fascination for me.

tks George

I've not been to a mountain stage (I've ridden up L'Alpe D'Huez). I've seen a flat stage in 1994 when the Tour came through Basingstoke (Chris Boardman was riding for the GAN team). I've been to Les Champs Elysées twice (1996 when Bjarne Riis won, 2000 when the last stage started at La Tour Eiffel and Lance won).

The stage through Basingstoke was a massive disappointment, we stood on the Eastrop Roundabout for a couple of hours while the caravanne trundled through, then the tour cycling through was "blink and you'll miss it"; all over in 90 seconds.

The first time in Paris was with my brother, we set off from England at 04:30 for the first sensible ferry out of Dover to Calais. Drove down the A26 autoroute to the A1, down the A1 to Charles de Gaulle Airport. Parked the car in the airport long-stay then took the regional train (RER) into Paris. Métro across Paris to Les Champs Elysées. [We didn't have a map of central Paris and it's not sensible to drive in the city.]

The Parisien final stage is well worth the trip (last time me, my wife and kids flew in on the Saturday and did the tourist thing, on Sunday we walked from our hotel to La Tour Eiffel to see the start, then took the Métro across Paris), they do seven circuits so you don't miss the action. Great day, great atmosphere, fabulous city, good food.

For 2007, I'm aiming to be in London for the prologue TT and in Canterbury to see the finish of the first stage.

The prologue is an excellent route round the major sites of London.

Byron Drachman · Post by **Byron Drachman** » September 5th, 2006, 7:40 pm

Criteriums are usually more fun to watch than road races. Velodrome bike racing is the best for spectators. If you've ever been to one, then you know what I'm talking about.

Byron

Sir P · Post by **Sir P** » September 7th, 2006, 1:39 pm

Sir P wrote:I have some photos of me at the top of L’Alpe d’Huez, I will scan them in and post them for you to see.

Here is 1 of then, this is after climbing for 85 mins up L'Alpe d'Huez, The stage winner was Brett Brue, he climbed it in 48 mins and that is after going over 3 other mountain climbs on that stage.

Sir P

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 7th, 2006, 3:13 pm

Phil I guess there is a fair bit to read 'written' on the road as you climb, maybe not all of it complimentary to some racers

George

Sir P · Post by **Sir P** » September 7th, 2006, 5:00 pm

George
The thing that stands out more than anything from the ride up the Alps was when people at the side of the road would run along side you and pour water over you head to cool you down.
It was so hot climbing up (100+F), the heat melts the snow at the top and it runs down the rocks and down the mountain. People fill water bottles with this ice cold water; it is without doubt the best feeling in the world to have that freezing cold water poured over your head. The sad thing is that the feeling only lasts no more than 30 secs as the heat evaporates the water so quickly.

Sir P

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » September 7th, 2006, 6:02 pm

Just a Thought!

Going downhill next time??

Great effort Phil!!

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