Bastille Day didn't get off to the greatest start for me. First I accidentally left my Allez Garmin sign on the train and realized it just in time to see the train pull away and then there was already a huge crowd waiting at the sign in! I did manage to find a place I had a good feeling about. I was disappointed to have lost my sign with its 5 signature, but I'm happy enough just have had the experience of meeting and talking with some of my favorite cyclists and those memories are far more valuable to me than the sign.
The day turned itself around in an instant, however. Eddy Merckx was at the sign in and the crowd gave a polite round of applause but for some reason they weren't at all interested in him, which meant he was happy to sign my flag.
Today I positioned myself right across from the snack station and before the sign in, hoping to catch cyclists either before the press did or after they'd filled their pockets with calories for the long ride ahead. Below, Jerome Cousins and Thomas Voeckler stock up on Power Bars.
My position paid off! I collected another dozen signatures by the time the race started.
Fien had been trying desperately to teach me how to say Gert Steegmans' name properly in Flemish. I think my pronunciation was still a bit off but today it was good enough to get his attention and his autograph. I couldn't believe that no one cared about Matteo Trentin, winner of yesterday's stage, but that just made it easier to get him to sign my flag.
Marten Wynants seemed relaxed and calm as he autographed my flag.
I called out to Marcel Kittel as he headed to the snacks and he gestured he'd come over as soon as he'd finished his shopping. I think I expect sprinters to be flashy and arrogant but Kittel was super nice. I congratulated him on his 3 stage wins and also said I'd seen him win at Scheldeprijs back in April and he kindly thanked me.
Lieuwe Westra, whose name is one of my favorite to say in the entire peloton, signed and when I wished him luck because today would be a long day, he just laughed. I spotted his teammate, Juan Antonio Flecha, a little but later and called out to him in Spanish to please sign my flag. He immediately came over and we talked in Spanish while he signed. He asked where I'm from in Canada and when he said he'd never been to Toronto, I promptly invited him to stay with my family. He laughed and said he'd let me know.
David Veilleux gave me his familiar smile whenever he rode by and Marcus Burghardt rolled by to ask how I was doing. I congratulated him on doing so well yesterday and wished him luck today.
No signatures from my friend Svein Tuft or his Orica GreenEdge teammates, but the team car seemed to have recognized me and gave me an inflatable team guitar. Maybe if I practice enough, I'll be in their next video.
The Garmin boys were good to me today! More than just getting signatures, I got to talk with 5 of them. Tom Danielson tends to give an acknowledging nod as he rides by and Ryder Hesjedal did a little wave today as he kept going.
Andy Talansky was the first from the team to sign in and he was as happy and chatty as ever. The first thing he said was, “Have you been to every stage so far?!” I told him I was starting all over again in getting Garmin signatures and that the only way I'd get over my heartbreak was to attend the team party in Paris so I'm sure my invitation will arrive any day now. I've got to say, I was a Talansky fan before the Tour but after watching him ride (he was disappointingly close to taking yesterday's stage) and talking with him, he seems amazingly friendly and is someone I'd love to grab a beer with on a sunny afternoon.
Navardauskas, who made me work so hard earlier in the Tour to get his autograph, came over without hesitation today and was more talkative than I've seen him in the past.
David Millar, a rider I've respected for many years, shot up even further in my book today. Katusha parked their team car right in front of me to pick up food for their team right before Millar came to sign in. He waved when I called to him and I hoped Katusha would have driven off by the time Millar passed me again. No luck, Katusha hadn't moved, but Millar actually asked them to move their car and when they didn't (the guy with the keys had wandered off somewhere), he did his best to ride around the front and awkwardly reached over to sign my flag. I had to ask him not to hurt himself, that's how far out of his way he went to please a fan (again!).
Dan Martin seemed to be expecting me and my flag and he seemed incredibly down to earth. He's obviously still feeling great from his stage win last week as he absolutely beamed when I congratulated him on it.
The last Garmin rider to sign in was Jack Bauer, who I'm always excited to see. He was so calm and comfortable, you'd be forgiven for thinking he was off to a beach barbecue rather than about to ride up an absurdly steep mountain. When Talansky and I go for our beer, I'll make sure he brings Bauer with him.
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