Monthly Archives: July 2016
Tour de France stage 16: a Throw Wins it for Sagan
The Tour entered Berne, Switzerland for the first of two stages. Covered tram lines in the final straightaway. Andrea and I lucked out and were given passes to watch the stage from the technical zone. This is one of my favorite places at the Tour because it’s the fascinating logistics hub and it … Continue reading
Tour de France stage 11
Julian Alaphilippe and his Etixx Quick Step teammates rode just a few hundred meters from their hotel to the sign on. Raymond Poulidor may have stood on every step of the Tour de France podium except the top one, but he is just as popular as 5 time winner Bernard Hinault. Cesare Benedetti. … Continue reading
Tour de France stage 10: Suffer Faces
What was the hardest thing you did on Tuesday? I promise it wasn’t as hard as the opening 25 kilometers of the tenth stage. With just a few neutral kilometers in their legs to warm up, the peloton hit the climb to Port d’Envalira. The initial dozen kilometers were fairly harmless, mostly around 3% to … Continue reading
Tour de France stage 5: The Buses
There was a time when a departure lay out such as this morning’s would have sent me into an anxious panic. Ack! The road is shaped like an L and there is a double fence in front of me; how will I ever get any autographs?! Will the peloton even know I’m cheering for them?? … Continue reading
Tour de France stage 4: sign on
I’ll admit I felt particularly weird asking for autographs this morning. The first few cyclists at sign on today were either riders I really don’t know at all and so I wasn’t yet warmed up enough to properly cheer for them or they were riders I see around town all the time where I live so … Continue reading
Tour de France stage 3: Cavendish draws level with Hinault
It’s been a busy year since I was last at Le Tour and even though much has changed in my life, I haven’t yet outgrown my love for the peloton. For the first time in a couple of years, I will miss more stages than I will be at but I will bring you, dear … Continue reading