Having a brother obsessed with bikes, to the point of even having his own bike shop, you can't live in the same house for years and not watch Le Tour De France. Over the last few years though I have really got into it and now love watching Le Tour De France each year. So being very excited to watch this years race I checked the Tour's route to see if it would by any chance come within reaching distance for me to the Swiss border. Lucky for me Stage 10 was due to finish in a town half an hour away from me in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine! Unlucky for me though was that on that day I would be looking after the boys as they would be on their summer holidays. However I got the boys excited enough about the Tour that they wanted to go to the finish line and see the cyclists race past us (even if it was for just a couple of seconds).
On Wednesday 11th July (said with much importance because this will now and forever always be a historic day in the life of Abigail Rose) I took the boys and myself on a train to Bellegarde for the afternoon. We got off at our stop on the train with a load of other people and all meandered through the streets climbing gradually upwards to the sounds of the excited crowds gathering. As we were walking towards the crowds I stopped to give some directions to a couple Australian cyclists trying to find the train station. The people they had asked didn't understand them, so I was very happy to use my English/Australian speaking skills to help them out! Hahaha! I got reward with a cheery 'murky bucket' as they rode off....that made me crack up way to much...the boys thought I had lost it...they just didn't get it though which made it funnier to me!
It was a flipping boiling day, so I was rather hot carrying a heavy backpack full of heavy water bottles as we walked around the last 1K of the course.
Watch the action as it gets closer........
Little shop displays............
All roads closed for the Tour.......
Painted houses, that better be depicting Wiggs in the front........
The boys were pretty good as we walked around back and forth through the town, till eventually they got a bit fed up and just wanted to find a place to stand by the barriers. We got a good spot though, with a bend near the 1K to go mark.
Our spot.......................
Just to prove my red burnt face was there......
As your waiting for the time to dwindle away until the race goes past by tons of cars and motorbikes (for radio, TV and eventually a whole load of different team cars) entertain you by beeping their horns as they drive by. What gets the crowd really going though is the onslaught of caravans giving (or more like throwing at your head) loads of sweets, water and random freebees as they drive down the race route.
The yellow jersey................
One of the random floats............
Every time the road went quite for a while you got really excited thinking 'this is it' when you suddenly saw all the heads turn of people standing furthest away from you. However it was usually just another random car full of people on their way to the finish line. Finally though the roar of the crowd escalated and you knew (with the helpfully count down of many K's were to go from some random guy in his house above us watching his TV) that 'this really was it' as the first group of riders flew passed us.
First man to ride past us..........
My favorite shot of the day as the Stage winner Voeckler chases down the rest of the group....
The yellow jersey!!! Go Go Wiggins.......
A mountain stage day was a good day to watching the cyclists cross the finish line because it meant they came past in little groups rather than one big peleton! It is defiantly something to do if you get the chance, just to say that you've done it! Ha!
My booty from the day............
I watched the stage highlights later that night to see what really happened in the race, and to see if I could see myself of course! YAY! I could kind of see myself! Hahaha! I am the white blob on the right opposite the rider in blue behind the white with blue writing Carrefoure barrier. Yeah, have fun trying to find that!
Just for my own knowledge........
I had a great time with all the excitement. Aller Wiggins!
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