I don't remember too much about the stage finish which was mobbed and as a young boy was probably too foreign and strange won by Walter Godefroot (Bel) but the next days time trial won by Jaoquim Agostinho (Por) in the same Orange 'Bic' jersey as the eventual winner Luis Ocana with all the accompanying motorbikes and car horns I can remember as something of a spectacular. Each car had the riders name on Merckx, Poulidor and Zoetemelk all strange and fascinating in the heat of the French countryside (through the environs of an out of town exhibition complex if memory serves me right) , Barry Hoban was to win the penultimate stage at Versalles and had won a stage at Angles-sur-Mer and Michael Wright had won the previous stage at Aubagne so there was a buzz about the British interest in the race as there had been this year with the Team Sky involvement in the le Grande Bouche for the first time and Bradley Wiggins as a potential winner.
Le Garaint
Of course by this time the British hope had been tailed off of shown his place after his fantastic 4th last year he was now a marked rider even though he had a team built around him. Lance Armstrong had also been found wanting (for luck if not pace) and was well down.
We saw the middle order through the streets of Bordeaux and then went to the Tour 'village' where we were able to see the riders preparing for their race, Geraint Thomas was warming up on a 'turbo' as the mechanics got his bike ready and we saw him go to the gate and start down the ramp to eventual 10th place, a rider for the future I feel after his excellent ride in the first week when he came within an ace of wearing the yellow jersey
Le Sky
Fiona and I set off out of town to watch the riders through the vineyards (Medoc) on the way to Pauillac along the Gironde river, along with what it seems like the European nation of cycling family with a few Americans and Aussies thrown in for good measure on the flat tarmac and the heat of the mid day, We just missed Lance and Brad but caught the last twenty and the sight and sound took me back to those events in the early 70's that impressed me and made me want to race a bike. When it was all over the crowd who twenty minutes earlier had been taking in the sights of the tour and shouting their respective favourites on to the finish simply melted away and the road was left barren and open never to see the like again.
Le Start
Fi and I made a brew of tea at in the forest and sat in the shade after being in the heat for an hour but some had been here since early this morning and even with the parasols and lunch boxes you need some staminer to follow the Tour never mind ride it as I'd found out over the past week supporting your rider is a serious and time consuming activity all be it a free event it still takes a big effort.
Le Maillot Blanc
The supporters truly love the race and believe in the riders so with all the activity that has tarnished the event in recent years this year has been one of the most exciting (and clean - to date) giving hope for the future of the sport, youngsters have to dream big dreams and there's nothing bigger than 'Le Tour'
Le Maillot Jaune
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