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“Anyone want to go to finish of the Tour de France today?”
For twenty-three days, cyclists compete in the Tour de France, one of the greatest races in the world. Consisting of twenty-one stages that pass through villages and hamlets throughout the country, thousands of spectators line the streets and roadsides to cheer on the competitors and be part of the national celebration. The final stage speeds its way down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees on its final day, a day almost akin to a national holiday for the French.
My husband had always followed the Tour de France. Me? Not so much, but I knew that Lance Armstrong was a top contender that year and I just so happened to be in Paris for the finish of the great race. Of course, I was going to go!
Many of my coworkers were convinced that it “was going to rain”, that we “weren’t going to be able to get there”, that we “wouldn’t be able to see anything even if we got there”. In the end, only three of us decided to take the chance and headed out toward the Arc de Triomphe.
It was my first Tour de France and…
…it did not rain.
…we were able to get there.
…we saw everything!
Lance Armstrong won that year and we were able to watch the racers streak by from our perch atop some hikers’ backpacks on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees. We also learned from two British gentlemen, who attended every year, that once the award ceremony was completed, we shouldn’t leave…the riders would come by slowly for victory laps and we would be able to capture some amazing photos! For never having had much interest in a cycling race, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
Of course, the next day, those who told us not to go…were…well…a bit jealous, to say the least!
Over the years, I always thought I would go back to witness the finish of Tour de France again, but each June would go by and as I saw it playing out on television, I realized that my schedule that year, wouldn’t allow it.
Until this year.
I was going to be in Paris for the finish of the Tour de France! Funny thing was that I didn’t plan to be. A last minute swap with a coworker had put me being in the City of Lights on Sunday, June 18. My husband, while watching one of the stages of the race, mentioned that our youngest son had ruined his Tour de France shirt. This brought to mind my upcoming trip. As I checked the website and my calendar, I was amazed…the finish would be on the very day that I would be there! And although, things were going to be a bit different due to Covid restrictions, wild horses couldn’t keep me from going down to the Champs-Élysées to witness tis amazing spectacle!
After arriving in Paris that morning and a brief nap, we all headed down to the Arc de Triomphe to try and secure a primo viewing spot. The area was cordoned off by metal barricades and we had to walk for blocks to find an entrance. At the entrances, guards were checking vaccination cards and negative Covid test results to allow entry to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
Still early in the afternoon, we headed down the avenue noticing that there were no hordes of spectators lining the edges of the barricades yet. Checking the expected arrival of the racers on the Tour de France app, we realized that we still had a bit of time, so we decided to grab a bite to eat and a couple of beers.
As my cohorts enjoyed their food, I kept a close eye on the adjacent barriers, determined to have that front row seat that getting there early enough would merit.
Finally, we picked our spots…front row…and waited…anticipation mounting. Trips to the beer cart down the street may or may not have helped to pass the time.
Sirens filled the air and police motorcyclists sped down the Champs de Elysees. But no riders yet! What I had not remembered was that the racers were preceded by the publicity parade. This caravan, made up of many of France’s major brands in dedicated vehicles, advertise their wares and usually throw out free gifts to eager and waiting hands. This year, due to Covid, you guessed it…no free gifts! But still, the publicity parade is great fun and many people come to the race primarily for this part of it, not just to see the racers.
As a roar swept through the crowd, making its way down toward us, we realized that they were finally here. Flashes of metal and colored jerseys departed as quickly as they arrived as the sheer speed of the cyclists made it nearly impossible to distinguish one from the other until the main pack slowed each other’s speeds. It was almost unimaginable, the endurance needed for these riders to make it to this point in the race, riding 100km for three weeks in physically challenging terrain.
After ten laps, we didn’t see the riders any more. That was it. It was over! No fanfare, no rider slicing through a ribbon at the finish line. We weren’t that close to the end point. We did learn, however, that the winner was 22-year old, Slovenian Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) with Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard and Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz behind him in second and third place.
Although during the last time I had attended, we had ventured down to the podium to watch the award ceremony, prior to the victory laps, it was not meant to be for the Tour de France 2021. My companions were not as eager to wait an unspecified time for something that may or may not have been cancelled due to Covid…and they were hungry!
So off we went…but with a new Tour de France t-shirt for my husband!
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