La Tour de France

If you're a Tour de France fan, the excitement is over and you're looking forward to next year.  You know that Cadel Evans snagged the yellow jersey in Stage 20, the first Australian to win the TdF.  My own personal hero of the TdF this year is Johnny Hoogerland.  Hoogerland is an incredible climber but he was run off the road into a barbed wire fence by a press car in Stage 9.  Despite deep cuts to his legs and having his shorts nearly ripped off his body, Hoogerland finished the stage and by Stage 21, he finished 74th overall.  One wonders how Hoogerland would have fared if he hadn't lost 17 minutes in the fall and who knows how much each day after as a result of the crash and 33 stitches. 

TdF banners along the Champs-Élysées

We were excited to be able to be at the finish of Stage 21 - along with 3.14 million other people!  Again, we participated in an event that requires one to NOT be claustrophobic or fussy about personal space.

A few people on the Champs-Élysées

We quickly discovered that hardened and seasoned Tour de France attendees come prepared:

Bring your own height modifiers if you want to see it!

I'm not sure how good their view was - but being on the bus was exceptionally good planning!

And these folks had a birds-eye view!

The circuit at the end of Stage 21

There were lots of people with flags - but I never did figure out these yellow ones.  Peugeot maybe?

The beautiful flag of Kazakhstan

Another view of the crowds and the end of the circuit

We left the end of the circuit in pursuit of a spot where we might actually see something.  All of these people had the same idea!

Finally!  The first riders appear! These riders are (r-l) Phillipe Gilbert, Jose Rojas, Lars Bak and in the bright green jersey, Mark Cavendish.

The peloton makes its first circuit - (l-r) - Gerald Ciolek, Peter Velits, Vincent Jerome, Robert Gesink

(l-r) - Robert Gesink, Vladimir Gusev, Michael Schar, Mikhail Ignatyev, Anthony De La Place, Andy Schleck, Jens Voigt and Sebastien Hinault

The peloton is BIG -  198 riders finished Stage 1 and 167 riders finished Stage 21

Heading back to the Place de la Concorde

Circuit two!

And back around to the Place de la Concorde - Alessandro Petacchi, Thor Hushovd

Here they come again!

Wow!  They're fast.

After about 4 of the 8 circuits, we stepped back.  We started out about 10 rows deep, but people were taking their photos and getting away from the fence, so we were able to inch forward and end up only about 2 or 3 rows deep.  We never could see the Champs-Élysées and all of our photos were shot holding the camera over our heads, pointing in the general direction and hoping we got something. 

As we walked along the Champs-Élysées toward the Roosevelt metro stop, we found the official souvenir van:

Only 20 euro for the bag, a t-shirt, playing cards, a pen, a gaitor, a hat, a sweatband, two wristbands and stuffed bear keychain.

Hee!  We bought two!

 Then we ran into some unique fans - we never did figure out who they were cheering for though:

As we left the Champs-Élysées in favor of the less crowded side streets, I saw one of these and decided I have to have one!

A pink scooter!  This would be tres fun for toodling!