[ad_1]
This part of the scene is essentially a slightly glorified photo opportunity. Sky team with Champagne. Geraint Thomas with champagne. Thomas with the Welsh flag. Thomas and Luke Rowe with the Welsh flag. Etc. and so on.
Two notable things about Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which will be pbaded in a few moments. 1) It is here that King James II of England was exiled in 1688. The local castle was the official French royal residence before Versailles. 2) The reigning French champion, Paris St-Germain, was created when the local team, Stade Saint-Germain, merged with Paris FC in 1970.
The flag has dropped and the race has started! Slowly
The riders leave for Paris. Photography: Kim Ludbrook / EPA
Updated
There are some really fabulous photographs here. That's one of my favorites – it's the woman in red right, who covers her mouth in shock, who does it:
Rafal Majka and AG2R La Mondiale Rider Olivier Naesen is a farmer on the cobblestones. Photography: Kim Ludbrook / EPA
The stage today begins in Houilles. The people of Houilles are Ovillois. "Very close to Paris, Houilles nevertheless has a charm and a very provincial tranquility," says the site of the city.
The action is only a few minutes away. In the meantime, here are some readings before the race. First, William Fotheringham on Thomas's Success:
Given the diversity of ways that he has managed to knock off his bike over the years, it would have been different from Geraint Thomas to achieve a Tour de France without a certain jitter. The deranged skitter of the rear wheel in a turn at the start of Saturday's time trial is barely recorded on his personal Richter scale. The Welsh is legendary for the injuries that he has accumulated, including the broken pelvis with which he finished the Tour in 2013, the collarbone that he broke into the Alps last year and the collision with a metal spring in Australia in its less than 23 days.
And again here: William Fotheringham, with a glimpse of a particularly punitive Tour:
Lawson Craddock's first grasp at Saturday's pbading was eloquent. The American had finished a three-week battle to complete the Tour de France with a broken shoulder blade, a challenge that had seemed unlikely after his fall on the first day. It had been a daily show at the back of the pack, struggling on occasion to maintain contact relatively early. The fact that he has raised more than $ 100,000 for the hurricane-damaged Houston velodrome has only added to the romance. Craddock was far from being alone in his suffering [on] a Tour that seemed particularly cruel to his stars this year
More here:
And finally, here is the diary of Jeremy Whittle's tour: [19659035] 10:10 EDT
10:10
And Dan Martin speaks also, in French. He says his Tour was "a little rollercoaster". "My back still hurts a bit, but it's still important to fight the pain and keep going," he says.
Peter Sagan talks quickly: [19659030] 116km today. After that, we will celebrate. I will try to win today. It's not going to be easy. It's the last day, there is nothing to lose.
Tom Dumoulin also had a very brief conversation (you can still watch it live on Facebook here), about the double of the Giro d & # 39; Italy / Tour de France:
I think Chris Froome and I have proved this year that doubles are possible. I am very happy with my performance here.
Geraint Thomas was interviewed during the signing of the podium before the start of the special stage. Here's what he said:
It's crazy. It's the stuff of dreams, you know. As a child, I just dreamed of being in this race. Over the years, the results have slowly built. Being in this position now is just amazing. Growing up with Luke, I was 12, he was eight, being here with him now is just amazing. I think it will take a while to sink. It's just bonker. I will try to enjoy today, and certainly tonight.
Hello world!
Well, after three weeks the day of glory has arrived for Geraint Thomas. A final 116km stage in Paris, unless an accident or an unexpected challenge, will conclude with the Welsh Coronation as the first winner of the Tour de France history.
There is also a prestigious stage win and the winners of the last nine sprints on the Champs-Élysées (Mark Cavendish, who has done it four times, Marcel Kittel and André Greipel, who each have two wins, and Dylan Groenewegen) among the amazing number of sprinters who started this race but failed to finish it. The only person still in the race to win this last stage is Daniele Bennati, now 37, who won in 2007 but did not finish in the top 10 this year and is widely available at 150-1 for the win today. The favorites are Arnaud Demare, Alexander Kristoff and Peter Sagan, whose head in the green jersey rankings has been indestructible for quite some time now.
So, a little trip to Paris, a little champagne sipping and several seconds of wild excitement await. Welcome!
Source link
