Angouleme Time Trial

Woke earlish so we could go and have breakfast without rushing too much before getting on the bus to go back to Angouleme for the end of the Time Trial from Cognac.

The weather was a little bleak looking but it wasn’t too long before it came good and the sun screen went on again for another day in the sun watching the riders come in. A few of the tour group decided they would ride from Poitiers to Angouleme. On the map it was about 100km but as they found out a little later it was more like 130km. Still, I am sure it would have been a good ride for them.

The other riders got off at Ruffec again and rode the rest of the way into Angouleme.

We managed to get a spot within the last 150m of the course which was on a slight rise. It was good to be that close. We staked out claim and laid the flag across the fence to show our support for the aussies. Only to have someone come along and tell us that we weren’t allowed to do that. Only problem was he told us in French. But we got the idea when he placed the flag on the outside of the barrier … damn it!

It was another warm day in the sun for Estee with her neck getting a little red from the sun. They mustn’t have that strong a sun in South Africa.

The noise as the riders came in was great. With people banging on the barriers and screaming. This was particularly the case when the French riders came in to the finish straight. Sandy Casar got a good reception, particularly after winning the stage the previous day.

The excitement grew a little more once the lead riders of Contador, Evans and, Leipheimer were on the course. There were constant talkings about who was in yellow and how much time had been lost to the other … in FRENCH!!!! So we basically had no idea so after the finish, we went up to the big screen for a bit to see if we could see what the result was. In the end it was Contador to Cadel (23sec) and Leipheimer (31sec). So we had to start thinking of ways to get Contador off the podium on the Champs Elyssee. Some of them weren’t necessarily legal or moral but hey … when you want some one to win…

We got back to the hotel, without any bus incidents, at a reasonable hour and headed out for dinner in the town square. Dinner wasn’t too bad although we did have to wait a long time for our coffee in the cool night air. It wasn’t the best thing to be doing.

 

Paris to Angouleme – Stage 18 of le Tour

Caught up with the bus to Angouleme this morning at the Hotel. The day was warm and was a bit of a shower too as we left Paris but overall not too bad.

By the time we arrived in Ruffec – 3 or 4 hours after leaving Paris, the weather was pretty good with the sun shining brightly. Had lunch at Ruffec and that wasn’t too bad after we got around the broken English and French. We also kicked some people off the bus so they could ride to Angoleme which is about 40km+.

We arrived in Angouleme @ about 1430 which meant we were there before the riders arrived and before the publicity caravan too! The sun meant sunburn was the order of the day but it wasn’t too bad for most people with normal skin! We managed a good haul from the publicity caravan with hats and other things of various descriptions. John the tour guide wanted to search everyones stuff for the better items.

I also got caught having a ‘moment’ with one of the girls in the publicity caravan. I have no idea what it means .

A group of 4 riders had got away including Sandy Casar and Axel Mercyx. Casar won the sprint and the French crowd went up in celebration. Viva la France!

The bunch came in about 5 or 7 minutes later with Boonen taking the sprint.

After a long day in the sun watching the races and, and the caravan girls, we were back to the bus and the off to Poitiers where we were staying for the next two nights. The trip wasn’t too bad and Poitiers wasn’t too bad a place either. It was sort of large place but at the same time not really that big or busy.

Getting to the hotel ended up being a little bit of an issue though. We were going through the little streets of town and they kept on getting narrower and narrower with little ability to turn a bus with a trailer on it around some of the corners. Until there was not ability at all!!!

The driver and a few others ended up taking the trailer off and putting that aside. The driver then had to reverse the bus back down the narrow streets which where a little twisty and had a few cars around the place to get in the road. After a few attempts the driver managed to get out far enough to enable him to turn around. We then went down the same street we came up the hill on … the WRONG WAY. That was amusing to watch as the locals made their way up the street only to find that this big bus was in the way and going to run them over if they didn’t reverse back a bit or find a place to park quickly!

Once we were out, I think Allen (the driver) was a little relieved after being taken for a ride up the garden path.

We ended up walking up to the hotel, although we still managed to get a little lost doing this. Allen stayed back with the bus until they figured out a way to get the bus up to the hotel. They eventually did this at about midnight!

To Paris and le Tour

Damn its early at 430 in the morning! woke to get taxi to the Euro-star for Paris so we could go on le tour.

Heard the news that Rasmussen had been kicked out of the tour last night. Not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing. Euro-star wasn’t too bad but we were seated backwards so not sure that I really liked that idea. Wish the seats would flip over depending on the direction you were going.

Checked into the hotel Novotel after having something fo eToat in the hotel bar as the room wasn’t ready yet. Once in the room, the room was a little better than what we have been use to of late. You wouldn’t hit the walls when you swing the cat in this one.

Got the metro to Musee Rodin and walked around looking at all the sculptures of Augustine Rodin. the sculptures where very good just not entirely my thing. To each their own as they say.

Back to the hotel to watch the end of the stage and see what was happening with the evictions of the riders. maybe we should see on the tv next year big brother tdf – may as well with all the evictions going on! who would host it?

Could understand very much on the tv as it was all in French – funny that.

Off to the Eiffel Tower then and as we had reservations to the restaurant, we were able to jump the queue. this was a good thing considering the number of people all lined up.

The views of Paris were great. unlike Sydney, the tower actually lets you see the city. Sydney Tower i think is a little bit less scenic from that point of view.

Estee and I had dinner @ Altitude 95 which is a restaurant on the 1st level of the Eiffel Tower. This was a reasonably nice restaurant. not too expensive and the view from the window table was great as the sun went down, although the cloud in the west sort of ruined it to a point. After dinner we went down stairs and took some pictures of the tower with all the lights on before walking back to the hotel. We tried to catch a taxi but it appears that they don’t like the tourists or don’t like to take small fares.