PEZ Roadside Stage 9 - The Tour’s final day in the Alps is also Bob’s final report on this year’s race. The PEZ Roadside coverage continues later this week, but for now let’s enjoy Bob’s race day on the Galibier.
It’s the Woodstock of cycling… 8,000 feet up in the Alps, The PEZ crew spends the day with the crowd of crazies atop the Col du Galibier.
The mass migration of man and machine began days and days ago. The people came from both sides of the climb, ascending from Valloire on the north, and Briancon on the south, and representing nearly every part of the cycling world.
These Germans, who rode their BMWs up here two days ago, camped in tents and fought the elements just for this view…
…the Belgians: Nikki, Stejn, Jo, Jan and Jo, complete with camper van, cold drinks and hot food…
…the guy from Luxembourg who carried his colors all the way up the hill from Briancon, just to cheer-on Frank Schleck…
…Jennifer, from Viva Travels in Vail, and Kim, her client from Florida…
…and three more Americans, givin’ the sign of approval to this amazing sight.
The crowd covers the entire spectrum of ages… from the kids who get pulled up by the parents…
…to the old guys perched on a perfect spot at the top.
But not all made it to the top. The crowds were so huge at the summit that the Gendarmes had to shut-off all access to the top of the col a full four hours before the first riders rolled through.
So, how crazy was it?
…it was unbelievable. Hundred and hundreds of bikes, and thousands and thousands of people, all scrambling for the idea place to watch the race.
If there wasn’t room to roll the bike, you had no choice but to carry it to your stake-out spot, but if you think this looks like a pain…
I’ve seen this dude before, at the Tour of California. If some people march to the beat of a different drummer… then this guy has his very own band. Nice horns.
The fans who couldn’t make it to the top of the col kept up-to-the-minute by tuning into the French radio coverage of the race…
…but the Belgian boys had the best idea. Rig-up the antenna, fire up the 20-inch TV and power it all with a portable generator.
The waiting is as much a part of the Tour as the flags and the fans. It’s often hours and hours from the time the people arrive until the first riders come into sight. So, whaddaya do to pass the time? Well, you can catch up on your reading…
…or maybe just cop a quick nap to try and conquer the inevitable sleep deficit that nearly everyone seems to suffer from during this three-week party.
But sleep won’t last long. Before you know it, the helicopters are overhead, and down below, you can see the tiny dots of cyclists as they surge and suffer up the mountain.
Cofidis climber Sylvain Chavanel was in the polka dot jersey today because GC leader and top climber Michael Rasmussen had the choice of wearing yellow or polka dots. So Chavanel got the honors, but he was off the pace today, bringing the dots jersey up a bit too late to score any more points KOM in front of the French fans.
The paint on the road is there to cheer on Thomas Dekker, but it’s an international group of both riders and fans that crowd this part of the course.
US national road champ George Hincapie had a pretty good day today, but what’s the deal with the new beard? I thought it was only hockey players who didn’t shave during the playoffs.
Check out the guy on the left - every fan wants to be in the perfect position, the place where they can get that one primo photo. Nice, eh?
The last big pack of the day snakes their way down the treacherous hairpins on the back side of the Galibier, headed toward the finish line in Briancon…
…while the fans make their way down off the mountain, too. It’s all over in a flash of noise and color. You may wait for hours and hours for those few seconds, but it’s all so worth it.
What a day… what a race… what a Tour. It’s been an incredible experience for all.
Au revoir, mes amis.
Vive la Tour.
Stay tuned to PEZ for more Roadside coverage as Ed Hood crosses the pond later this week.
Roadside St. 14 When you start each new Giro you understand you’re a year older. You feel a stranger to the village approach and for a moment ... More....
Professional cycling has, over the years, attracted only a few documentary film makers. A few, such as Jorgen Leth’s “A Sunday in Hell,” have even ... More....
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
As the final Madison got underway the arena was packed to the rafters, all the talk of Six Days in crisis forgotten for now. The finale was ... More....
Six Day racing comes to Berlin for the 99th time on Thursday, 28th January, 2010 with the great tradition of winter track racing in Germany in a ... More....
American Classic spent the last couple of years reworking their line up and the 420 Aeros are the latest to leave the bench. Take a look at the new ... More....
A couple years in the making, Pez head up to see arguably the top custom builder on the planet. We hit Serotta's NY shop, take a peek at their ... More....
You’ve still got today and all of tomorrow to ‘git ‘er done! Your holiday shopping that is… and armed with the complete set of 4 gift guides ... More....
If the stocking's not full - somebody's not doing their job. Good thing we're here to help with a big ol' bag full of the kind of stuff we'd love to ... More....
Winter riding is almost upon us - except for you lucky Aussies - and that means less riding outdoors. But with an indoor trainer and a Netflix ... More....
Many ergogenic aids, both legal and illegal, have been touted as the magic bullet that will improve cycling performance. What about something that ... More....
Having goals is one of the important first steps in achieving your dreams. They can be small goals or they can be big goals, but without them you’ll ... More....
Is cycling your religion, or at least one of them? If so, you’re not alone. Many people define themselves as “spiritual,” even if they don’t practice ... More....
Post-Giro Roadside: I love Scotland; but there’s no Gazzetta in the morning, most of the coffee tastes like John Wayne brewed it beside the ... More....
Sunday July 20th 1969; that’s 40 years ago now but I remember it clearly as the day that I first became aware of professional bicycle racing – I was ... More....
Roadside Recap: As we make our merry way through the rounds of the PEZ Looks Back, Ed is up for his retrospective on the Tour that was. As the ... More....
Coming on four years ago, Saul Raisin was one of THE big things in US pro cycling. Top 40 in a hard Tour de Suisse and mountain king at the Tour de ... More....
The last time we spoke to Garmin's Steve Cozza was after the 2008 Paris - Tours; where he produced another solid performance from a consistent and ... More....
Just about to start his second season with Cervélo - thanks to strong Classic rides and his first Grand Tour finish, in the Giro - Englishman, Dan ... More....
In October, nine-time Tour de France rider Frankie Andreu announced that he would be Director Sportif of the Ohio-based KENDA Pro Cycling p/b ... More....
With so many (too many?) others looking back to best-of-2009 or decade highlights, why not look ahead? A new decade beckons, after all, so who better ... More....
We first talked with Lostende Bike Tours owner and avid cyclist Allan Reeves about his Pyrenees Cycling Challenge, from the Atlantic to the ... More....
So, riding in Texas is mostly flat, with only tumbleweeds and armadillos to avoid right? Well, not exactly. You see, Austin is situated in what’s ... More....
Roadside St. 14 When you start each new Giro you understand you’re a year older. You feel a stranger to the village approach and for a moment ... More....
Professional cycling has, over the years, attracted only a few documentary film makers. A few, such as Jorgen Leth’s “A Sunday in Hell,” have even ... More....
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
Race report: Alejandro Valverde stayed upright to seal his Vuelta victory – the first Grand Tour win of his career. On such a short stage, ... More....
Race Report: Today David Millar won his 5th stage in all his Vuelta’s, he was given one of the swords that Toledo is famous for along with the ... More....
The loss of Franco Ballerini is not one that will be forgotten anytime soon. The sport's best are at a loss and two of the greatest riders of our ... More....
Updated! Hallelujah, they're racing in Qatar, and I just got back from celebrating with every other New Orleanian on Bourbon Street. There's ... More....
It was a dark Sunday morning in Italy when the news services announced that Franco Ballerini, ex-professional, former dual Paris-Roubaix winner and ... More....
The maracas shake, 'Cara mia, mine !' blasts from the PA. Bang! The little cannon fires and the hall fills with smoke. Yes, this is the right place, ... More....
When the K-Mart Classic of West Virginia stormed through the state in the mid-90s, it opened awareness as to just how great the bike riding is in ... More....
After riding the final 17 sectors of Paris-Roubaix yesterday, and typing to you with still swollen, sore, and blistered hands, I understand to my ... More....
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/amclass/amc420alarge.jpg",900,698);)
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/serotta/meilarge.jpg",2000,1244);)
