Paris-Nice Stage Four Trip Report
by Willj on Mar 11, 2009 5:32 PM EDT
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(photo by my friend)
Well, today I learned the French word for hail.
As luck would have it, I have a cycling friend in St Etienne (today's Paris-Nice finish). He had invited me to come see the stage with him after first exploring the hills of the Parc Naturel Régional du Pilat by bike.
The plan? We parked at the top of the last climb of the day - about 6 kms from the finish and went for a pre-race ride up high knowing we could change into dry/warm clothes for the race.
My French friend knows I am a "chasseur des cols" (mountain pass hunter) and thus he was excited to show me some of the famous climbs in the area.
Croix de Chaubouret is frequently in Paris-Nice (eg. 2008). Fortunately not this year as still pretty treacherous:
Probably June or July would have been a better month for our ride. We managed just over 3 hours on the bikes with 3 cols. Wet, cold, occasional ice, and 10 minutes of light face-stinging hail during a descent. But fun!
No, the camera lens was not smudgy. Fog:
THE RACE?
The location was beautiful. Exactly at the the top of the last climb were the well preserved ruins of the 12th century Chateau de Rochetaillée.
It wasn't too crowded but there were a couple of hundred people - mainly French - but of course several Belgium (Flemish) camper vans.
When we heard the helicopter signaling the approach of the riders, the official car came by and announced that Vandevelde had a 1' 45" second lead.
As an aside: I'll say one thing about the Garmin jersey: we could easily pick out CVV through the trees as he approached.
Sorry, I had a cheap camera because of the weather and some focus problems so sadly all my shots were fuzzy especially when cropped.
Vandevelde passed us at full speed:
And then to everyone's surprise we saw Contador only 15 or so seconds behind - and he was FLYING! It was truly exciting to hear the surprised shouts of everyone suddenly recognizing him.
He looked like he was smiling (photo at beginning), but I assume it was a grimace. He is truly majestic when attacking a climb!
As always les pompiers (firemen) were out in full force.
As I am sure you all know a group was in hot pursuit. And everyone was searching for Chavanel - a big roar when he finally appeared.
Riders were all over the road and it took a long time for everyone to pass - some people were definitely suffering.
No photo but Cadel Evans - all by himself - looked ready to lay down and die.
As a final comment, I must say that the final descent must have been a thrill to watch. A wet, occasionally steep, small road. I couldn't imagine trying to race down it. These guys are amazing.
Meilleur Grimpeur? (sorry for the belly flash) ;)
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Ok... I just opened this link up so that the comments show, but the post itself is scrolled waaay up the screen...
… I will thus predict, that above the fold, there are at least three jaw-dropping, envy inducing pictures of astonishing European countryside, one of which will contain a picture of man looking remarkably like a former reporter for The Daily Show.
Over / Under on their being a picture of either an actual marmot or something branded with a marmot graphic… errrrr… 30%. I’ll take the under.
Ok… I’ll scroll up now…
Dude... why WOULDN'T Thor ride the chicken?
Yes:
They are pretty easy to see in the high alps in summer as they are noisy:
And a few years back I cycled the quiet south side Col de l’Iseran the day before it was opened to cars and saw perhaps a hundred (ok maybe 50)…. some even sunbathing on the road ….. as they had forgot to be afraid of humans – given that the road had been closed for over 8 months.
Here’s one
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
50 marmots all at once?!
Now that I would like to see! I will make it my mission to find one this July ;-)
Oh I see!
I was picturing 50 of the sweet little things all sunbathing in a group! That really would have been a sight to behold….
i spent a summer at 6,000 ft.
on a fire lookout, and the western slope of my mountaintop was colonized by marmots. cheeky devils, with their whistling and sunbathing on the rocks. my dog would only let them come within a certain distance of the cabin, and if they got too close you’d hear a thud as she leapt off the front step and ran them off. she could move fast and so could they, and they spent the summer in a happy game of testing and reasserting the invisible line she had established as the edge of our territory and theirs.
You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.
so to continue this OT trip down memory lane...
here she is in her heyday:
that’s not me handling, though i did take her to her CDN championship. she was the most even-tempered and adaptable dog i’ve ever known, along with being stunning in the show ring.
You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.
A show dog
who herd marmots? Versatile!
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 11, 2009 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions
very
and she liked to ride in helicopters, too :)
You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.
she wanted to
but the pilot got all territorial…
You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.
Excellent!
I used to have a basset hound. Took her to a couple of local shows but being a stubborn basset she would not do as she was told…..she once did a number 2 in the middle of the ring. I nearly died of embarrassment! She was beautiful though ;-)
probably not the result you were hoping for...
You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.
No.
Worryingly she and I did once come third in a ‘dog most like its owner’ contest….I really really don’t look like a basset hound, honest!
you wouldn't be able to reach the pedals
of that Bianchi if you did!
You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.
I was right to take the under on the marmot imagery...
… got the “former reporter” picture… I, personally, dig the “riding in the miserable weather” picture so I’ll count that as “jaw-dropping, envy inducing european countryside”… and I’ll count the picture of Contador as “european countryside” since it is Spanish manscaping.
Dude... why WOULDN'T Thor ride the chicken?
God Will, your life doesn't suck does it?
Did your favourite rider just win Montepaschi Strade Bianch Eroica Toscana? OK then.
+ infinity
Thinking hard - really hard - of something witty to say....
My sentiments exactly Jens...
Hey Will if you ever need a bag boy / mechanic for any of these trips, I’m your man.
Very exciting Will!
Thanks for sharing! So was C smiling when he passed you guys? I know when he focuses and digs, especially on climbs, he always appear smiling, but today’s video was awesome. Lot’s of smiles with a pretty darn sweet outcome – if I don’t say so. :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
My perception;
CVV had on a game face ….. I saw him just seconds before a very sharp right turn and then the treacherous descent to victory – so he must have been seriously concentrating. He was absolutely flying.
Contador? Now he looked like he was smiling.
Separately, it was fascinating seeing so many riders struggling to quickly put on arm warmers or jackets before descending.
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
C's game face will always make me smile.
I have a pic of him from the Postal TTT when he slid in that damn tape line. It was taken after that point and he was up front drilling it. If you didn’t know he was in the hurt locker with the efforts they were doing – you would swear he was smling ear to ear.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Yes
the dead elvis grin. Right before cracking…
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 11, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Bert's ride
IS SICK!!! I am a bit biased towards white bikes, but this thing is simply gorgeous. I love the gold, pink, and yellow stripes on the seat tube to remind the boys what is in his closet when the standard Astana kit is in use.
"Action without thought is a form of insanity, thought without action is a crime"
- Albert Einstien
I think the expression on Contador's face was one of a smile and grimace
the grimace for the pain he was in and the smile because he was thinking to himself “man I am good, look at me go, those other suckers can’t even come close to me, that little French guy really thinks he will hold me off friday? Ha! suck on this rookie, oh man I am going to win everything this year, everything! Wahahahah…..oh ouch this is kinda hurting, ah my legs, damn!”
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
+1
"Action without thought is a form of insanity, thought without action is a crime"
- Albert Einstien
Yuck. Ice can be bad. Black Ice, naaaaaasty!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
There was a great sign in Germany that I recall from my youth...
… in offramps… it was a picture of a tire with little musical notes coming off of it to indicate “Your tires will squeal going around this corner”…
They could have put that sign at every corner I ever drove my VW Beetle around…
(No one tell Gav I said that.)
Dude... why WOULDN'T Thor ride the chicken?
Serious? That's a sign I would love to see here a bit! How fun!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Wow! great report, Will.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a wonderful trip. I’d love to go there someday. (Cute marmot too!)
Diane
Awesome
great post, Will. Sounds like you had a great time.
Question
Is the training around St. Etienne pretty much ideal? Looks like there’s a significant variety of climbs, at least some of which open before July.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 11, 2009 11:17 PM EDT reply actions
I am not an expert on the area
and it’s certainly not the Cote d’Azur region of France (eg Nice) or anything like Spain.
but it’s a very interesting region with lots of medium sized hills on quiet roads. The highest part nearby is only about 1400 metres (4600 feet) and thus by May (well before many Alps climbs) is easily rideable).
Also nearby are lots of other interesting regions like the Vercors Massif (with pretty savage cliff climbs), and not to far to the north – west the legendary Puy de Dome – among other things.
Apparently the local cycling club is VERY good – Cyril Dessel is a recent member before going pro.
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
St.-Étienne
is where Paul Fournel grows up, and he talks about it a bunch in Need for the Bike – basically he makes it sound like a cyclist’s paradise. He says the great thing is you can do any kind of ride you want – flat or hilly, easy-ish or “savage” (to use Will’s excellent word) climbs. But the best part of his description is the kinds of roads – he says that basically what you get there is a million different little country roads, whether in the hills or on the flats, well paved and very lightly traveled – I guess the cars stick to the highways, and on these roads you don’t see any for hours at a time sometimes. Sounds like an absolute dream for a cyclist.
by plinytheelder on Mar 12, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Their ia no flat in that area!
Crashdan: "Veni Vidi Vici beats Wing Kong Exchange... … and I’ll change my signature to a backwards smile for a month."
Franzoi wins Parijs-Roubaix and I win a date with the VDS of Team Txirrindulariak..
yeah...
guess I should have said montagneux or vallonné
by plinytheelder on Mar 12, 2009 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Chapeau Cordry
You have succeeded yet again at making me jealous of your cycling adventures. Keep it coming…
More Muur...
Awesome photos!
Thanks for sharing. I didn’t realize Contador attacked through the end of the stage.
he attacked on the last climb
and I guess he was caught on the descent
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
he made an awesome attack
on the last climb and no one followed. He ran out of hill or he’d have caught CVV. He was caught on the descent by one group but Chava wasn’t in it. Chava did manage to reduce the damage by riding well and aggressively on the descent but conta still picked up about 30 secs on him.
Was quite the attack – something to see.
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