The final day!
Another short day (we would not be doing the customary laps of the Champs-Elysees that the real Tour ends with) and the perfect way to end a three week odyssey.
Another late start (9am on the bikes) was a very welcome way to begin the day. We set off from our hotel in Massy and rode north-west up into the Foret de Verrieres up a small climb and passing through Sceaux, with its formal park and stunning Chateaux.
As we moved closer to the centre of Paris the amount of traffic lights increased exponentially and made progress slow as we followed the tree lined avenues to the Bois de Vicennes where we stopped for a long picnic lunch outside a Chateaux.
After around two hours, and plenty of photo opportunities we headed off for the final few kilometres with the Eiffel Tower looming over us in the distance. Soon we turned from the Place de Concorde onto the Champs-Elysees and savoured the moment as we pedalled towards the Arc du Triumph which we circled twice for good measure, fighting with the traffic all the way.
Once off the roundabout of death, all those that had ridden the whole Tour stopped for half an hour in a little cafe for a celebratory beer before rolling the last one kilometre to the Eiffel Tower where we were cheered in my all the supporters that had made the trip out and the other riders from today’s stage.
Quite an emotional moment that hasn’t really sunk in yet... will take a little while I imagine.
We have a celebratory party on a boat along the Siene this evening which will probably be worth a blog entry in itself...
S
Distance: 49.08km
Av Speed: 16.9km/h
Total Ascent: 323m
Av HR: 94bpm
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