Racing Lines
Art by Maxine Dodd
A wider perspective
Hello! I’ve been out and about a bit this week, including a visit to a local art group where we were looking at composition using a panorama. I think it’s a wonderful format which can be used for many subjects. It allows scope for storytelling, (the Bayeux Tapestry being one of the earliest and largest examples) cartoons and film all use the format – and you can…
La Course by Le Tour de France 2015: Paris Champs-Élysées
Bonjour! La Course at Le Tour de France is a new women’s race initiated last year to great acclaim. It precedes the final stage of the men’s Tour and provides exciting racing on the Champs-Élysées. The racers include the best in the world today (including some from the Women’s Tour in Kettering only a few weeks ago). The conditions were simply awful! The rain was torrential and the…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 21 – Sèvres, Grand Paris Seine Ouest to Paris Champs-Élysées
Bonjour! Stage 21, the final stage in Paris sets the seal on the Tour. Regarded by some as a procession or show stage, there is still the matter of the Yellow Jersey completing the course before the phenomenal final sprint on the Champs-Élysées. Not quite so predictable on this occasion, as the roads were made treacherous by torrential rain. The day in Paris began…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 20 – Modane Valfréjus to Alpe d’Huez
Bonjour! Stage 20, the final stage in the Alps and probably the hardest of them all, as the route peaks on the magnificent and notorious Alpe d’Huez. It’s demanding, tough and lined with more fans than you could ever imagine. This was a mesmerising stage, with astonishing breakaways from Valverde and of course Nairo Quintana, who pushed Chris Froome and Team Sky to their limits. The…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 19 – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to La Toussuire – Les Sybelles
Bonjour! Stage 19 continued in the Alps. It was a really tough day for everyone – even the smooth progress of Team Sky appeared to unravel after a quick breakaway from Valverde and Contador left them reeling. Suddenly Chris Froome was racing virtually alone as his team-mates fell away. For British fans, the saddest demise was that of super G, Geraint Thomas, who simply…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 18 – Gap to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
Bonjour! Stage 18 was arguably the best this year. As a course, it had everything. It was a long stage which began on the flat, ascended several hard climbs, some 1:10, with descents to match! The climax came at the the end, where the course followed the most remarkable road known as the Lacets de Montvernier, the ‘shoe laces’ which has 17 turns on its path up…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 17 – Digne-les-Bains to Pra Loup
Bonjour! Stage 17 followed the rest day and marked the beginning of the final section of this year’s Tour. It was the first of four gruelling days in the Alps, with all that goes with them; dramatic scenery, gut-wrenching climbs, toe-curling descents and roads strewn round the mountains like ribbons. This stage cruelly claimed Tejay van Garderen, the American rider, in third place at the start,…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 16 – Bourg-de-Péage to Gap
Bonjour! Stage 16 was the prelude to the final climbing stages in the Alps. This stage again followed a long, hot course through dramatic scenery. This stage had two hard climbs but was really more about the infamous descent into Gap. This road has seen many riders come to grief and Sky’s Geraint Thomas fell prey to it this time with a very nasty…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 15 – Mende to Valence
Bonjour! Stage 15 pressed on through the stunning scenery beside the rivers Ardèche and Rhone towards the Alps. The conditions were hot with the Tramontane wind’s influence. In spite of the hills and climbs, there was a chance for the sprinters on the flat at the finish – really the last before Paris, so there was much to chase for the key riders. Team Katusha looked strong…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 14 – Rodez to Mende
Bonjour! Stage 14 passed through some of the most stunning scenery so far on this Tour – the stars of the stage being, arguably, Les Gorges du Tarn. Back down to earth with the bike race and Team Sky held their place, but the wonderful surprise came from a British rider, Stephen Cummings, who took the stage win for his team MTN-Qhubeka – the perfect celebration for Nelson…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 13 – Muret to Rodez
Bonjour! Stage 13 came down the slopes and back into the sunshine but accompanied by oppressive heat. The terrain was deceptive, long flat roads suddenly reaching hills, passing through pretty towns set on the river Tarn, just lovely! In the race, special mention for popular French rider Jean-Christophe Péraud, who had a very serious fall, yet managed to battle on and complete the stage. The win went to Greg…
Tour de France 2015: Stage 12 – Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille
Bonjour! Stage 12, the final one in the Pyrenees, where the weather gods seem to punish all and sundry! From sunshine to hail, with driving wind and rain, it was a gruelling stage. There was a great spell by World Champion, Michał Kwiatkowski who with Vanmarcke lead for some distance, but the day belonged to Joaquim ‘Purito’ (the little cigar) Rodriguez, who rode a phenomenal last stretch to…
