Watching the Paris Nice
The winter has been too long and too cold this year in Grenoble and after some time away from the bike, I'd found the urge to start cycling again in February. If I needed more incentive to ride my bike, the Paris-Nice is the early season event that passes relatively close to Grenoble and I could go and see the professionals racing. I took two days off from work to follow stage three and four of the race.
According to the Paris-Nice website, stage three was going to finish in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon in the Auvegne region and at about a thousand metres in altitude. After a morning stop for shopping near Lyon with my wife and daughter, we drove past St Etienne and into the mountains south of Lyon. The snow was down low and the conditions deteriorated the higher we drove. We passed metre high snow drifts next to the road, and in places the road was covered in new snow that had been blown by the gusting wind. Needless to say, when we finally reached the village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, there was no sign of the imminent arrival of the Paris-Nice. The road back to the main road hadn't even been cleared of snow and the temperature was reading minus three. Only when I got home did I read that the stage had been shortened and finished close to St Etienne. Six hours in the car to not see a cycle race, but I did get to see some new places.
Due to the snow in Le Chamon-sur-Lignon, the departure for stage four had been moved to St Peray, a small village on the outskirts of Valence. This helped as it was an hour nearer to Grenoble, but I still got lost driving around the centre of Valence. When I did make it to the St Peray, the gendarmes (French Police) were not very helpful about the best place to park and just wanted me out of the way. Customer service isn't a strong point in France, especially in supermarkets, in shops just before closing, and in St Peray before the departure of the Paris-Nice.
There were only a handful of people in St Peray to see the race and I found a spot to park just over the river from the sign-on area. For me, the best race to follow is the Dauphine Libere. There are too many people around the Tour de France to get close to the riders at a depart or a finish. The main problem with following the Paris Nice is the cold as the riders will run from their warm team bus to sign on, and then run back again to the bus. With the Dauphine Libere, you can walk around the team cars and chat and take photos of the riders, as well as enjoying the mountains and sunshine.
I did get some nice photos including Floyd Landis and his unique sunglasses, a nice one of the always friendly Oscar Sevilla, and Tom Boonen on his way to his team bus. I've met Tom Boonen and Oscar Sevilla a number of times at the different races and they are always happy to let me take their photo. It's not the case for all the riders.
Following the departure of the riders on the 100 kilometre stage, I got back in the car and drove south to the first sprint near Puy-St-Martin. I knew this area from one of my early season races in Charols. I parked and within two minutes, the riders had passed and I'd taken my photos and was back in the car and on my way to the finish.
I arrived in Montélimar in good time but again I got lost and on the second time around the town centre, I stopped and asked a policeman for directions. It was only 500 metres to the course. I parked near the kilometre banner and walked into Montelimar to find my spot. The area around the finish line was already busy, but I wandered back and passed a bar showing the race. According to the screen, the riders still had 30 kilometre to the finish so I ordered a cafe and watched the race. The next thing I knew, the crowd were applauding and a group of cyclists sprinted past the bar on the road outside. A few seconds later, another group passed and then another. I had the choice, slowly finish my coffee and make it look like I wasn't too bothered that I'd missed the race, or I could run out without paying and try and take some photos. I opted to drink my coffee and put it down to an experience that wouldn't happen again.
Photos from the Paris-Nice are online at the Grenoble Cycling Pages.
According to the Paris-Nice website, stage three was going to finish in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon in the Auvegne region and at about a thousand metres in altitude. After a morning stop for shopping near Lyon with my wife and daughter, we drove past St Etienne and into the mountains south of Lyon. The snow was down low and the conditions deteriorated the higher we drove. We passed metre high snow drifts next to the road, and in places the road was covered in new snow that had been blown by the gusting wind. Needless to say, when we finally reached the village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, there was no sign of the imminent arrival of the Paris-Nice. The road back to the main road hadn't even been cleared of snow and the temperature was reading minus three. Only when I got home did I read that the stage had been shortened and finished close to St Etienne. Six hours in the car to not see a cycle race, but I did get to see some new places.
Due to the snow in Le Chamon-sur-Lignon, the departure for stage four had been moved to St Peray, a small village on the outskirts of Valence. This helped as it was an hour nearer to Grenoble, but I still got lost driving around the centre of Valence. When I did make it to the St Peray, the gendarmes (French Police) were not very helpful about the best place to park and just wanted me out of the way. Customer service isn't a strong point in France, especially in supermarkets, in shops just before closing, and in St Peray before the departure of the Paris-Nice.
There were only a handful of people in St Peray to see the race and I found a spot to park just over the river from the sign-on area. For me, the best race to follow is the Dauphine Libere. There are too many people around the Tour de France to get close to the riders at a depart or a finish. The main problem with following the Paris Nice is the cold as the riders will run from their warm team bus to sign on, and then run back again to the bus. With the Dauphine Libere, you can walk around the team cars and chat and take photos of the riders, as well as enjoying the mountains and sunshine.
I did get some nice photos including Floyd Landis and his unique sunglasses, a nice one of the always friendly Oscar Sevilla, and Tom Boonen on his way to his team bus. I've met Tom Boonen and Oscar Sevilla a number of times at the different races and they are always happy to let me take their photo. It's not the case for all the riders.
Following the departure of the riders on the 100 kilometre stage, I got back in the car and drove south to the first sprint near Puy-St-Martin. I knew this area from one of my early season races in Charols. I parked and within two minutes, the riders had passed and I'd taken my photos and was back in the car and on my way to the finish.
I arrived in Montélimar in good time but again I got lost and on the second time around the town centre, I stopped and asked a policeman for directions. It was only 500 metres to the course. I parked near the kilometre banner and walked into Montelimar to find my spot. The area around the finish line was already busy, but I wandered back and passed a bar showing the race. According to the screen, the riders still had 30 kilometre to the finish so I ordered a cafe and watched the race. The next thing I knew, the crowd were applauding and a group of cyclists sprinted past the bar on the road outside. A few seconds later, another group passed and then another. I had the choice, slowly finish my coffee and make it look like I wasn't too bothered that I'd missed the race, or I could run out without paying and try and take some photos. I opted to drink my coffee and put it down to an experience that wouldn't happen again.
Photos from the Paris-Nice are online at the Grenoble Cycling Pages.
posted by Russell Standring at 6:30 PM
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