Friday, March 29, 2024

Le Tour de France 2010, Stage 18: Salies-de-Bearn – Bordeaux; Cav’s Fourth

-

HomeDiariesLe Tour de France 2010, Stage 18: Salies-de-Bearn - Bordeaux; Cav's Fourth

Cav: he really is impressive – we were at five K to go when Oss passed on his death or glory bid out of the break; he was flying. The bunch Like some high speed linear motored Japanese train – whhoooooooossssshhhhh! Those carbon rims slice the air all the way from Salies-de-Bearn.

Salies-de-Bearn
The bunch speeds by.

We dashed back in to the chipper to watch the finale on the tele, respect to Sky, they were in the race – but Cav really is a cut above.

Ale jumped first but Cav was on him like a cat onto a mouse – the Manx cat was saying at the press conference that he was conserving energy in the sprint, conscious he has the TT on Saturday and want’s the win in Paris on Sunday.

He said that he’s not looking forward to the test; ‘it’s 50 kilometres on my own, I’m usually only on my own for 200 metres!’

Salies-de-Bearn
Young Reporters!

It was time to break camp at our ‘home’ in the Printania Hotel in Argeles-Gazost – and say ‘cheerio’ to Ed (the Pole) Tarwinski, who had to go back to Zarragossa to uplift his caravan.

Salies-de-Bearn
Dave, Ed, and Eddy – be a good name for a cartoon that. Almost.

The game plan today was to do ‘mini-interviews’ with who ever we could pick up at the stage start – you have to be flexible, if you have specific guys in mind you can waste a lot of time trying – and failing – to find them.

It worked out well, we got Scott McGrory, Matt White, Allan Peiper, Wilfried Peeters, Dimitri Konyshev and Paolo Barbiere.

Salies-de-Bearn
Scott McGrory.
Salies-de-Bearn
Matt White.

We also snapped a few riders, Basso looks ill, Dave Millar looks tired, Jez looks like Jez and Hushovd was having his last day in green.

Salies-de-Bearn
Basso looks tired.
Salies-de-Bearn
Dave Millar answers questions.
Salies-de-Bearn
Jez Hunt.

The quickest way to the finish is via the race route – and that’s what we did.

The crowds were huge, despite the fact that the area – known as Les Landes – is pan flat, sparsely populated and heavily wooded.

The desire to get a look at the bunch flying in to Bordeaux got the better of us and we stopped for frites and a Coke; that’s where we skeked Oss and the express train in hot pursuit.

Salies-de-Bearn
Daniel Oss took a flyer from the break.

Bordeaux looks beautiful, we were going to explore but by the time we got through the crush, found the press room and battled with the wi-fi to get our pics away, it was time to head for the digs.

It’s a beautiful Saturday morning, we’re heading south, back to Bordeaux to do the ‘tourist thing’ then follow a rider in the final time trial of the biggest race on the planet – if only there was something good playing on Radio Nostalgie

Salies-de-Bearn
Car art.
Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Le Tour de France 2016 – Les Chiffres (the Numbers)

I know, I said I’d penned my last Tour piece for the year but I was in the area, there was a parking space and I thought; ‘I’ll have a quick look’ – and to my joy there it was, Monday’s L’Équipe in pride of place outside the International Newsagents. A sad 40 minutes in the City Cafe ensued as I distilled les chiffres (that’s numbers) you need to make you the font of all knowledge on the club run.

Le Tour de France 2006 – Day 7: Stage 4, Huy (Belgium) – Saint-Quentin

We were spoiled at Strasbourg those first two days of Le Tour de France 2006 with the hotel just a couple of minutes from the press room and the action all within easy reach until the start on Monday. The driving is a killer now en route Saint-Quentin, not just because it’s boring and tiring but because of the time you waste. If I do a Grand Tour again, I’ll definitely organise a driver so as I can write as I travel.

Le Tour de France 2007 – Day 5: Rest Day

Rest day, it's a bit of a misnomer if you are journo on the Tour. My first task was to get the washing done, I try to travel light and do a washing every couple of days, it's a "fine drying day, today" as my mum used to say, so by the time I get back tonight, my wardrobe should be replenished. I left Martin to get a little extra beauty sleep after all that driving and wandered-off to find a caff. It didn't take long and I soon had my cafe au lait and armagnac in front of me.

Giro d’Italia – Day 2: Stage 14: Verona – Alpe di Pampeago~Val di Fiemme

Another long one, from Verona, it's 11.35 pm local time, Saturday and we're still in this pizzeria at Pozza di Fassa. The stage finished down on schedule and by the time we walked off the mountain; got set up in the press room, fired the pics away, completed the words, drove here, found the hotel and checked in, it was well after 10.00. The hotel is nice, this is ski country and the Austrian border isn't far away so it's all chalets, wide eaves and timber - very picturesque.

At Random

Lotto Zesdaagse van Hasselt 2007 – Day 3

Lotto Zesdaagse van Hasselt 2007. It's 18.00, the juniors are up and keeping the red cross busy. At a time when any sensible person is contemplating a movie then a nice pasta and bottle of red at their favourite Italian restaurant in the company of their sweetheart, we're just about to start work.

Alexander Kamp takes the Tour de Yorkshire Stage 3 into Scarborough

A wall of sound greeted Alexander Kamp as he sprinted to a nail-biting victory on the third stage of the Tour de Yorkshire. Scarborough’s North Bay provided a dramatic finish location for the fifth year in succession, and as the waves crashed onto the coastline, a crescendo of noise also erupted as a vastly reduced peloton raced onto the closing straight.

Criterium and Nocturne Race Roundup; James McKay Blog

I've been riding a few criterium and nocturne races lately; in this Blog update there's fireworks, some good results, a trip to watch the Tour, and more ripped bib shorts…

Bardiani-CSF (The #GreenTeam) is ready for the Tour of Poland 2016

Bardiani-CSF is going to face a new important event of its season, the Tour of Poland 2016. The short stage race, from July 12 to 18, will be the sixth World Tour race for the #GreenTeam.