Cycling Safari

P>Stage 20: Sceaux/Antony - Paris, Champs-Elysées, 154.5 km / 96 mi

- by Cathy Mehl

With a few little rollers at the start of today’s stage, there was some effort put forth in the early kilometers, but mainly today was a rolling celebration until the cyclists’ reached the closing circuits on the Champs-Elysées. One hundred thirty-nine cyclists joyously completed 2,200 miles over the hot roads of France and they celebrated a new champion in Floyd Landis.

The peloton rolled into the streets of Paris on a casual day of racing in the outskirts of town with Landis and his Phonak team setting pace on the front. Rider after rider came forward to congratulate Floyd and have their picture snapped with the newest Tour champion. Riders could be seen leaning in to each other, chatting about the Tour and catching up with fellow cyclists.

Being greeted by huge crowds along the way, the peloton rolled through the streets of Paris, across the River Seine and onto the circuits of the Champs-Elysées. There the peloton parted and Discovery Channel’s Viatcheslav “Eki” Ekimov entered the circuit first and waved to the cheering crowd, as he said good-bye to cycling. Retiring from racing in September at age forty, Eki was the oldest rider in this year’s Tour as he completed his fifteenth Tour. He will be taking on the role of an assistant director for Discovery Channel Pro Cycling next season.

Phonak then came forward to protect Landis, as the attacks began off the front of the group. They raced eight laps of the 6.5 km circuit on the famous boulevard past the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde on the cobbles of Paris. A group of fifteen broke away that included Discovery Channel’s Yaroslav Popovych, but the sprinters’ teams worked hard to reel them back in. Other attacks went off too as the laps wound down, and finally the bell lap announced one to go. Discovery Channel moved most of the team to the front and Ekimov made one last bold statement as he tried to get a gap. Not able to make it stick, teammates George Hincapie and Yaroslav Popovych tried to fly with a charging peloton behind, but it was too soon, and Robbie McEwen started his sprint. He also went too early and Thor Hushovd flew by McEwen to take the final stage win in this year’s Tour, having the rare honor of winning both the opening Prologue and the finale on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

For the eighth year in a row the day belonged to an American champion. Floyd Landis donned the Maillot Jaune and climbed to the top step as the winner of the 93rd Tour de France, raising his fists in triumph before hearing the national anthem of the United States –this time being played just for him.

* Floyd Landis’ teammate Robbie Hunter was not allowed to start due to missing the time cut in the time trial stage. Hopefully he was able to join the team on the celebration laps that occurred after the stage.

* Since the inception of the Tour in 1903, every finish has been in the Paris area, but only since 1975 on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Huge crowds start gathering along the barriers the night before the racers arrive and make it a day of celebration.