Tony Tickle reports from Le Tour de France 2009

The traditional annual trip to the Tour with Barry Astral and Andy Bandy wasn’t possible this year due to conflicting commitments, but I got my own chance when my brother took possession of his new house (known henceforth as Le Chatox) just in time for this year’s race. Located in the village of Le Chatelard, it’s a convenient bike ride from Annecy (fantastic town – the ‘Venice of the Alps’), which just happened to be the venue of the vital 41.5km time trial three days before the finish of the Tour. And before you ask, no, I don’t know how the brother I was raised with in a council flat on a slum-like estate in Battersea can afford a second home in the French Alps. His wine tasting, cheese loving middle-class poncification has now achieved its zenith. Mind you, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, so accepted his invite with alacrity. I’m not proud you know.

After the 50 minute drive from Geneva Airport, Young Bruv wasted no time in getting me out for a scouting trip on the bike up and over the Col de Leschaux to Lake Annecy so we could find a good vantage point for the time trial on the following day. We took the 12km category 3 climb steadily and enjoyed the descent to Lake Annecy touching over 65kph on the straight bits. Alright, alright, we can’t descend like Cancellara you know. Mind you, it’s just as well Bandy wasn’t with us, he wears out a set of brake blocks every time he descends Wallington High Street. Having found a good spot for the morrow we hauled ourselves over the Col again and sped home for dinner on the balcony at Le Chatox in the evening sunshine. Bloody marvellous. Total distance about 60km with 1,800m of climbing. You’ll have noticed I’ve dispensed with imperial distances for now; I’ve gone all continental you know.

The next day we trundled off to Annecy again to watch the main event but this time Bruv’s 15 year old son Ewan joined us. He’s pretty keen and getting a bit good and was soon pushing the pace on the Leschaux. We were joined by another couple of riders as the breathing got heavier with Bruv the first to be dropped. Come on Bruv, ease up on that beer intake and you might still be able to keep up with the boy. Meanwhile I was working hard on the wheels of the two strangers but at least managed to hold them to the top after Ewan was dropped half way up. He kept up the effort though, joining me just one minute down. I’ll have to watch him.

And so we descended again to the road that circled the lake. With the riders going off at two minute intervals there were over five hours of the time trial to watch if you wanted. We, however, decided to enjoy the sun a bit and return later when the riders at the top end of the overall standings would be racing. Just a short walk took us to one of the grass beaches surrounding Lake Annecy (reputedly the cleanest lake in Europe) where we spent a very pleasant couple of hours alternately swimming and drying in the sun. Bloody marvellous (again).

Back out on the course the crowds were lining the road as far as the eye could see, and this was only a few kilometres from the start. I like watching the time trials. I know it’s just individual riders shooting past but there’s something about the atmosphere at the Tour; a real expectation as the team car and motorbike outriders approach with their horns blaring. They drive past and suddenly the rider appears, going at 50kph, the swishing noise of the disc wheels still loud enough to be heard above the crowd as he speeds past in a blur of colour. With all the aerodynamic aids of teardrop-shaped helmet, one-piece skin-suit and an outrageously tucked position the modern rider really does look like some super hero from the pages of a comic book.

But then they are super heroes. At the end of the afternoon we watched Bradley Wiggins blast through, improving from fifth to an amazing fourth, the position he held until Paris after incredible heroics on Mont Ventoux a couple of days later. Then came the man himself, Lance Armstrong. Seven times a winner of the Tour but three years retired and here he was back again forcing his way up the rankings for a place on the podium at the age of 37. I got goosebumps just watching him; one of the greatest athletes ever, from any sport. We saw the Shleck brothers, Andy and Frank, riding superbly in their quest to both get on the podium; only Andy would be successful with Armstrong denying both Frank and Wiggins. And finally came the man in the Yellow Jersey, Alberto Contador, not only extending his overall lead but winning the time trial and stage outright by beating Cancellara, the world champion at the discipline; a truly awesome ride.

After all that, our ride home was truly exhilarating. There had been hot sunshine all day, but no sooner had we started climbing the Leschaux than the heavens opened with a torrential thunderstorm that lasted the half hour duration of the climb. Young Ewan put in an attack on the lower slopes (he’s got some front, that boy) but I was in no mood in the pouring rain to hang about and really went for it, climbing the whole route in 53 x 23, the warm rain acting as an aid, not a hindrance. Having just watched Armstrong and the others I was inspired and climbing that Col flat out, with its panoramic views and virtually no cars, was one of the most thrilling cycling experiences I can remember.

A grand day out, that was. Bloody marvellous.

Previous articles...

3 Men on Bikes...
follow their progress as they follow the Tour de France, in their own shambolic way.
Barry's Blog
Our roving pro race scene reporter gives his own unique view of the peloton
Teen Corner
check out a teenager's view
Tickle's intro - part 1
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not some pro cyclist about to regale you with tales from the continental peloton. I’m actually just a day-jobbing bloke from Surrey in his forties