an hour or more before breakfast, half or so at lunchtime, finish off in the evening, whenever I can fit a bit in
with them on the climbs and descents, and stretches between till the finish line,
but I have a few more drink stops.... lol
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| Grand Alps 2011 |
got me to wondering, having ridden those roads last year on the Suzi Bandit
I know I'm not the fastest thing on a motocycle,
but maintaining that sort of speed in the Alps is a real stretch on a moto, let alone on a push-bike
and there are the press corp, threading through the field, at times passing the peloton, two up with the cameraman on the back
So researched a bit more...
the roads are not so much closed, as declared a sort of national territory
such is the French support of a sporting spectacle that's become a national treasure
The policing is done by the motorcycle division of the Republican Guard, an elite corp that among other duties protects the President,
escorting high ranking motorcades etc
European police motorcycle skill is legendary, look up on You-Tube
They ride mostly BMW's and Yamaha FJR, and have been doing TdF support so long, their knowledge how to fit around the cycling field is part of the landscape
I spotted a beaut yesterday, white, with red flash-work
There's as many motorcycles involved in total, police and press, as push-bikes, around 200
the TV live-coverage is high level art work synchronising roadside cameras, pillion cameras, and two helicopters in the air full-time
fed to 290 TV outlets world-wide, they estimate 3.5 billion people see at least a part of the 3 week race
Fantastic tourism promotion for France......
and me just one tourist lured there last year
France takes its road safety issues in quite a nice way
you see motorcycle schools all over the place
its compulsory to carry an approved breath-tester in your car
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