Day 8: Torcy – Paris
What a lovely day. What an amazing day. Full of emotions. It was a great day with a short but very nice final stage of a fantastic tour with an even more fantastic team. It’s amazing how intense this time was, every single day. Somehow I am running out of superlatives to describe how impressed I am that we became such a strong and powerful unit where everybody could count on each and everyone in the team. That’s just brilliant. We functioned better and better as a team, and it is just good to see how we ultimately completed this tour. Everyone can be proud of himself or herself and of course of the others in the team. Because everyone contributed their own qualities and strengths. Subordinating yourself to the team and a larger goal makes achieving that larger goal significantly easier. I’ve already observed this in professional sports, so it must work for us too.
The day has started with gentle and sunny weather which remained for the entire day. Basically we had just to pass the suburbs for around 30 km to reach the Eiffel Tower unlike for the last year where we had nearly 130 km.
A bicycle ride through Paris can be something special. At least along the Seine river, and especially on this day, when you meet countless other teams and the public celebrates and waves us on. But only very few people probably know what’s going on when an armada of yellow-clad cyclists on yellow bicycles celebrate their arrival.
None of the teams is up to meet at the final destination only (Stade-Vélodrome Jacques Anquetil). No, of course we are riding a bit through Paris, to visit a few sights, for instance the Eiffel Tower. That’s a classic for everyone visiting Paris. A must do. So we did.
What can I say about Paris? We didn’t see much of it, but for sure, it is a very beautiful city. We enjoyed good and secure bike paths along the Seine river, and we passed many beautiful buildings. Also we passed a lot of brasseries where people either looked at us curiously (perhaps a lot of tourists) or they cheered us on (perhaps more the locals). That’s France, a country with a very strong affinity for cycling (the Tour de France is also running at the same time). We saw a few sights as we cycled past, for example the Notre Dame. Everything just looked beautiful and pretty. And we had many great moments, some of which gave me goosebumps.
Another classic, however, a flat tire in a big city very short before the arrival (at the Velodrome). Of course it happened to us, two times. But it was a good opportunity to explain this to a few passersby, who we are and what we’re doing – while we were helping a fellow rider to fix a flat tire.
There was a special atmosphere in the city, created by all the teams, some of whom we met from time to time. Not just at the Eiffel Tower and at the finish line in the Velodrome. But there, at the Velodrome, one does really realise how many teams and riders there are on the way. For the same goal. It’s crazy, in a positive sense.
At the Velodrome, however, plenty of other teams kept queueing, waiting for entrance. It took some time since there’s a number of teams and each team enters the stadium slowly while being cheered. Luckily one of our groups has queued early enough so that we did not have to wait super long once the flat tire was fixed. We just had to catch up and reunite.
To me it was slightly overwhelming when riding into the stadium. So many people kept cheering on both sides, to the left, to the right while riding nearly a round through the stadium’s inner circle. Team by team the stadium got quite crowded and each rider for each team had to find its slot (pavilion) to find the rest of the team for snacks, medals, drinks and celebration. What a wonderful moment, magic, full of energy and emotions. I saw so many happy faces being proud of the achievement. That’s just outstanding.
From now on it’s party time. With a final picnic, drinks, music, dancing, a finisher medal. We got in touch with other teams and – as a tradition – who want may swap the jerseys with other riders from other teams.
Last time I have changed a jersey with a Swedish rider from the Malmö team. This time I have changed a jersey with a rider from Turku, Finland. That’s really nice, we both celebrated this moment with a drink and – of course – with a picture.
Later we were told how much money the teams had raised for charity this season up until this day. Despite the campaign is still running, the current amount of donations is about €8.5 million. That’s incredibly great. I’m proud to take part in this and that the entire team has arrived in Paris to celebrate this well deserved moment. A long moment of happiness.
Last but not least, now I know how it feels like to cross the finish line at the velodrome. It’s magic. Incredible. Causes goosebumps and happiness at the same time. It just feels good. This makes me want to do a third season.
For sure, we have now deserved a great final and proper dinner. A few drinks, perhaps a cigar, and to leave the bicycles ready to be sent back home by a van. Thanks again to Björn who made this possible (to have the vans and to drive one of those back home with most of the bicycles).
And for the record…
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