Tour de France Stage 20 - FINISHED!!!

Paris!!!!!!!

Like the riders of the actual Tour de France, we had a 50km "procession" ride today from the town of Massy into the heart of Paris. Entering the centre of Paris meant a real stop-start ride, with plenty of traffic lights and roundabouts to put up with. However, nothing could wipe the smiles off the faces of the 14 "lifers" (as the 14 people that have cycled the whole course have been nicknamed) on this special day. It was a ride to take in the scenery, lap up the emotion of riding up the Champs Elysees (with 2 laps of the roundabout at the Arc de Triumphe - great fun!) and the ride to the finish line next to the Eiffel Tower.

The "lifers" waited in a cafe for 20 minutes whilst the rest of the group made their way to the finish line (also giving friends and family that had made the trip to Paris to welcome loved ones the opportunity to see us arrive at the scheduled time....)

Those final 10 minutes circling the Eiffel Tower were very special! As we arrived at the finish we were greeted by a wave a pink shirts, applause, photos, spraying water bottles and plenty of smiling faces. Despite most of us feeling that the top of the Tourmalet 3 days ago marked the end of the really tough cycling, crossing the finish line next to the Eiffel Tower really was the ideal end to the TDF challenge.

Once across the finish line we had about 30 minutes of congratulating each other, taking photos, phoning family and generally taking in the whole experience. Then it was a quick 5 minute walk to our Hotel to get ready for the evening celebrations...

I don't think that completing the 3 week event has actually sunk in yet, a feeling i am sure will develop at tonight's celebratory dinner and over the coming days... Not having to get up and get on my bike every morning from now on will be a strange feeling..

Tomorrow i will write a review piece on the "lifers" as well as post some videos from the whole trip. Off to get some champagne down my neck!

Here are some photos of today!

Easy riding on outskirts of Paris



The "Lifers"



Where we stopped for lunch, Chateaux Vincennes (i am far right)



Riding up the Champs Elysees



Finished!