Watching the final stage of the Tour. Entertaining small boys.

Well, that’s the Tour de France over and done with for another year. Yes, I am aware it finished on Sunday but somehow we didn’t realise that the highlights were being broadcast at 9.00pm instead of the usual 7.00pm. And then we were busy doing this and that … as you do … and when we decided to watch the highlights, which we have been recording to watch at our leisure, the programme was still recording. However, it was at least one third of the way through and we wanted to watch it in its entirety. So we chose to wait another day and watch another episode of the Italian detective series we’ve been watching instead. We already knew who was winning, and probably who was coming second and third -  barring a nasty twist of fate in the shape of a bike crash.

So we watched it last night. It’s very unusual not to know who is going to win the Tour and so the final stage of usually begins with a stately procession along the Champs Élysées with the winner’s support team often strung out with glasses of champagne. Then follows a final sprint round and round the centre of Paris to see who will win the final stage. 

This wasn’t possible this year - those pesky Olympic Games got in the way. So they did a time trial into Nice instead, involving a lot of uphill stuff. 

Mark Cavendish was the first to set off, with no aspiration to do any more than finish the Tour. He didn’t even try to go all that fast, even giving fans hand-slaps as he passed them. His final Tour was an emotional affair and they gave him a special award and everyone seemed to admire him. Hoorah!

The top three riders, Pogacar, Eingegaard and Evenepoel each in turn beat the times set by the riders who had preceded them on the time trial route. I would have quite likes a surprise win by Evenepoel but in the event it was Pogacar who won the final stage as well as the Tour. 

He’s not going to ride for his country in the Olympics. He’s won the Giro d’Italia snd the Tour de France in quick succession. There’s only so much a cyclist can do! Besides there’s a world championship even coming up before too long. 

I’m impressed by the fact that Vingegaard, Evenepoel and Roglic even managed to start the Tour de France after their crash in the Basque Country. Poor Roglic continued to crash until he had to pull out of the Tour but the other two managed to keep their second and third places! Astoundingly impressive!

Next year’s Tour should be interesting. And there will be the Eritrean Biniam Girmay to watch as well. I might have to watch the Giro d’Italia too. 

So that’s that.

Today I have entertained the small boy once again, his time with a bus ride to Uppermill to visit the museum. The museum was closed until midafternoon and so we played in the park and treated ourselves to ice creams instead. And we had to hunt for interesting bugs and mess about in the river as well.

Tomorrow should be less busy and maybe I’ll get a proper look at the news. 

Life goes on, stay safe and well, everyone!