JULY 19, 2009 (see more of Don's photos)
Sunday morning we took a drive up the mountainside to Nendaz. There is a huge ski complex there and they are having a special program for the race today, offering transport to Verbier by way of lifts and trams. The cost of 15 francs is nominal, so Don decided to do that to get to the race, instead of battling traffic in and out of the venue. I get to stay home and work on the report, walk around the area, eat apricots and enjoy the scenery.
We went into Sion looking for an internet connection, but everything is protected, so we gave up and headed home so Don could pack up and head back up to the lift area. It will take about an hour of lift travel to get to Verbier. The race should end about 5pm and I am hoping he will be home by 7 or 7:30.
When we got up this morning the sky was gray and cloudy, and there were even some sprinkles. But as the day progressed the sky cleared up and it turned into a gorgeous blue day for the race. The poor racers have been riding in pretty steady rain for several days. I am looking forward to Don’s arrival home to hear all about the race and see his photos.
Don got home about 8pm and said he was really glad he took the ski lifts into Verbier. It was the easiest, least crowded and most interesting way to get to the venue. Of course he had a great time at the race and came home with lots of photos of fantastic ski lift scenery, as well as lots of race shots.
(Don’s Note:)
I have been spoiled down through the years because as an official at the race, I get credentials and can go anywhere I want. I really miss having that pass around my neck, getting me into great locations. My original plan for Verbier was to move farther down the hill on the switchbacks, but by the time I arrived, at about 11am, the village streets were so crowded with people it was nearly impossible to move. I found a good spot on the barrier at the 200-meter sign on a nice turn. I realized that if I left my position on the rail I would never get that close to the course the rest of the day, so I stood for almost 3 hours with both hands grasping the rail to protect my front row position. This meant that all of my wonderful lunch packed away in my day pack, stowed near my feet, was inaccessible. If I dared to let go of the rail and bend down to get my pack, my rail position would be lost forever. I learned that this was the only technique to protect my position after watching others lose their spots in a moment of inattention.
The last 200 meters of the course were much steeper that I expected, with two turns. I think it was about a 20% grade, very steep! My advise to anyone wanting to see the tour in person is to go extremely early and stake out a position and hold it for the many hours until the racers pass by. Take a lunch. The only way to get up on the high Col would be to go the night before and camp out overnight or ride up early in the morning if you are strong enough. Cars are not allowed. Posted road closures generally were three hours before the racers were expected to pass by, but that doesn’t guarantee that you will get on the road before it is closed. The local police count cars and evaluate the crowd and they often close the road, at their own discretion, before the posted time. So, my technique was to watch the race in the early afternoon, and then try to get back to the house in time to watch the finish on tv. On the days that I didn’t actually go to the race, we would do a bike ride in the morning we would do a bike ride in the morning and get back to the house in time to watch the TdF race on tv. That worked well for me.
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