I got to France just in time to catch the start of the TT at the team hotel. The race went pretty much as I expected, other than I didn’t expect Cadel to be in contention of winning the stage. He had a pretty amazing ride. I don’t think that either of the Schlecks rode that horribly, they just rode up to their capabilities. Finishing in the top 20 of the Tour de France ITT isn’t something to whine about, unless you lose the lead doing it. And that is what they did. There really wasn’t much of a shake up in the top 10.

So now, from my perspective, it is going to be a Cadel Evans celebration. It started as soon as Andy Schleck crossed the line. At least here in Paris, champagne was flowing. I am pretty mixed up on time, but am up for whatever. We just got back from a long and enjoyable dinner and it’s nearly midnight, but I’m going to go out and walk for a while. Trudi isn’t showing for a couple hours. She has to drive from Grenoble to Paris tonight.

I have the “super pass’ to sit nearly at the start finish line tomorrow. I’m not too big on spectating races that I’d like to be racing, but last year wasn’t so bad, so I don’t see what would be different this year. I know it’s going to be a zoo at the finish with Cadel winning, so I think I’ll just hang somewhere else until the BMC bash tomorrow night.

Okay, I better get out on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées for a stroll. Modern travel is so amazing.

This is Cadel's wife, Chiara, flying the colors after the TT victory by Cadel. She was pretty emotionally exhausted from the whole thing.

Group photo at the team hotel.

This is a picture of the exit door on my United flight from San Diego to JFK. Give you alot of confidence on maintence.

Took this photo in the Paris airport. They have a different view of nudity over here obviously.

This was just the start of the champagne consumed this evening. And this was just by the support.

This is the super pass for the start finish line.

View from my hotel room window at midnight.

Just back from the Arc de Triomphe walk at 1 am. Lots more people smoke in this town that most others I've been at.

This Tour de France was pretty great. For lots of different reasons, but mainly because of the aggressiveness of the riders. Lots of guys threw caution to the wind to try to get and retain the yellow jersey. Thor held and defended the jersey amazingly. Then Vokler did the same. Contador and the Schlecks tried their luck to get enough time to make the TT yesterday moot. But, Cadel rode like the wind, a super aggressive ITT, and showed that he deserved to win the Tour this year. I know lots of good riders didn’t make it to Paris. But that is the way of the Tour nowadays.

I can honestly say that the two previous days to the ITT were two of the best days I can remember recently. It was very impressive how Cadel controlled the race from behind, banking on the fact that he could time trial so well. And both Thor’s wins and his countryman, Edvald Boasson Hagen, were super exciting. I do think that there seems to be more natural riding this year. There aren’t 6 guys left from one team setting tempo on the hard mountain stages. It was mano a mano, just like it should be.

I wrote a lot earlier about descending, before it became the hot topic of the media. It was amazing how bad some guys can be at certain skills and still be considered contenders for the overall Tour de France title. I’d have to criticize the Schlecks, both of them, for not riding the TT course before the race. I was watching the TT live and couldn’t believe how much time that both of them lost just on bike handling skills. They were going through the corners so much slower than Cadel, it was embarrassing. And on the road where there were raised, speed bump sections, they weren’t getting light on their bikes, losing tons of time. You’d think that would be second nature by now. I don’t think professionals nowadays, spend enough time just riding on their bikes, messing around. Messing around with friends, etc., learning how to ride their bikes, thus how to race their bikes fast. It is kind of sad.

Anyway, it is organized chaos here in Paris. Today is just ceremonial, of course. Except for the green jersey, everyone else is going to just ride in. This year, as last year, I’m amazed how much organization it takes for this whole event to happen. The team car, buses and trucks are just starting to pull into Paris. It is a circus. Just the parking is a circus.

Alright, I’d better go drink some more espresso. I only got 5 hours sleep last night and it’s going to be a pretty long day and night I predict.

Cadel finally got his lion. Just at the right time.

The split screen on French TV when Cadel passed Andy Schleck on virtual GC.

The trucks and team buses have just starting arriving and doing their double parking nightmare.