Tour de France 2011 - Part 2

One of the joys of watching the Tour de France on TV is the sight of the French countryside viewed from camera carrying motor-bikes as they follow the riders and also the panoramic views from the helicopters. Added to that is the sheer enthusiasm of the vast crowds. How many people watch the Tour as it wends its way up hill and down dale fro 3,500 kms? In the high mountains there are continuous rows of camper vans alongside the roads for mile after mile, campers owned and occupied by enthusiasts who are sometimes in the one place for several days enjoying a social occasion with other fans. In some places there are organised groups of spectators from particular areas of the country or from particular countries. The French have had one of the their best years for some time with Thomas Voeckler finishing 4th and holding the yellow jersey for 10 days as the Tour laboured through the Alps and Pierre Rolland winning the White Jersey after a stunning stage victory on stage 19. Perhaps they will have another overall Tour win soon — the last time was in 1996. But the French supported this year's race enthusiastically in every city, town and village in France. Everyone turns out to see the Tour through and everywhere there is a festive atmosphere. With so many foreign bike riders in the race every year now, there is immense overseas support with groups of Spaniards, Luxembourgers — are there so many of them — Italians, British, Dutch, Americans, Australians and so on. Little Norway had lots of supporters for the only two Norwegians in the race, Thor Hushovd and Edvald Boasson-Hagen. They each won two stages and Hushovd held the yellow jersey for a week. Considering the mass murders that took place in Norway on Friday with 100 people dead, the country needed something to raise their spirits.
As the Tour goes up into the high Alps and Pyrenees, the roads are narrow and made narrower still by the enthusiastic supporters in fancy dress running alongside the road and ready to cheer on their favourites. Everywhere the atmosphere is terrific. And the whole of this spectacle is free. It brings lots of spending and investments into France, of course, but it is the greatest sporting event in Europe and it is free. In this day and age, that is something that is all too rare.
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