Time trials - Les Essarts

Rather than follow the "deviation" signs and go the long way round to Les Essarts I decided to carry on the main road until I got turned back by a gendarme. Sandwiched between the BMC support cars and BMC coach, I had got myself onto the road reserved for "technical support". Sure enough I got pulled over pretty quickly and turned around. So a la mode Francais I just parked on the side of the road, got my bike out and cycled into town. I did check with the man in blue if it was "interdite" and it was a "Non Monsieur. Bon Chance."

The Team Lampre car passed me and then the whole of Team Lampre who were out on a warm up run. They pootled along side for a kilometer while I tried no to fall off or wee myself with excitement. Then they took off and disappeared into the team technical area. I stopped and hung around with the rest of France hoping to catch a glimpse of someone having their calves massaged with egg beaters (sorry in film society joke).

The rest of the day was spent trying to get cool photos of time trials until the battery on the camera ran out. A couple of dodgy pics below.




The Sky bus.