Crash Bang Wallop…. there goes the Yellow Jersey

The big day had arrived, and the first stage of the Tour de France finishes in Bastia…where I’ll be !

I’d been nervously looking forward to this day all year, so how the cyclists manage…I don’t know, one day I may find out ?

Still, by late morning I couldn’t wait any longer, and the bike panniers loaded, I thought with the kitchen sink, it felt that heavy, what with extra water,clothing,food,etc etc, and even my little Union Jack flying from the back of the bike, I set off towards Bastia ready for the main event, as I rode along lots of cars were hooting, obviously joining in the festivities.. in the centre itself, although lots were around, there still wasn’t much happening, so I went to the finish area, at Plage Arinella, arriving just before noon (the race was expected to finish about 1720, at least a 5 hour wait !)

There were already lots of people, ‘staking’ their territories, and I joined up with some other Brits, and forming our own British Paddock (as the Brits do !), with our bikes…soon the flags were up on the nearby tree (useful for shade ) and I had a large union jack to drape over the barriers (although I wasn’t supposed to ), and then we all settled in, the group growing larger with other Brits, we had a good position 100 mts from the finish line, expecting a momentous sprint finish, which we were perfectly placed to view… the publicity caravan started driving through hours before the finish, giving out lots of free goodies, some of which were useful !  and the crowd continued to build up, amidst chaotic scenes, especially when they were handing out freebies !

Things were going well, the British contingent were confident of victory for Cavendish, and a yellow jersey for a Brit tonight..and from news out on the course, everything was going perfectly (well as perfect as it can be), then suddenly disaster.. a team bus had driven into the hoardings over the finish line…and was stuck !

Panic set in around the officials with more and more running up and down the finish straight…and red judges cars being made to empty their passengers at the end of the straight…then the news came through…the finish line had been changed, but to where ? No one knew…meanwhile the coach was still stuck, were we to be denied our great view of the finish ?…or would it be moved 100 mts back ? –right where we were, hopes were high again, as more and more cars came zooming through the finish area, and the helicopters above clearly showed how close the cyclists were to us.. then to great cheers, the team bus was extricated from under the gantry, reversed up the final 100 mts, and driven off into the crowd at the side, minutes before the peloton arrived…chaos had reigned, and it seemed we were back on.. but what was happening out on the course ?, where was Cavendish…suddenly a great din, as a relatively small group of riders surged up the finish straight, passed our position, and over the line..the winner was ?, clearly a rider for Argos Shimano..but where was Cavendish and the other fancied sprinters, a whoosh of riders including Cavendish arrived, shortly followed by some of his team mates,who’d obviously had a crash somewhere, as their jerseys were ripped and torn, with dirt all over them…Oh dear, what a way to end the first stage..we could just cheer all the riders who limped in to the finish, with team cars following … and time to get to the presentation area to see the winner Kittel receive his yellow jersey, along with the white and Polka dot ones also, what a day he’d had !!

So what had happened ? well after the bus had become stuck, the race organisers decided to move the finish 3 kms back ! when the teams were told chaos set in, as everyone suddenly realised they needed to get to the front earlier than expected, and in the ensuing free for all,one of Cavendish’s team mates crashed, bringing others down, and blocking the road completely , with all the fancied riders getting stuck – at the same time the organisers announced that the finish would now be back in original position…what a farce, and what chaos…anyway there’s always another day.. C’est la vie

All that remained was to watch some of the entertainment and make my way back to camp with my ‘goodies’ !

A long disappointing day, still Paris should be fun !