File this under "better late than never"   :-)

We had the good fortune to be in Paris on Sunday, 7/26/2009 and happily spent the afternoon on the Quai des Tuileries watching a handful of lads ride past on their bicycles.

Many thanks to gregm who rode soigneur for me remotely with quite a bit of help with routes and mapping.

To the photos!

This first one is from the left bank, looking across the Seine at the Place de la Concorde with the inflated polka dot jersey.

Yours truly, with a commandeered spot right on the barrier, digi-Reb at the ready.  We were grateful for the shade although the stately plane trees also blocked a bit of the view.  We found our spot at around 2 or 2:30 and hung out chatting with other folks.  Since my fellow onlookers were unaware of my PdC handle, I became "Ohio Man".

Finally, after much whooshing past of sponsor cars, official cars, and motos, and with the sound of the copters above, the break riders approached!  ALLEZ!

And here comes the pack, about 40 seconds or so behind. 

 I timed the gap with each pass, and it grew inevitably shorter until suddenly there was no break.

Here is Pistolero.

THUNDER!

Thor stuck to Cav's wheel like glue on each pass.  I like this shot of him with his Cervelo boys (and Paulinho).

It was fantastic seeing the end of the stage first hand!  Had we had more energy, we would have tried to find the team busses to snap more photos.  But as it was our honeymoon after all :-) we ended up finding a cafe, a glass of Kir, and a leisurely walk back to our hotel.

Sunset over the Seine at Pont Neuf: