A visit to the French Alps is not complete without seeing Lac Annecy and the village. Equally, a visit to the Tour de France is not complete without seeing a stage start. Today, we’ll achieve both.
Annecy and a stage start For many, a visit to the French Alps is not complete without seeing Lac Annecy and the village. Often it is likened to Venice for its canals through the old town. Equally, a visit to the Tour de France is not complete without seeing a stage start. Today, we’ll achieve …
Annecy and a stage start
For many, a visit to the French Alps is not complete without seeing Lac Annecy and the village. Often it is likened to Venice for its canals through the old town. Equally, a visit to the Tour de France is not complete without seeing a stage start. Today, we’ll achieve both.
The start is in Albertville, a regular stage start village for the Tour. We’ll head there with plenty of time to see the riders arrive on their team buses. Watch each rider, now quite weary after 19 stages of racing, prepare for today’s blockbuster, or as they probably feel, brutal stage. There will be no certainty for the yellow jersey wearer until today’s stage is over. It will be a great stage start to visit.
After the riders depart, we’ll prepare ourselves for our own ride. We’ll enjoy the great bikeway that connects us all the way to the shores of Lac Annecy. When we arrive in Lac Annecy we can rack our bike for the final time on this trip and enjoy the beautiful village and watch the finish of today’s stage. A spectacular way to end our visit to the Alps stages of the Tour de France.
We will celebrate our trip this evening with a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
TODAY IN THE RACE
Stage 20: Albertville to Val Thorens, Mountain, 131 kmA third summit finish above 2,000m creates the theatre for the final alpine stage, and the final opportunity for the yellow jersey. The total ascent for the day approaches 4,500m, but negotiating some of the windy descents may prove the difference.