Dauphiné Liberé 2004 - Mont Ventoux

[AlexIs]

It was some time ago, but since now it is time to ride again, here some picures of the fantastic time trial on the Mont Ventoux last year. The funny thing was, dear friends, I was on a holiday in Caromb (about 10 km from the foot of the mountain) and decided to make the climb the 10th June. I had no idea that the time trial took place that day :doh , I did not even know the Dauphiné was going on...

I started early in the morning. During the climb, officials were placing the banners :scratch .
I will not tell the details of my climb. Just this : I made the climb from Bédouin, it took me 1h45 minutes :clap , not bad at all since I barely had 300 km "in the legs" and I am from flat Belgium).

The best part was, when I reached the summet, an american asked how Lance was doing in the race. I had no idea (you should know I ride a trek and wore a Postal - outfit...)

Let's come back to photography: about the pictures: taken with my Sony V1 (I wanted to take some landscapes, had no idea I was gonna meet Lance, Taylor, George and all the other "big" guys (actually rather thin).

I know they are not stunning, but I was just practicing to get Lance well. Finally I decided to watch his climb live and to take him on video (the result: he was to fast, you just see him speed away).

Here you see the British rider David Millar, who shortly after was caught doping. It was funny to see how all the (slower) riders took the time to look in the lens of the sport photographers. (For your info: they all shot with canon gear).

Oh, la douce France...

[AlexIs]

another one

[AlexIs]

and a last one:

[Steve Cavigliano]

Nice series Alex :thumb :thumb

Very tough lighting, but you got some nice captures :clap :clap

Yeah, I see that photog sitting and waiting with his white lens :rolleyes Tough job, but someone's got to do it :lol


Thanks for sharing these,
Steve

[DoctorIt]

:clap:clap:clap

Man, we just don't get enough good coverage of the races here!!!

BTW, those few photos look "weird" like they were resized automatically by a browser or something?
:scratch

Oh, and if you are from Belgium, why are you not posting some photos from Ghent-Wevelgem??? The spring classics are my favorite!!
:wink

[AlexIs]

Thank you Steve and Erik for your comments!

I wish I could cover the classics here in Belgium, but I've got a day job! Many races take place on a week day, so it is impossible to attend them. I'd love to test my 20D at the races !

If I'd have an opportunity, I will definitely post a coverage!

PS Did you check out Tom Boonen? He is the "new" Belgian Cycling God, who started his pro-career with US-Postal!

Looking forward to Paris-Roubaix :super "the hell of the north"!

[GSPeP]

Hi fellow countryman,

Nice pictures.

Is Paris-Roubaix next sunday ?

[AlexIs]

Hi fellow countryman,

Nice pictures.

Is Paris-Roubaix next sunday ?
Well well, our metropolis is well represented here:thumb ! Greetings to you!

Paris Roubaix is this Sunday, indeed.

[DoctorIt]

Well well, our metropolis is well represented here:thumb ! Greetings to you!

Paris Roubaix is this Sunday, indeed.This is about the only spring classic that has a chance of getting some TV coverage over here. And why not... they don't call it "l'enfer du nord" for nothing!

Are there any favorites this year? I have indeed been seeing Boonen's name quite a bit. But then again, can anyone ever guess how Paris-Roubaix will play out? Of course not, that's why its so exciting!

[AlexIs]

This is about the only spring classic that has a chance of getting some TV coverage over here. And why not... they don't call it "l'enfer du nord" for nothing!

Are there any favorites this year? I have indeed been seeing Boonen's name quite a bit. But then again, can anyone ever guess how Paris-Roubaix will play out? Of course not, that's why its so exciting!We'll see on Sunday! If the weather (rain) here remains the same, we will have a really nice "enfer" on the pavés (cobbles)! :D

[DoctorIt]

We'll see on Sunday! If the weather (rain) here remains the same, we will have a really nice "enfer" on the pavés (cobbles)! :DWeather definitely wasn't nice! Boonen is untouchable, eh? I was jumping around the room yelling and screaming for Georgie, but it was not to be. :cry

[GSPeP]

Weather definitely wasn't nice! Boonen is untouchable, eh? I was jumping around the room yelling and screaming for Georgie, but it was not to be. :cry He would have been the first american ever to win Paris-Roubaix, but our Tom did it again :clap

Tom Boonen is now one of the few (8) who made the double: winning the tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the same year.

I spent almost the whole sunday afternoon in front of the TV. Not only to watch the cyclist, but also the motorcycles in the race (I've seen a lot of GS's :D)

[DoctorIt]

He would have been the first american ever to win Paris-Roubaix, but our Tom did it again :clap

Tom Boonen is now one of the few (8) who made the double: winning the tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the same year.

I spent almost the whole sunday afternoon in front of the TV. Not only to watch the cyclist, but also the motorcycles in the race (I've seen a lot of GS's :D)He clearly timed his peak to perfection, now we wait to see how the rest of his season goes...

I too noticed a bunch of GS's there :thumb

[AlexIs]

Weather definitely wasn't nice! Boonen is untouchable, eh? I was jumping around the room yelling and screaming for Georgie, but it was not to be. :cry
I am very happy for Boonen, but I was also a bit disappointed that George Hincapie didn't win the race. He is a great athlete! He deserves to win a big classic!

C'mon George!

[rutt]

I like watching Paris-Roubaix even more than the Tour. What a great race! There is always so much going on. And things being how they are, it's a much harder race to predict. Raw team power and strategy is important, but luck plays a much bigger part. For the last 3 or 4 years, Lance & Co have had the Tour down to such a science. I don't think that would be possible with Paris-Roubaix.

I love how happy and beaten up the guys look after this race. Reminds me of a good mountain bike race.

[GSPeP]

I am very happy for Boonen, but I was also a bit disappointed that George Hincapie didn't win the race. He is a great athlete! He deserves to win a big classic!

C'mon George! He would also have deserved it.

For a cyclist, winning Paris-Roubaix must be one of the most beautiful victories. The feeling must be incredible when you can lift that cobblestone above your head at the end of the day.

[Judas Bricot]

He would also have deserved it.

For a cyclist, winning Paris-Roubaix must be one of the most beautiful victories. The feeling must be incredible when you can lift that cobblestone above your head at the end of the day.
According to me, winning Paris-Roubaix is one of the greatest experiences a sportsman can achieve in his life. The pictures of the leader entering the Roubaix velodrome - majestic. The pics of the winner's fists in the air, his euphoric smile and his mouth wide open while crossing the finish line: Paris-Roubaix (and other cycle classics) offer lots of photographic pleasure!

[AlexIs]

According to me, winning Paris-Roubaix is one of the greatest experiences a sportsman can achieve in his life. The pictures of the leader entering the Roubaix velodrome - majestic. The pics of the winner's fists in the air, his euphoric smile and his mouth wide open while crossing the finish line: Paris-Roubaix (and other cycle classics) offer lots of photographic pleasure!:clap :clap Welcom Judas! I am very honoured that your first contribution is in one of my threads! Please also check out the very fine "Hello there" and a more moderate contribution of mine in "your houses of worship":thumb .

Very nice contribution, indeed!

I am looking forward to your pictures! I'm sure they are really good!

[Nir]

I started early in the morning. During the climb, officials were placing the banners :scratch .
I will not tell the details of my climb. Just this : I made the climb from Bédouin, it took me 1h45 minutes :clap , not bad at all since I barely had 300 km "in the legs" and I am from flat Belgium).

Wow! Great going! About 2 years ago my rented Renault Megane Scenic barely made it up...

[AlexIs]

Wow! Great going! About 2 years ago my rented Renault Megane Scenic barely made it up...
Thank you for the compliment! I was very suprised myself. Before the climb I talked to a local who used to cycle a lot. He told me that I would never reach the top if I had not at least 1.000 km "in the legs". Now I want to do the climb all over but with trained legs! Maybe I should still consider a pro-cycling career :rofl .

[AlexIs]

Isn't any of you US-guys covering the Tour de Georgia? That's a very nice race you have there!