Welcome to Nice, the main city of the French Riviera,
whose Promenade des Anglais seawalk is home
to famous hotels (like this).
And (occasionally) to the startline
of the last ride of a hectic week.
Ehm, I think you got it wrong, dude.
it's a BIKE ride we're talking of!!!
A ride on thingies like these, "parked" outside
the Caisse
d'Epargne-Illes Balears Team bus.
Or those you can see atop some of the several
Team CSC vehicles that
invaded the Promenade
on a sunny (but damn cold) Sunday morning.
Some of their bikes were standing outside the CSC bus,
(maybe) to the
enjoyment of this (very) young fan ...
Another fan opted for taking pictures of the bikes
belonging to a certain
world-class team from the U.S.A.
And speaking of bikes, we couldn't miss the weapon of
mass...ive sprint
victory used by the new strongman of cycling,
Tom Boonen, the rider in rainbow (green today) colors.
Behind his bike you
can see the riding tool of his
mighty leadoutman Guido "L'Americano" Trenti.
And speaking of team buses,
we couldn't help taking a picture
of the
Euskaltel orange bus.
And of one of their cars. Both are very nice IMHO.
The Team Bus Essay continues, the Quick Step Way.
I mean ... with some of their top riders
(Boonen, Bettini, Garate, Baguet etc. )
smiling at you from the back side of the coach.
Our Tribute to Quick Step's legendary DS Patrick Lefevere
Team buses and vans aren't good for bikes only
to lean on them.
Just ask Liquigas' Kjell Carlström.
A side view of Team Milram's Bjorn Schröder.
The guy looks (way too)
serious, doesn't he?
Unlike all smiles Patxi Vila, chatting and posing for fans.
Well, with the
good performances he had in the race
I would be all smiles like this too.
That's his Italian teammate,
and cyclocross star, Enrico Franzoi.
Franzoi chatting with Quickstep's fellow Veneto Matteo Tosatto.
And
Carlström is stll leaning onto the Liqui-van! :).
More riders chatting near the startline.
A yung gun from the "bird" team Saunier Duval-Prodir.
Looks like the Basque neo-pro Arkaitz Durán, doesn't he?
Credite Agricole's Giro d'Italia 2002
podium finisher Pietro Caucchioli.
Agritubel's Christophe Laurent ready for
the last defence of his
polka-dotted mantle.
He was not going to succeed though,
to the delight of David Moncoutié (Cofidis).
With the stage kickoff only minutes away,
our "Milraman" Schröder rides to the startline.
He showed the way, and Vim Van Huffel of Lotto follows.
And so they do at CSC. The time to start is getting closer.
In the meantime, a British supporter near the line
was displaying his
patriotism.
Regardless of being dressed like a perfect pro rider,
and having his bottom
firmly in the saddle, this guy,
a certain Alexander Vinokourov, apparently has no
intention to get to the startline.
The Liberty Seguros newcomer, also a resident of the nearby Monaco
Principality, was not contesting the Race to the Sun, but nonetheless
made a surprise appearance at the Promenade in
order to meet
his colleagues (and fans, and we could see how many he has got)
and sport his flamboyant jersey of
Kazakhstan's National Champion.
The guys in lycra made it to the startline.
It's time for their last effort to get
underway.
READY, SET, GO!!
Mr. Yaroslav Popovych takes in the final stage,
while an FDJ rider is fixing
his front wheel.
Photoreporters, cameramen doing their job as the bunch
switches to the
right. The last stage is 100% underway.
Hours later, the Swissman Marcus Zberg will be taking
line honours, and U.S.
sensation Floyd Landis
will be crowned overall winner of the event.
But our French Riviera photo safari ends here; we hope you enjoyed it.
See ya next year!
