Not finished with the Tour!

Consider this post a wrap-up of our Tour de France coverage for 2009. You’ve seen plenty of photos from our trip to Stage 14, but you haven’t seen the video. In this post, we’ll give you that, plus news about the response in Luxembourg to their favorite sons’ performances.

First, the movies that Anita shot at Stage 14. Below, the caravan as it passes through Sundhoffen. There is an audio track of the floats’ loudspeakers (and, in some cases, Anita’s excited response to them) — so you may want to turn down the volume.

And the actual cyclists, in Delle — the breakaway, the support vehicles for the breakaway, the peloton, and the support for the peloton.

Second, we have photos and video of the Gala Tour de France in Luxembourg City. On July 30th, Luxembourg welcomed home Kim Kirchen, Frank Schleck, Andy Schleck, and hosted many other cyclists from the Tour de France. The Gala included ceremonies, a short race, and general adulation. The short photoset is on Flickr, as usual. It is highly recommended that you watch the video below, for the commemorative song if nothing else.

Finally, a review of recent cycling news translated from L’essentiel, the free daily newspaper here:

Two days before the Gala in Luxembourg: French sporting newspaper, L’equipe, reports that Lance Armstrong wants to bring Andy Schleck from Saxobank to Armstrong’s new team for next year’s Tour de France.

One day before the Gala: L’equipe states that negotiations are ongoing between Andy Schleck and Armstrong’s new Radio Shack team. There are two obstacles to the deal: Andy Schleck (and his brother Frank) are under contract with Saxobank through 2010, and Radio Shack may not want to hire Frank at all.

The day of the Gala: L’essentiel reports that both Schleck brothers will remain with Saxobank through 2010, as confirmed by their manager. Whew!

Just yesterday: Team Saxobank will bring on yet another Luxembourgish cyclist, Laurent Didier, with a two-year contract.

Finally, Andy Schleck crashed on the wet roads of last weekend’s San Sebastian classic. He may not recover in time for the Vuelta at the end of August.

3 Comments to “Not finished with the Tour!”

  1. Dave said...
    8 August 2009

    Loved the videos! I was surprised at just how fast the caravan was moving. When you watch on tv, and the peleton isn’t really pushing it, it doesn’t look like they are going that fast. It gave me a good sense for how quickly the riders are going, even at moderate effort.

    The closing has now usurpt mutant enemy as my favorite production company tag.

    What language was that song in? Good stuff.

  2. Will said...
    8 August 2009

    Thanks for the compliments, Dave!

    The usually-reliable Bugle staff have been unable to determine the language or the lyrics to that song, despite a thorough search of the interwebs. Perhaps an on-the-ground interview will be necessary.

  3. Dave said...
    10 August 2009

    I thought that I heard them say “Andy and Frank-a” a few times, and I thought I hear “tour” a few times. But that was all I caught.