An Ending with a Difference

We’ve grown accustomed to the Grande Boucle departing from far-flung locations throughout Europe. Cities like London, Copenhagen, and this year Bilbao; anointed to welcome the circus to their region and offer an international conviviality and cultural celebration that other sports can only dream of. Notably, next year the race departs from the Italian city of Florence for a trip around Tuscany to get the tastebuds teetering. Antipasti for what will undoubtedly be another electric theatre-on-wheels.

However, the race has always, without fail, taken its final bow in Paris on the cobbles of the Champs-Élysées. Since 1903 the target for every rider and team looking to finish cycling’s greatest odyssey is to make it to La Ville-Lumière. But for the first time in its history the race is not concluding in the capital, but instead here on the Côte d’Azur, in Nice. Primarily a choice made so as not to clash with another large sporting event taking place in Paris next summer (the Olympics), it will be an unprecedented finish to the ‘Big Loop’. The Tour has made its departure from Nice before (in 1981 and 2020) but never has it concluded down here in Provence, nor anywhere apart from Paris.

Routes and Culture

To begin our preparations for next July, we set off to explore the route of stage 20, a real roller-coaster of a profile. In terms of distance 132km seems plausible. But with the mountain passes that feature between kilometre zero and the finish line, at the end of three long weeks of racing… this is one almighty sting in the tail. And for us mere mortals on the recce, it was a big day out for the legs and lungs.

After two, maybe three espressi, we set off from the port, taking in some choice streets of Nissa La Bella, rolling close by Café du Cycliste HQ and the Matisse Museum, and up into the hills for our first appetizer, the Col de Nice. This cat 3 bump in the road may see hungry riders take their morning breakaway, for others they will just be hoping to cling on to the bunch. A short descent into the valley after this brings us to the Col de Braus.

Snack on the Attack

The descent to La Bollène-Vésubie is technical and tricky so we took it steady, but this village of around 500 inhabitants, perched on the cliff is worth a look. As we were less pressed for time than someone looking to win the Tour de France, we took the opportunity to make a short stop at ‘Pan Bagnat’ for some refreshments. Indeed, riders next year should take the time to eat a little once the descent is over, because the remaining 75km involves more than 2000m of climbing. The endless false flat going up the Vésubie valley was energy-sapping but brought us to the foot of the next climb, the Col de la La Colmiane, at an altitude of 1503 metres. At this point we were certainly feeling the pinch.

The Circus is Coming

Let’s hope the Alpes-Maritimes, our majestic local playground, will be the perfect setting for the kind of drama only the Tour can deliver. The Côte d‘Azur is to many the cradle of bike racing culture, and a region offering both the beauty of the sea and the mountains, and heaving with wonderful cuisine and historical fascinations. Nice will be the epicentre of cycling next summer for the whole world, and so it should be. When you think of road racing in France you hear cicadas, smell pine forests, lavender and freshly baked socca; you feel the ocean breeze on your hands and face.