The 100th Edition of the Tour de France

On July 2, 2013, Nice was the setting for the fourth leg of the 100th edition of the Tour de France. The TDF held its first bicycle racing even on July 1, 1903, but had several years where the event was canceled for various reasons, mainly the world wars.

As a bicycle enthusiast, you probably understand the difficulty in watching this event, or any other traditional bicycle stage race. Since each stage of the race is typically several hundred miles each day, you may be lucky enough to catch perhaps two sections of the overall course. You may see the start or the finish and depending on your driving and navigation skills, a point somewhere along the racecourse.

As you wait for the riders to approach the spot where you have been patiently waiting since the early hours, you almost get a sense of melancholy and even disappointment as the riders speed past so quickly at speeds that can approach 60 MPH. After the long hours of waiting, the riders zip past you so quickly that in mere seconds they are long gone, and the long line of support vehicles are what you seem to see the most of. But as a TDF and bike racing enthusiast, this is a great joy regardless of how quickly it passes by.

If you really want to get a full share of being a spectator at this magnificent spectacle, consider watching either an individual time trial or a team time trial. The advantage is that you can park yourself at one strategic location and see all of the riders and all of the teams as they participate in this challenging and grueling contest. If you arrive early, you can even watch as the riders take to the course to warm-up well before the actual race. Both events are typically held in nearly every annual grand tour.

The fourth stage of the 2013 edition of the Tour de France was held in Nice, France and was the scene of the team time trials. I really shouldn’t have to remind anyone about how absolutely wonderful and magical the city of Nice can be, especially when the TDF holds a leg of the race here.

The 2013 edition of the TDF featured 22 teams and each squad had nine riders. Among the featured riders were race favorite Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan and of course, the 41-year-old legend, Jens Voigt.

The first stage of the 2013 TDF started on the island of Corsica on June 30th and would conclude on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 21st. The total distance traveled on the twenty-one stages of the tour was 2,115 miles (3,403 km).

At the conclusion of the race in Paris, it was Chris Froome of Team Sky who wore the coveted yellow jersey (French: Maillot Jaune). Second place went to Nairo Quintana of the Movistar team and third place overall went to team Katusha rider, Joaquim Rodríguez.

First of all, the team time trial in Nice lived up to everyone’s expectations. Of course, Nice is a wonderfully special place even if a stage of the TDF was held here. It is like one huge Disneyland for adults with marvelous buildings, spectacular architecture, unbelievable restaurants, shopping, wine, history, and enchanting beaches.

The list of starters in the 2013 TDF was like a who’s-who in the cycling world. However, there were 198 riders, of which 54 were riding in the TDF for the very first time. There were 34 countries that were represented by riders with Germany having the largest number of stage wins, six. The average age of the riders was 29 1/2 years with the youngest rider being 19-year-old Danny van Poppel and the oldest being fan favorite Jens Voigt who was 41-years-old.

The team time trial course ran at times in parallel to the spectacular French Riviera and just a few yards from the beaches.

The German, Marcel Kittel of the Argos-Shimano team would be the first rider to wear the coveted yellow leader’s jersey. Several others wore the yellow jersey but after the eighth stage, it was Chris Froome of Britain who won the right to wear the yellow. Froome would build his lead at each stage, especially after a solid performance in the individual time trials, and ultimately become the overall race winner in Paris.

Above, the Hotel Negresco sits along the Promenade des Anglais which served at the final portion of the team time trial.

Above, the 1km banner along the Promenade des Anglais before the finish line.

Above and below, the many sponsor cars that paraded along the course-way before the start of the team time trials.

Above and below team Quick-Step riders and sponsor cars competed for space during warm-ups.

Below, team Cofidis takes a few laps before the start of the race.

Below, a lone rider gets in some extra warm-ups before his team takes to the course.

Below, the Lotto Jumbo riders get their legs ready for the time trials.

Below, team Euskadi gets in a little workout!



Below, shots of some of the different teams that competed in the 100th edition of the TDF.

Below, Orica–GreenEdge won the team time trials in Nice!

Photos of the race:

After the conclusion of the team time trials, it was back to the bus and perhaps an interview or two.

Above, Alberto Contador, the Spanish cyclist and one of the most successful riders of his era, winning the Tour de France (2007, 2009 & 2010), the Giro d’Italia (2008, 2011 &2015), and the Vuelta a España three times (2008, 2012, 2014). He is one of only seven riders to have won all three Grand Tours of cycling. He has also won the Vélo d’Or a record 4 times. Controversy surrounds him as he tested positive for clenbuterol during a race.

Above and below, team AG2R La Mondiale who is sponsored by the French multinational insurance firm headquartered in Paris under the same name.

Geraint Thomas, above left, finished not only the team time trial in Nice but 19 more stages of the TDF with a fractured pelvis that he received in a massive pile-up during Stage 1. He refused to give up and finished the tour, but it was his teammate, Chris Froome, who would take the grand prize and the coveted yellow jersey.

Pretty hard to find a nicer team than Italy’s Lampre. Their team manager went out of his way to get me a Lampre riding cap as the team was leaving to get to the next day’s stage.

A total of €2,023,300 was awarded in cash prizes in the race. The overall winner of the general classification received €450,000, with the second and third place riders getting €200,000 and €100,000 respectively. All finishers of the race were awarded money.

The holders of the classifications benefited on each stage they led; the final winners of the points and mountains were given €25,000, while the best young rider and most combative rider got €20,000.

Team prizes were available, with €10,000 for the winner of the team time trial and €50,000 for the winners of the team classification. There was also a special award with a prize of €5,000, the Souvenir Henri Desgrange, given in honor of Tour founder Henri Desgrange to the first rider to pass the summit of the highest climb in the Tour, the Port de Pailhères. This prize was won by Nairo Quintana on stage eight.

What could be better for a cycle race enthusiast than to see a stage of the Tour de France? It is also at the top of any competitive riders bucket list. And what a better way than to see it in the magnificent city of Nice along the French Riviera!

Below, recent and vintage Tour de France Posters:

Thank you TDF 2013, Lampre and Banque Le Credit Lyonnais for the cool swag!

The teams entering the race were:
UCI ProTeams:
Ag2r–La Mondiale
Argos–Shimano
Astana
Belkin Pro Cycling
BMC Racing Team
Cannondale
Euskaltel–Euskadi
FDJ
Garmin–Sharp
Team Katusha
Lampre–Merida
Lotto–Belisol
Movistar Team
Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
Orica–GreenEDGE
RadioShack–Leopard
Saxo–Tinkoff
Team Sky
Vacansoleil–DCM

UCI Professional Continental teams:
Cofidis
Team Europcar
Sojasun

Final standings

Add another drop in the bucket!

All photographs are the copyright of Jim Jackson Photography and Nida Jackson Photography. Please contact me for authorization to use or for signed, high-resolution copies.

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