Since 1975, the final stage of the Tour de France has been held on the Champs Élysées. As the climax to a three-week orgy of cycling, it’s a location that can’t be topped.
The riders cruise into Paris before embarking on eight laps around the heartbeat of the so-called “city of love.”
Even if you watch the Tour every year, this final stage is compelling viewing as the peloton speeds across the Place de la Concorde, up and down the Champs and along the Rue de Rivoli. Sure, it’s nothing more than an exhibition, but an hour or so feasting on pictures of central Paris is good for the soul.
This was my first experience of reporting on the Tour from France. I have previously covered three editions of this great race from Australia, the first one a decade ago. But as more Aussie riders headed over, achieving greater success each year, chasing them via the phone became more and more problematical.
So it was fantastic to get the opportunity to travel to France (and England) and I felt I had a fair idea of what was in store. I approached the final day with a mixture of excitement and sadness.
As the riders came across the Concorde and swept onto the Champs, I was expecting to feel quite emotional. After all, working at the Tour was a long-held ambition, and this was the quintessential visual stage. The one even non-cycling fans tune into to check out the sights.
For some reason though, that emotion wasn’t there.
It was cool and a good vibe, but that’s what I felt at all the other stages.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been to Paris a number of times before, just not at Tour time.
But that wasn’t the reason, because today when I walked up the Champs, I loved every second of it.
No, the reason it didn’t feel amazing was because the first 90 kilometres of yesterday’s stage was boring. B.O.R.I.N.G.
It may well now be a tradition that the final stage is all about honouring the yellow jersey, but that happens at the end of the race anyway with the podium ceremony, anthem and speech.
For me, the final stage would be much better if it reverted to a proper race. Since he took over from long time Race Director Jean-Marie le Blanc, in 2007, Christian Prudhomme has introduced a number of changes to help keep the race vibrant.
Never before visited climbs. Shorter, more explosive mountain stages. Less of the predictable transition stages, to name but three.
He has even tweaked the final day by taking the riders around the Arc de Triomphe and not just past the front of it.
What would be worth considering though is doing something more to change the last stage.
Keep the finish in central Paris, but do something different other than a 90-kilometre parade that precedes 55 kilometres of faux racing.
The 1989 time trial provided a gripping climax, and the discipline would be an obvious alternative, but so would a more traditional stage featuring more varied terrain. Paris isn’t entirely flat so this wouldn’t be hard.
If you think the bunch sprint finish is the best way to end le Tour each year, the most obvious thing would be to shorten the stage to 75 kilometres. Then at least the winners parade doesn’t go for too long.
Or, we could just forget this notion of honouring the winner during the stage. Just set it up as a normal race. No photo ops with glasses of champagne.
Christian Prudhomme could also bring in time bonuses. Even if there are none in the other stages, introducing them for the final day will really add spice to the mix if there’s a handful of seconds separating riders at the top of the general classification.
When you see the logistics that go into designing the route for the Tour de France, you realise how clever the people at the Amaury Sports Organisation are. That’s why I’m sure they can think of some other ways to tweak the final day, and eliminate some of Sunday’s tedium.
You could say, “if it ain’t broke” and maybe that applies to the final stage of the Tour de France. When you consider though the saturated TV sports market and dwindling sponsorship money, is this something Christian Prudhomme should be thinking about?
Felix Lowe
Expert
How about one of those split stages of old: you do stage 21a - a time trial into Paris, finishing by the Eiffel Tower - then stage 21b, a 15-lap criterium-style race around a street circuit that incorporates the Champs Elysees. Now that would keep it exciting right till the end! For the photo opps, how about a subsequent lap or two when the winner can quaff his champagne - after all, a Parisian backdrop is far more photogenic than the flat outskirts of the capital city... Problem solved!
Kevin higginson
Guest
Love the idea of a criterium with a big cash prize for winner. The TdF is a marathon race that is own over a variety of different terrain, just like a running marathon and very rarely there will be a tight race, so it will nearly always be a procession for yellow jersey. Perhaps move the individual TT to earlier in race when everyone is fresher, so there is balance between power riders and mountaineers, then have a short TT in morning, where not as much time could be taken, but would still offer changes to GC. The crit could have double points for intermediate sprints and time bonuses that would give the green and GC order a chance of changes, without really troubling the yellow.
T
Guest
I've seen it live ,and I always look forward to watching on TV that sprint up the Champs. Old videos of great sprinters battling it out are historic. This year I missed it due to travel scheduling, I'm just back and looking forward to watching a recording sadly without Cavendish.Even when he wins again it doesn't stale. Wouldn't mind if they change the entry into Paris "routine" but the laps and the sprint, though traditional are still "magic".
Tomas Fish
Roar Guru
It's a good point that the last stage isn't always the most exciting, but I do like the traditional sprint finish on the Champs. The thing I'd change is something mentioned on here too, shortening the stage so we get to the Champs Elysees quicker. The only downside of covering the final stage for me was it was so many kilometres before anything happened. I'd keep the sprint finish round the Champs, but make it a short, sharp stage.
Moose
Guest
Fair criticism of Phil liggett, and he is on record as saying that lance made a fool of him - he's not alone there though. Phil liggett and Paul sherwen are my favourite commentators in world sport
Tim Renowden
Expert
I think they just need to skip the long, slow, boring photo opportunity while they ride into the city, and cut straight to the chase: get onto the Champs Elysees as soon as possible and let the 'death or glory' attacks start. They could also perhaps build a tougher street circuit through Paris for a bit of variety and a chance for a non-sprinter to get away.
Felix Lowe
Expert
Good call, JT-M. I feel it's been a bit stale for a while now. Last year's evening race did mix things up a little - as did having a winner who wasn't Mark Cavendish - but on the whole, it's three hours of processional riding on the (rather ugly) outskirts of Paris, before a routine bunch sprint. The problem is coming up with an alternative. The time trial worked in 1989 but the likelihood of it being such a tense affair as the LeMond vs Fignon battle is rare. Had it been a time trial on Sunday, Nibali would still have been able to ride in to Paris while sipping glasses of champagne, such was his commanding lead. I guess the only viable alternative is finishing in a city other than the capital city - as they do in the Giro - and then cutting down on the long transfers before and trying to keep it all balanced right to the end. This could work if they were to showpiece some wonderful locations - although the traditionalists would cause a fuss. What's more - Paris is easy to get to for the tourists, plus a dream for those organising corporate packages. It's a real tough one. But the finale this year did lack a certain pizzazz.
magila cutty
Guest
Wondering who this "we" is as we don't have a say. The French invented the race even cycle racing and they do it beautifully. The only thing i would change is the comentator. When i hear Liggert all i hear is Armstrong. He was chief cheerleader and when everthing had come out, very late in the day he was still saying "if this turns out to be true..." Anyway i believe he knew all along, ax him.
delbeato
Roar Guru
how about some urban downhill through Montmartre? http://pixdaus.com/files/items/pics/8/95/257895_e31f3be184cce38c88ad3dfc79dd3f3b_large.jpg
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Hello Alex, I really enjoyed it, but then, I always do. There were a couple of stages when the coverage started earlier (much to Mrs Prawn's delight!), but I think SBS have to strike a balance between covering as much of the race as they can, and not alienating viewers that aren't interested in the cycling. Incidentally, Mrs Prawn always finds Gabriel Gate's pieces interesting. I know there are many that don't appreciate them, but as a warm-up to the event it serves a purpose for me! I think that, as with so much of their sports coverage, SBS continually lead the way on Australian FTA TV. Just look at how well they do compared with Nine's (or is it Seven's?) coverage of the TDU and its tedious propaganda for SA tourism. The one improvement I think is overdue is to give Matthew Keenan an offsider to assist with his commentary. Perhaps having someone like Dave McKenzie alongside him to offer a former competitor's insight might be useful. Someone else I found very impressive was the American journalist from Velo News (the name escapes me), maybe SBS could look to give him a regular spot too.
Alex
Guest
Interesting you mentioned SBS's coverage. Just wondering what you thought of their coverage both on TV and via the app. I thought it was well done except for the fact that they were only starting the coverage at 10pm irrespective of the actual start times of the stages?.
Aljay
Guest
A criterium would be fantastic. Anyone know why this isn't as prevelant in Euro/WT racing as it is here?
Alex
Guest
It ain't broke. Its just another flat stage where no GC rider ever makes up time. And usually don't even try as the gap is too large. Wait until there are only 5 seconds in it and see how 'ceremonial' it is (likely to happen about once every 40 years sadly). If anything, make it shorter. And I would like the finishing line further up so the final corners don't exclude half the sprinters and we can have a full on drag race between 5 different trains.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
It did feel to me that, during this year's coverage on SBS, the final day had a lot of advert breaks, significantly more than any other stage. I presume this is the same in other countries. That seemed to me as though the network(s) weren't that fussed with bringing us shots of Nibali, Sagan, Majka et al quaffing champagne and slapping each other on the back. Personally, I like this spectacle, and it's an opportunity to see the cyclists ride in a less pressurised environment. I also enjoy the laps around Paris, which are usually spectacular to watch, but I can't shake the feeling that the final day is neither one nor the other. It's still a race, one in which if one of the jersey winners took a nasty tumble and couldn't finish then they'd presumably lose their spot on the final podium, but there's the understanding that no-one can properly compete lest they rob the winners of their titles. A bizarre scenario. But, the viewers and the crowds love it. As the article states, if it ain't broke...
Moose
Guest
The final day is part of the race if challengers are close enough. As with this year, the winner has too much of a lead so Isn't challenged. The ride over cobblestones and up the champs élysées is a wonderful tradition that I for one enjoy and embrace
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
I've got to disagree with you here. As you say, it ain't broke. While many of the events of the final day may appear antiquated in the modern, commercially driven world, stopping for what in the overall scheme of the Tour is a moment to celebrate one of the world's great sporting and cultural events seems to me to be entirely appropriate. By comparison, would anyone consider throwing away the Olympics' closing ceremony (or opening ceremony for that matter)?
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
I dont even bother with the last stage, it is not racing. I would rather have a team time trial of say 15KM in paris and then a break for a few hours and then a 40km criterium.