Tens of thousands of spectators greeted Tour de France riders on the final stage of the sport’s largest race on Sunday, sending a cycling frenzy across Montmartre.
The formerly bohemian Parisian neighborhood was already crowded with tourists hoping to get a good view of riders ascending the famous hill during the race’s last stage, hours before the peloton was scheduled to arrive.
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The area erupted in a deafening clamor as the race finally approached the steep and cobbled Rue Lepic.
In an attempt to capitalize on the widespread popularity of the Paris Olympic road race, the Tour broke with precedent this year. Huge crowds gathered to support cyclists during the previous year’s Olympics in Montmartre, a neighborhood in northern Paris known for its artistic legacy and expansive city views.
The tour organizers chose to add the Montmartre climb to this summer’s itinerary because of the hectic atmosphere.
And it was successful.
Even before Tadej Poga, who won his fourth Tour title on Sunday, and his competitors were anticipated to take on the challenging climb, spectators started to arrive on the Rue Lepic early on Sunday. To make sure they didn’t miss a second of the action, fans also crowded the steps underneath the Sacr-Coeur.
Enthusiastic fans’ singing and applause filled the happy scene.
Love, love, love, love Kevin Vauquelin! cheered the French cyclist who placed first in the general classification while some fans wearing polka-dot T-shirts wound their way along Rue Lepic.Others, who had set out their winter sports gear, took to the street on their alpine skis for a little fun.
Before continuing on to the finish line on the Champs-lys es, riders made three ascents up the hill and passed beneath the Sacr-Coeur basilica. On all three ascents, Poga Ar was attacked, but he was unable to react when stage winner Wout van Aert countered him, even though the rain made the roads slick and hazardous.
The peloton ascended to the Butte Montmartre after passing the Moulin Rouge. Outside the cabaret, dancers dressed in tricolor costumes performed a French Cancan to commemorate the event.
On the Champs-Elyses, the final stage is typically primarily processional until a sprint determines the day’s winner. However, sprinters were unable to compete for the stage victory on Sunday due to the final hill being just 7 kilometers from the finish. On the third ascent of the 1.1-kilometer hill, Poga Ar was alone with just five riders.
Over half a million people watched the road races in Paris during the Olympics.
Due to a schedule dispute with the Olympics, last year’s Tour ended outside of Paris for the first time since 1905, with the final stage taking place in Nice. This year, the Champs-lyses made a comeback to wrap up the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race.
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https://apnews.com/hub/cycling is the AP cycling website.
