Paris-Nice Part III

Bobby cooling down after the race. This very bidon on his bike was to be mine a few minutes later. Thank you Bobby!

This was the second time I did Paris-Nice. Last year, 2006, I came
here. This year was no different than last year; only just one week before
the set date I thought I would not be there. The ongoing and unsettled
battle between UCI and three big race organizers (ASO, Unipublic, RCS)
and its dismal media report made me think that the race would not take
place. So instead of just staying home doing nothing, I decided to go watch 
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. It turned out the dispute was shelved, 
only shelved for momentarily, at the last moment and Paris-Nice
was to take place as it was planned by ASO but not by UCI 
(because Unibet was out).

I had 550km to drive to Paris, a real midnight oil burning so to speak. Driving is easier
and life is much sweeter with a GPS navigation system on board. So I got to Paris
around 6:30 am Sunday morning.

I saw people (policemen, race organizer's worker's) working in the dark. I
found a parking space near the Goal and Start. It was Sunday and the
parking along the curb was free. I dozed off for a while. I woke up around
9:00 and decided to look around. It was a sunny and warm day.

As usual, I took out my bike and assembled it. It was only moment later
when I stoppedat the  intersection when a car honked at me. 
It was Team CSC Skoda Octavia driven by DS Allan Gallopin. I recognized 
Frank Schleck in the front seat (and Bobby Julich was in the back but I 
did not notice that at that time).

I was wearing Team CSC retro sweater and on my Cervelo.  Of course by now they
(team staff and team riders) saw me and recognized me. (I have been haunting
them quite a while by now.)

I did not expect any actions going on this early. I remembered that last year I was wandering about the area for the Start when 
I saw Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt riding the TT bike checking the course 
early in the morning. So it happened again.

This year I wanted to ride the TT course just to get the feel. I figured that
the best way to do this is do the rounds early in the morning. By
then, the course is indicated with those arrows. If I did this too late,
the police would keep the cars, bikes and pedestrians off the course. 

Team jerseys for 2007 are not available. I don't have them. Customarily I 
show up at a race event wearing the team wear and have them autographed 
by the riders. Not so many fans do this; it may make you look like a geek. 
Well, the first time I did this, I was self-conscious and felt a little bit 
awkward. Now I feel comfortable in them. Let's admit it. I am a freak.

Anyway, I was wearing Team CSC retro sweater, jeans, Podium cap, 
Oakley shades and normal shoes (not cycling shoes). You can easily use
Speedplay pedals with normal casual shoes anyway.

I went to the Start and as I passed Bobby Julich and Frank Schleck. I 
greeted them with "Good morning" and Bobby replied "Morning" and Frank 
"Hey man!" They were going to ride the course early in the morning on
their Cervelo Soloist. It was the second time I heard him say the similar. 
At Drei Länder Tour in Mannheim, Frank said, "What's up, man?" to me.

I remember seeing Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt making the morning
rounds alsoearly in the morning last year (2006).
The early bird catches the worm.

I found the Team CSC bus with the material truck. TT machines were
already out and Tacx Satori were also out. As expected Alejandro was there. 

I rode the prologue course. As the profile of the course indicates, the first
half is an ascent and the latter half is a descent. I was at the end of the
descent when Frank and Bobby passed me from behind on their TT bike.

Hanging out around the Team bus is the key to getting autographs and
taking pictures. Most riders (Team CSC or otherwise) came between 
10:30 and 11:00 am. As I saw last year, they rode the course round and round.