We learned about the Tour a day before it was scheduled to start. Our background and interest in professional cycling isn’t too complex. After watching the 3 seasons of Tour de France Unchained, we were sufficiently interested in spectating. Those crowds are insane! The vibes would be off the charts. I don’t even own a bike. Although if you ask my mom, one in her garage is mine. I’ll take it some day.
Anyway, we found out the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes would be passing through Grenoble on Sunday. We also realized that interrupting our July hike to try and see a Tour de France stage would be much more difficult. Also, the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is one of the “foremost races in the lead up to the Tour de France.” Last year, Tadej Pogačar (4 time TDF winner) won the race. For us, it was a way to experience a lighter version of the Tour de France from our front door. Plus, we had nothing else going on.
We planned a route to a steep portion of the course so that we wouldn’t blink and miss all the riders. It was just under 5 miles away from us, each way, so well within our hiking limits. The race website also provides excellent time estimates for when the riders will arrive, which makes it easy to avoid waiting around all day. We packed sandwiches, a few snacks, water, a camera and headed out.
We estimated it’d take us 2 hours to get there and that was pretty spot on. We arrived an hour or so early and ate our lunch. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be packed or completely dead. I was partially worried we’d be in the wrong spot and all alone. Thankfully there were other people around to let us know we were in the right place. They didn’t actually let us know, we don’t speak French, but their presence told us we were in the right place. We also might have been some of the only people to arrive on foot. Apparently you’re supposed to cycle to spectate cycling.
It was great being around other fans, even if we didn’t talk to them. You could feel the excitement building as the time got closer and closer to the estimated arrival time. First to pass by were various cars. Most had logos all over them, but no bikes on them. They were somehow associated with the Tour but not support vehicles. Then came tons of police on motorcycles, but not all at once. One at a time. I’m not really sure why. Then we got a wave of support vehicles: cars with team logos and what I could only assume were 10, $20k bikes atop each one. This was exciting stuff. They were all pristine, the cars and the bikes. Then we got our first riders! There were 3 of them together out in front, with 1 more just a little bit behind. I wasn’t sure of their names, but I snapped photos and tried to also remember to shout the cheer: Allez! Allez! Allez! Clapping wasn’t in the cards for me, my hands were full of camera.
After a few minutes break with plenty of support vehicles and very few riders, we got to the peloton. Man that was cool. So many riders all bunched up. Despite us being on an uphill, hairpin turn, they were still gone in a flash. I broke character and shouted “wooo!” here. I mean how could you not? These people train hard, constantly to be the best in the world, and they’re doing their thing at the highest level right in front of you. You’re gonna woo. It was so cool.
After the peloton, there was another group of riders, likely the sprinters, all riding together. That was cool to see too: the guys who specialize in other types of stages, gutting out the 100+ mile, 10,000+ feet of climbing, mountain stage, playing the team game. After that, the riders began to thin. I think we decided to leave after a police motorcycle came by and it had been several minutes of no more cyclists. And just like that, we walked back home.