TDF 2021: Stage 21, Chatou > Paris Champs-Élysées 108.4 km **Spoilers**
blazing_saddles
Posts: 22,728
Stage 21, Chatou > Paris Champs-Élysées 108.4 km
18-7-2021Start 3-15pm
The Tour concludes with its by now traditional final stage that starts as a procession and ends with eight fast laps of almost 7 kilometres. Often regarded as the unofficial bunch sprinting world championship on the Champs-Élysées, this edition’s final fling begins in Chatou in the department of Yvelines, which is hosting the start of this stage for the fourth year in a row.
A glass of champagne, a photo shoot, a very slow pace – those are the ingredients of the parade stage on the final day of action.
The course turns southwards at Poissy, crossing the only climb of the day, the fourth-category Côte des Grès, and begins to loop to the west. It passes through Saint-Cyr-l’École, which hosted the start of this year’s Paris-Nice, the magnificent chateau at Versailles, the peloton’s speed picking up on the approach to the capital.
The riders enter the finishing circuit based on Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe with 56km remaining.
Between 2009-2012 the Champs-Élysées was Mark Cavendish's undisputed kingdom: four consecutive wins. Marcel Kittel, then André Greipel followed, with a brace of victories each. Dylan Groenewegen (2017), Alexander Kristoff (2018), Caleb Ewan (2019), and Sam Bennett (2020) have since powered to victory.
The Circuit:
Favourites stage 21 Tour de France 2021
***** Mark Cavendish
**** Jasper Philipsen, Wout van Aert
*** Nobody
** Cees Bol, Danny van Poppel
* Michael Matthews, Sonny Colbrelli, Christophe Laporte, André Greipel, Iván García Cortina
Chatou
Population: 31,653
With the recent European football championships still fresh in people's minds, some sources claim that Chatou is the first town in France where football was played. AS Chatou.
Arriving by the Chatou bridge, you only have to look at the Seine and its banks to feel the change of scenery. The whole environment is bathed in blue-green hues: the water of the river, the trees, the bushes along it and the sky. You notice immediately that you are in the land of the Impressionists.
Sisley, Monet, Renoir, Degas and Manet all set up their easels here.
La Foire Nationale à la Brocante et aux Jambon or the ham and antiques fair of Chatou is held twice a year, in early Spring and Autumn. It's actually a mix of over 800 stands selling antiques and bric-a-brac, with an entire section dedicated to regional French foods, particulary pork in all its varieties.
Noyau de Poissy
Noyau de Poissy has been produced 10 km from Chatou, in the centre of Poissy, since the late 17th century. It is a liqueur made from apricot kernels, macerated or distilled in a super-fine alcohol, in the presence, according to the recipe, of fine wine brandy, enriched with plants and subtly flavoured.
There are two varieties: Gobelet d'Argent has 25 pc alcohol, is amber in colour and offers a sweet almond fragrance pleasantly carried by a fine note of Armagnac; the Sceau de Saint Louis is a spirit with 40 pc alcohol, is transparent and expresses an elegant, powerful and very expressive fragrance of sweet almond with notes of frangipane and orange blossom.
Paris Champs-Élysées
46th finish on the Champs-Élysées
Population: 2,190,000
(from a slightly different perspective, this year)
Frequently described as ‘the world’s most beautiful avenue’, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is nearly 2 kilometres in length. This historic thoroughfare runs from Place de la Concorde to the majestic Arc de Triomphe. The Champs-Élysées was once a swamp. It was in the 17th century that André Le Nôtre, gardener to the Sun King, traced its original path.
Foodies will find many delights to sample on a stroll along the Champs-Élysées: there is a Ladurée, known for mouth-watering French macarons, while a unique sensory experience mingling fragrance and pâtisserie is to be had at 86 Champs, an innovative concept store, that’s the result of a tie-up between Pierre Hermé and L’Occitane..
There are several Michelin-starred restaurants along the avenue: Ledoyen, where Yannick Alléno is head chef;
Laurent, Joël Robuchon’s L’Atelier Étoile, Copenhague, which serves gourmet Danish fare and Pizza Pino, a taste of Italy. Fouquet’s, the legendary brasserie, is located here, as is Publicis Drugstore, reputed for its club sandwich. If you’re in the mood for a culinary journey, why not try the Scandinavian specialities at Flora Danica, or a delicious rendering of traditional ‘choucroute’ (sauerkraut) from eastern France at L’Alsace. For something offbeat, head to the 53, the restaurant at L’Atelier Renault, with its Formula One-inspired menu.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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The finish is further up the Champs Elysee this year, as @blazing_saddles post above shows, the flamme rouge is just before the Place de la Concorde and they have 700 metres to go as they take the slight right turn onto the Champs itself.0
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I'm flattered that I'm a potential winner, but you haven't seen my dire sprint figures.
Hopefully Cav gets a shot at the win, fingers crossed.================
2020 Voodoo Marasa
2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
2016 Voodoo Wazoo0 -
But.... What if?“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0
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What's the debate?blazing_saddles said:This might start a debate:
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
It hasn't happened yet.tailwindhome said:
What's the debate?blazing_saddles said:This might start a debate:
Still waiting on Rick to make an outlandish proclamation."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Might make it interesting if leadout men have to make it around the place de Concorde 'chicane' and wind the speed back up again...andyp said:The finish is further up the Champs Elysee this year, as @blazing_saddles post above shows, the flamme rouge is just before the Place de la Concorde and they have 700 metres to go as they take the slight right turn onto the Champs itself.
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Just to make things clearer – the start is in the département Yvelines for the 4th consecutive year; Chatou is Start Town for the first time.blazing_saddles said:
this edition’s final fling begins in Chatou in the department of Yvelines, which is hosting the start of this stage for the fourth year in a row.
The finish has been shifted 150 m farther back because the last curve before the finish is narrowed due to construction work.andyp said:The finish is further up the Champs Elysee this year, as @blazing_saddles post above shows, the flamme rouge is just before the Place de la Concorde and they have 700 metres to go as they take the slight right turn onto the Champs itself.
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Even I don’t think he’s gonna win todayblazing_saddles said:
It hasn't happened yet.tailwindhome said:
What's the debate?blazing_saddles said:This might start a debate:
Still waiting on Rick to make an outlandish proclamation.0 -
As ever, Saddles, thanks for the thread openers
It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.4 -
They're just a bunch of plagiarised cut and paste job from other sites apparentlysalsiccia1 said:As ever, Saddles, thanks for the thread openers
Cheers BS3 -
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Thanks for these threads Blazing, top work👍0
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Another thanks from me, blazing. Really enhance the experience.
And thanks to all for being good company.1 -
My thanks too for the starters, Blazing, and to everyone else who apitched in with insight and information.0
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One for the breakaway today I reckon
Cheers for the threads as ever BS, and cheers to you all for the insights, banter and laughs on them. They really are a great addition to viewing the race.
It’s been an odd tour. On an individual stages level I think it’s been the best for years, but in GC terms somewhat dull due to Pog’s domination. But then again I’ve quite enjoyed seeing him at that level of riding. Confused? Yep, me too.0 -
Thanks Blazing (and everyone else). Your threads really add to the enjoyment of a stage, particularly those of us who's families have no idea what's going on, and couldn't care less! CheersScott Foil RC
Scott Addict RC
Trek Emonda0 -
What's the time cut today? Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
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Here's one that I've always wondered about...
What if a team decided to forget tradition and history and just blast away on the final stage the moment the flag drops - essentialy team TT it to Paris to take yellow.
heads down, full gas, smash it out.
Widespread outrage? The next year everyone does it?
After all, its not against the rules......The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Wouldn’t last long.MattFalle said:Here's one that I've always wondered about...
What if a team decided to forget tradition and history and just blast away on the final stage the moment the flag drops - essentialy team TT it to Paris to take yellow.
heads down, full gas, smash it out.
Widespread outrage? The next year everyone does it?
After all, its not against the rules.....
Organisers have been known to say no GC time will be taken on the final stage so they could well do that.0 -
This year much more favourably than recent history would have suggested.ddraver said:What you've described is a breakaway...
How do they usually work out?
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Even if a team smash it they've got to snap the elastic with a load of sprint teams policing the front and alert. All you'd do is drag them to the line feeling a lot fresher.
Even this year with Cavendish bossing the sprints, you've got to think it's still the most likely chance of a win today for the likes of JV or Alpecin, so it won't just be DQS at the front.0 -
The one I always wonder about on this stage is what happens if the race leader has a big crash after the racing starts in Paris? Is everyone expected to sit up and wait and have a token sprint on the last lap?
I'm actually surprised how few big crashes we see on the finish circuit, I know it's wide roads but there are a few tightish turns, a horrible road surface in places and presumably lots of diesel spills (wet final stages also seem very rare).0 -
Only if he beats the invisible bilbo.RichN95. said:Today Dan Martin will become the first person in the history of cycling to finish four Grand Tours within a year of each other
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He'll be the only one to do it involving all three GTs.0
