Riders relax en route Paris

The pre-ride routine before Sunday’s final stage saw the remaining riders taking a specially chartered transit flight from Lyon to Paris, where they hopped onto buses taking them to the start line next to the resplendent Chateau of Versailles.

The pre-ride routine before Sunday’s final stage saw the remaining riders taking a specially chartered transit flight from Lyon to Paris, where they hopped onto buses taking them to the start line next to the resplendent Chateau of Versailles.

HT Image

The huge Boeing 777 selected to ferry the airborne peloton traveled in from the Reunion Islands, landing at Paris Orly airport at the break of dawn and then making the short journey to pick up the riders in Lyon as they arrived under police escort.

Some, like Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans shut themselves off, others David Millar, while Nairo Quintana shrieked with laughter.