(pumping music)
- It's the final day of the Tour de France,
the world's biggest bike race.
But it's also a day where I get to live my childhood dream.
(humming)
I've been given the incredible opportunity
to ride the final stage of the Tour de France.
Okay, 30 kilometers of it.
And I've always wanted to ride into Paris
and across the Champs-Élysées.
And okay, I didn't get to do it as a pro athlete,
well now, my dream has become a reality.
We've been given the opportunity
through Oakley to be able to ride with them on buses
and also their sponsored athletes.
(exhales)
I don't know how I've been given this invite.
No, I know, it's because Dan Lloyd was busy.
And I get to wear these.
(dramatic synth music)
The Tour de France is a big deal to Oakley,
a massive percentage of appellants all wear their glasses.
And this year also coincides with the launch
of their latest prism lenses.
This is where they carefully add certain dyes
to correct and enhance the colors that your eyes detect.
Specific to the conditions and demands of different sports.
These are the road ones.
(dramatic synth music)
It's the final day of the Tour de France,
and it's a day where the riders can relax
and kind of reflect on the last three weeks of racing.
But it's also a chance for a big win,
a sprinter's big win, if you will.
It's often dubbed the World Championship for the Sprinters.
When I started cycling,
my dad took me to watch the Tour de France
and we chose the final stage as the one we wanted to see.
I watched and met the legends of the sport
and now I am going to be rolling down
those very cobblestones on the other side of the barrier.
And if you can't tell already,
yeah, I'm incredibly excited.
I have to say, it's a bit strange
riding the Tour de France route
with police outriders because even us,
just fairly normal blokes,
are getting to experience the atmosphere
that the Tour de France brings.
I guess it touches everyone who's into cycling.
(pumping electronic music)
We've managed to get all the Tour de France
scooter cars and all the outriders,
so I guess this is as close as it feels like
to be in the Tour de France
without actually being in the Tour de France
if that makes any sense. (laughs)
I've just seen a glimpse of the top of the Eiffel Tower.
It's been, the riders are getting super excited.
The finish is near.
The Champs-Élysées, then the finish line.
It's just a stone throw away.
Hoo!
Riding into Paris alongside
one of the Maverick motorbikes.
How cool is that?
(inspirational electronic music)
Getting closer and closer.
The excitement is building.
Don't want to know what the riders must feel like
when they come through in just a couple hours later.
(energetic electronic music)
It's worth noting that the Tour de France
hasn't always finished on the Champs-Élysées.
In 1903, it in was in Ville-d'Avray.
In 1904, it then moved to Parc des Princes.
And then in 1968, it moved to the Vélodrome,
the Vélodrome de Vincennes.
And that was the Eddie Merckx era,
and it wasn't until 1975 that it went to Champs-Élysées.
(pumping electronic music)
Look, this is my own fans right there.
(laughs)
This is pretty awesome.
First taste of Paris cobbles is across here
at the bridge over the river Seine.
(pumping electronic music)
We're just riding past the Louvre
and on to the Place de la Concorde.
(laughs)
We've already got the fans cheering!
Now, the riders are going to be getting
seriously excited at this point.
And Champs-Élysées is literally just over there.
But at first sight of it,
is we'll see the Luxor Obelisk.
And then we know the finish line's in sight.
(warm electronic music)
We're now on the back side of the course.
I've got the river Seine on my right
and this is fast, smooth tarmac,
and the riders are hitting around 55 k an hour through here.
It's amazing to have such a quiet road in the hear of Paris.
(warm electronic music)
Under the bridge of de garden.
Now, right in front of me, I can see the gold statue.
The gold statue of Joan of Arc.
Once the riders exit the tunnel,
they see this iconic statue of Joan of Arc
placed here when she was injured
trying to take Paris back from the English.
(warm electronic music)
Now, if you're wondering what that is,
that is the Luxor Obelisk, standing 75 feet high
and it's 3,000 years old and originated from Egypt.
In 1933, it was brought to Paris,
and three years after that,
it was brought over here by Louis-Phillipe.
The Tour hasn't always finished
in a road stage like the one today.
It has sometimes been home to an individual time trial.
And if you are into cycling history,
you will know of the story of Greg LeMond back in 1989,
where he famously beat Laurent Fignon by 58 seconds
over the 24 kilometer time trial.
Greg LeMond using his aero bars closed the 50-second gap
to Fignon and in doing so won the Tour de France
by eight seconds on the final stage,
which is still the smallest winning margin ever
in the Tour de France.
(warm electronic music)
I'm sitting at 26 kilometers an hour up the Champs-Élysées
to the Arc de Triomphe.
And I am putting out 350 watts.
And I wouldn't say I'm not heavy,
but the riders will be looking
for the smooth bit of the road,
and it's these little grooves where they're considered,
where it's a little bit smoother.
And there, you can save a few watts.
This is definitely living a childhood dream of mine.
It's just incredible being here.
I've got the Arc de Triomphe in the distance,
the riders will be doing seven after this.
It's truly an amazing feeling.
(warm electronic music)
Although it doesn't look like it,
it's quite an incline.
The riders will be hitting around 50
to 55 kilometers an hour, and that is going some!
I mean, I'm out of breath talking to you,
putting out 300 watts,
and I'm only doing 30 kilometers an hour.
I'll tell you what, though,
that is one incredible sight.
Whoa!
(warm electronic music)
Wow, what an amazing opportunity,
to be able to ride down the Champs-Élysées
just before the Tour de France gets through.
Thank you so much to Oakley
for giving me this amazing opportunity.
Right, if you want some some more Tour de France content,
why don't you click on these lovely people over here?
(shouting)