The End of Days

Tour de France 2025

Thursday 24 July: Stage 18 Vif - Courchevel col de la Loze
By car: 75 km
By bike: 0 km

Tat: Another can of Tourtel, another Skoda bucket hat, Conchonou bag and saucissons, Panzani scarf

It’s another late start for me today, so I can have a very welcome relaxed morning. In contrast, tomorrow, the riders will pass though Ugine, where I’m staying two nights, just around 10 km into the stage, so I have to be up and out early. Which all works out well as I’ve then got another 110 km drive tomorrow to my next accommodation. Arriving late evening at accommodation is really tiring, especially when most food options will have closed. So tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) night should be fine. The real killer will be Saturday night. There’s a 6-hour drive to Paris after the race. I do have the option of watching the start on Saturday, and getting a head start, which gets more appealing as the days mount up.

Today the riders will already have ridden over the Cols de Glandon and Madeleine before they pass me on the bottom slopes of Courchevel, the highest point on this year’s race. Last night’s storm has passed, and although there’s some sun, there are still plenty of big clouds hanging around. The weather doesn’t look promising. I’m aiming for a town at the bottom of the climb, but since the summit is so small, most of the Tour’s technical teams will also be based there, so I’m expecting a real bun fight. The bike’s in the back of the car if necessary.

Policing was very tight when I arrived in Moütiers, and the road to Courchevel had already been closed for several hours. But I was allowed to drive into the town (along the route), and took advantage of some ambiguous signage to park in the centre - with no repercussions.After lunch I ended standing next to a family with a little lad who had a large cardboard box. He was leaving it on the floor. After I got him to hold it up he scored loads of stuff. In exchange l traded some E.Leclerc spotty stuff for one of the Skoda T-shirts they had. Good trade for both of us 😃. I stayed in the car park and watched the end of the race as there was good reception, and by then the traffic had died down and it was an easy run back. 

The Caravan had an End of Days feel, with some obviously trying to get rid of stuff before Paris, whilst others must have already run out.

Off to have a Sri Lankan meal tonight.




Likely spot me tomorrow at : Ugine - 121or 111 km depending if it’s the sprint or the climb

Tomorrow's T-shirt: Grey TdF 

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Location: 73400 Ugine, France

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