Tour des Enfants, October 2007

by Phil Blum (Dad)

Transcript of highlights from 2007 telecast of Tour des Enfants with presenters Mike T, Phil L and Paul S.
Parent Team: Dad and Emma
Les Enfants Team: Otto and Clarissa

Mike: Hello and welcome to this year’s telecast of the 2007 Tour des Enfants. 23 stages and 9 rest days. A relative beeline from the Northwest Atlantic coast of France to the Mediterranean Sea. The longest stage is 70km but on the whole most are around 50km. Unsupported. No team cars or trucks. All on quite back roads. This year, the tour will avoid all major urban centres.... a true rural tour. We will be broadcasting many stages live, so put a coffee on and settle back as we hand you over to our experienced race callers Phil and Paul.

Phil: Thanks Mike. Following the 12km prologue yesterday from the train station to the ferry terminal in Portsmouth, we join the race in Ouistreham on the Normandy coast for stage 1.
Paul: And what a race it is shaping up to be already. I understand Les Enfants only had 4 hours sleep on the overnight ferry.
Phil: Yes and don’t they look cranky. Definitely not performing to their best of their ability today.
Paul: I think the Parent team are already wondering what they have got themselves into, with over 1200km of roads ahead for the peleton and a lot of unrefundable pre-booked accommodation.
Phil: Which is necessary for Otto and Clarissa, the 5 and 3 year olds who make up Les Enfants team. You don’t want to turn up to some mountain village in the rain at 5pm, with tired children, and not find any accommodation.
Paul: But it means the Parent team have traded flexibility for security. Lets hope previous experience on 3 supported NSW and Vic Bigrides get them through this initial difficult time as they find a new routine.

Mike: We continue our coverage from Stage 13. Over to Phil.
Phil: After the flat stages through Normandy and the northern Loire valley, the peleton seems to have settled down into a rhythm. A late breakfast and on the road by about 10 in the morning. An hour and a half to the first feeding point and playground. Back on the road for another hour before lunch at 1pm. A pleasant slow lunch before another hour or two ride, with more feeding stations or site-seeing to arrive at the finish at 5pm. A nap in the trailer often rounds the afternoon off.
Paul: Sounds quite civilised really. I hear that Les Enfants team even have time to listen to songs and stories on an MP3 player....and yes here we see another view from our TDE helicopters...Chateau de Chambord - built in the 16th century....440 rooms... King Francois I... Napoleon's godson... etc............ etc....

Chateau de Chambord built in the 16th century.... 440 rooms.

Phil: Well um..thanks Paul for that?! Now back to the motorbike cameras on the road and the lead group on this stage of the Tour. It appears the Les Enfants team are covering the Parents team every move. They are doing no work into the wind or setting the pace up hill.
Paul: That's no way to win the Tour. What's more I hear the man doing the work out front actually is expected to kick a soccer ball around with Les Enfants after each stage has finished.
Phil: But it still is up to those that want to wear the Yellow Jersey on the Mediterranean coast to make the decisive moves in the crucial mountain stages over the next week in the Central Massif.
Paul: Exactly Phil. But let's hope they don't crack.
Phil: Now lets cross to Mike at the finish line today at St Gervais d'Auvergne, near Clermont-Ferrand, who is speaking with Emma, team leader of the Parents.

Mike: How was the stage today?
Emma: The last 6km climb was hard but we were rewarded by a good view of Puy De Dome. The weather has been excellent - hardly a drop of rain for over two weeks. Roads remain quiet although the French can be crazy drivers.
Mike: The word is that you are the brains of the group, keeping it all running smoothly. How has it been?
Emma: Yes well...my other team member Dad, does come across as a simple deaf mute because he doesn't speak French...what can I say.
Mike: How do you feel about what's ahead?
Emma: Well we are half way so far and we have climbed to 700m altitude. The children are really into it all now. I am quietly confident.
Mike: Well there you have it.

Phil: Welcome back to our coverage. Stage 17. We are deep into the Central Massif. Continuing through the picturesque but hilly Auvergne region. A mountain stage that includes a Category 2 climb over Col de Prat de Bouc. Virenque climbed this col and went on to win the stage in the 2004 Tour de France. It is the highest point during this tour at 1392m.

Col de Prat de Bouc.

Paul: I can see from the telemetry that Dad is doing it tough. Although still in the saddle and climbing his speedometer is reading 0km/hr.
Phil: I understand that particular speedo will not read speeds of less that 3.8km/hr. This must be really messing with his mind.
Paul: He just needs to stay focused. I think he is trying to pace off that old man taking his dog for a walk a little way up the road.

Paul: Well they're nearing the end of the tour. Only 4 days riding left.
Phil: Yes, they have stopped for a rest day in Ste Enimie, a small but touristy medieval town in the Tarn gorge, about 200km north of Montpellier and the Med coast.
Paul: And they deserve a break after having crossed the last major mountain pass in snow. Autumn now nipping at their heels as they race south.
Phil: I understand it was the first time Les Enfants have seen snow, having lived in Darwin all their lives.
Paul: The Parents team seem to be still shivering after the 15km 800m wind chilled descent that followed. Unfortunately they are not out of the hills yet. There are still several stages to go where the total vertical climbing for the day is around 1km. Dad continues to tow Les Enfants team and 4 panniers.
Phil: Lets now cross to Mike speaking with Emma at the team hotel.

Mike: I hear that your other half of the team has said "No gifts" on this tour a few days ago. Can you comment?
Emma: Well, it was more like a dummy spit that went something like: "I'm not carting any more crap over these hills. No more souvenirs."
Mike: As the tour comes to a close, there is always talk of team changes. Any hints?
Emma: Les Enfants team may disband. Their reputation never really recovered from the last doping scandal (The Qantas affair suspicion remains as to whether an antihistamine was used on the long haul flight). I think Otto is ready to move on.
Mike: To where?
Emma: Well, depending on negotiations to be held in London in October a new team with Dad and Otto - Le tandem, may be established.
Mike: Exciting news. And from the Parent team - what has struck you about this tour?
Emma: Well we were quite surprised how different the French culture actually was to the Anglo-American culture that we come from. It’s seems to be about more about the things that matter in life like family, friends and good slow food. Smart things too like: a short working week and long annual holidays, an effective rail system, a more balanced approach to the "war on terror" and consumerism. Even on a superficial level it looks different... slim elegant people in little dented French cars or on bicycles.
Mike: Well there you have it. Something to think about, as our Australian culture heads towards a world of big people in big cars on big roads, eating junk food, working long hours for stuff they don’t need. We will leave you with some images of this year’s tour. From all the team here at SBS, I hope you have enjoyed our coverage.

 

Snow.

Besse.

Tarn.

South.