25 July 2008: Stages Nineteen & Twenty: See You In Paris!
Il y a les freres Chevenal; il ya les freres Schleck; e mantenant, il
y a les freres Czelusta!
Finished stage 19 on time, met CJ at 10:30 the Montlucon train station,
110 km into the day. What should have been an easy 40 km spin to Cerilly,
followed by a drowsy 53 km roll along tomorrow's TT course quickly
turned into a race against the clock. Got lost on the way to Cerilly,
flat tire in the first 15 km of the TT, missed a turn at km 13.5, added
a 15 km detour--a quick look at the watch and the map was enough to
confirm that we would have to hoof it to St. Amand in order to catch our
train. So hoof it we did, and what a fitting way to conclude the last
"real" stage of the Tour--time trialing with your brother all the way to
the finish.
Made the train, and now all that remains is an easy 90 km spin from
Etampes to Paris, a few glasses of champagne, and more memories than I
can fit in my panniers. Tomorrow I cross the 4000 km mark, and CJ and I
ride the Tour's final stage. See you at the Arc de Triomphe!
