Stage 1: Toulouse to Lourdes

While the Tour de France worked its way southwest into the Pyrenees, we too worked our way deeper into the mountains. The two VéloSport crews met everyone for this first stage of the Pyrenees to Paris trip at the Holiday Inn at the Toulouse airport. There, bikes were assembled, luggage was gathered, merchandise was bought and everyone was checked in for more than a week's worth of Tour excitement. Katie with VéloSport made sure everyone was well-fed by ordering up a extensive lunch buffet. We managed to graze on this never-ending spread for a good three hours.

After the transfer to Lourdes, we all sat down to catch the final kilometers of stage 14. Once again, Armstrong triumphed over all pretenders to the throne. It is amazing to see how much stronger he is than any other contenders. And what was the Telekom team doing out there trying to sabotage their own teammate's efforts? Only they will know.

After the stage wrapped up, everyone rushed to get ready for a short shakedown ride around Lourdes. We all gathered in the parking lot outside the Hotel de la Grotte and talked about the stage. The shade there was a welcome break from the hot, tortuous sun of the day. As we listened to our tour manager Dean Peterson give us basic safety tips, you could hear soft, religious chanting in the background. It was time for the daily procession down through Lourdes to the place people go to partake of the holy water in hopes of a new health.



Instead of heading downhill to the river, the group took off up hill and out of Lourdes for the first and easiest of the many rides to come.