'I expect chaos' - what does the Tour de France peloton really think of the new final stage in Paris?

A hilly finale will replace the usual procession of the 21st stage. Tom Davidson asks riders if it’s what they really want

Paris Olympics men's road race
(Image credit: Getty Images)

They knew the crowds would be big, but nobody expected quite so many people. On Rue Lepic, a narrow, cobbled climb that bends up into Paris’s Montmarte district, fans stood 10 deep on the pavement, tilting on their tiptoes to watch the men’s Olympic road race fly by.

More than half a million people gathered by the roadside in the French capital. The artist’s quarter, where tourists typically come for caricatures, carafes of red wine, and an unspoiled view across the city, was flooded with cycling fans. They shouted so loud, and so close to the peloton, that the riders could feel the air of their cries on their faces. It was a carnival in full swing. The organisers of the Tour de France, ASO, watched on with envy from their headquarters in the southwest of the city.

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Tom Davidson
Senior News and Features Writer

Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is fluent in French and Spanish, and holds a master's degree in International Journalism. Since 2020, he has been the host of The TT Podcast, offering race analysis and rider interviews.

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill, and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. His best result is 28th in a hill-climb competition, albeit out of 40 entrants.

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