At the start, today’s stage is indeed leisurely. The mood appears relaxed and friendly. After watching the television coverage for a bit, I think I must have accidentally changed it to the Travel Channel. It seems like I’m watching an infomercial about French tourism. Here a chateau, there a chateau, everywhere a chateau!

We did it! Thanks mate! Contador hugs Leipheimer in Paris. Photo copyright www.BenRossPhotography.com.

There is a serious turn as the peloton approaches the first sprint line. Evans comes to the front and Discovery looks like an army prepared for battle. As it turns out, all is calm and no attempts are made to change the GC standings.

The peloton arrives in Paris and the cheers form the crowd prove cycling is not dead. Round and round they go on the Champs-Elysees. The sprint teams begin to organize. Bennati is edging ahead and stays in first as he wins on the Champs-Elysees! Talk about your who’s who list of sprinters, look at the next four placings; Hushovd, Zabel, Hunter and Boonen. Contador is safely across the finish line.

The final sprint. Photo copyright www.BenRossPhotography.com.

Another Tour has finished with no less drama than before. Some of it was bad but more of it was positive effort and hard work. It’s unfortunate when negative circumstances can cloud the greater good of race and the people in it. Let’s continue to focus on the greater good. Regardless of what happens, the drama will continue.

Congratulations to team Discovery Channel: Tomas Vaitkus, Yaroslav Popovych, Sergio Paulinho, Benjamin Noval, Egoi Martinez, George Hincapie, Vladimir Gusev, Levi Leipheimer, and Alberto Contador.

2007 Tour Team Discovery Channel. Photo copyright www.BenRossPhotography.com.

Email our reporter Dave Osborne your comments at info@roadcycling.com.