A cycling frenzy gripped Montmartre on Sunday, hours before the Tour de France peloton was due to pass through Paris’ iconic neighborhood.
Thousands of fans packed the streets, eager to claim a prime spot to watch riders climb the iconic hill during the final stage of the race.
The Tour is breaking with tradition this year as organizers look to build on the popular success of the Paris Olympic road race. During last year’s Olympics, massive crowds lined the streets of Montmartre — the area in northern Paris famous for its artistic heritage and sweeping city views — to cheer on riders.
Inspired by the frenetic atmosphere, Tour organizers decided to include the Montmartre climb in this summer’s route.
And it paid off.
Spectators began arriving early Sunday on the cobbled Rue Lepic, well before race leader Tadej Pogačar and his rivals were expected to tackle the steep ascent. Fans also filled the stairs beneath the Sacré-Coeur to ensure they didn’t miss a moment of the action.
The festive atmosphere echoed with clapping and songs from enthusiastic fans.
“La, la, la, la, la, Kevin Vauquelin!” chanted some spectators in polka-dot T-shirts winding up Rue Lepic, cheering the French rider best placed in the general classification.
Riders will ascend the hill and pass beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica before heading to the finish on the Champs-Élysées. The peloton will also pass the Moulin Rouge before climbing to the Butte Montmartre. To mark the occasion, dancers in tricolor costumes will perform a French Cancan outside the cabaret.
Traditionally, the final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day’s winner on the Champs-Elysées. On Sunday, the final climb comes less than 7 kilometers from the finish, making it unlikely that many sprinters will contend for the stage win.
During the Olympics, the road races drew more than 500,000 spectators in Paris.
Last year’s Tour concluded outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a scheduling conflict with the Olympics, with the final stage held in Nice. The Champs-Élysées returned this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race.
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AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
