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Tens of thousands cycling fans at Tour finish
By GREG KELLER,
PARIS (AP) Chanting Norwegians in Viking helmets, flag waving Brits, and Americans wearing Stars and Stripes top hats were among the tens of thousands of cycling fans who massed along the Champs-Elysees on Sunday to watch the final sprint of the Tour de France.
At the finish line near the Grand Palais and the Champs-Elysees Clemenceau metro station, the progress of Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Lance Armstrong and the rest of the Tour riders on their way to the finish of the 2,149-mile race was broadcast live on a giant screen.
A group of Thor Hushovd supporters wore Viking helmets and fake beards to show their support for the Norwegian rider. "Thor! Thor! Thor!" they chanted for the winner of the green jersey, awarded to the best sprinter as two more fans wearing Norwegian flag shirts walked by.
Meanwhile, fans of fourth-place finisher Bradley Wiggins and teammate David Millar could be identified by the giant Union Jack they wore draped over their shoulders as they made their way through the expanding crowd. On the big screen in front of them, the riders could be seen speeding toward Paris through the fields southeast of the French capital.
The Kavanaugh family staked out its spot in the shade of one of the Champs-Elysees' famous plane trees. They'd arrived at noon, four hours before the riders were due to begin their eight laps of the Champs-Elysees.
"We've been following the Tour since stage 10 in Limoges," said Pat Kavanaugh, who said she and sons John, 27, and Tom, 18, were there to support American rider Christian Vande Velde.
"We're from his hometown, Lemont, Illinois," Pat explained, adding that she had the chance to meet Vande Velde after one stage.
"It's good to see Lance succeed in his comeback but we're also happy that Christian finished in the top ten," John said.
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ANDY SCHLECK, FROM WHITE TO YELLOW? At only 24, Luxembourg champion Andy Schleck has twice won the Tour de France's white jersey, awarded to the best rider under 25.
After claiming the title in last year's Tour, Schleck went two in a row this year by taking second place overall, behind winner Alberto Contador and ahead of seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong.
That makes the climbing sensation the first rider to take the white jersey twice since 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich, who won it three times between 1996-98.
Schleck has been one of cycling's brightest stars since 2007, when he won the best young rider trophy in the Tour of Italy. Unlike many hyped young riders, Schleck is living up to his reputation.
One of the keys to his success has been teammate and older brother Frank. The pair of Saxo Bank riders were rarely seen apart during this Tour. The brothers stuck together on the difficult 17th stage over five hard climbs in the French Alps, double-teaming Contador and setting up Frank for the stage win and cementing Andy's second place overall.
Next year, Andy will be too old to compete for the white jersey.
"I'm coming back to take the yellow jersey," he said. "Alberto showed this year that he was the strongest, the real boss of the peloton. I have much respect for him, but next year I'm coming to win."
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CAVENDISH FASTER, HUSHOVD IN GREEN: Despite being unable to match the fastest man in the peloton, Thor Hushovd won his second best sprinter's green jersey Sunday on the Champs-Elysees.
The Norwegian rider, who won the shirt in 2005, didn't even try to win the prestigious final sprint as Mark Cavendish claimed his sixth stage victory in this year's Tour.
"I didn't want to take any risk," Hushovd said. "I fought hard during three weeks for this jersey and to beat Cavendish. He is the fastest man but I have the best points tally, so I am the best sprinter."
Hushovd won the green jersey with 280 points, Cavendish trailing him by 10. The Briton lost points after being stripped of a 13th-place finish last week.
He took comfort with his victory on the prestigious Parisian avenue.
"I've always said that I wanted to win on the Champs-Elysees," Cavendish said. "Every sprinter dreams of putting their hands up in the air as they cross that line, seeing the Arc de Triomphe in the foreground. It's an amazing feeling to do so. It didn't disappoint at all."
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AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report
Updated July 26, 2009
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