It has been 44 years since the Tour de France last stepped so far over the border into Spain as to make it to Barcelona. I felt a little bit like one blessed to see a comet not due to return to earth for many long years.

Not only were the riders in Barcelona, but were due to ride up Gran de Gracia through the barrio, Gracia, our neighborhood. I had not ventured out on Thursday to watch their arrival and climb up to Montjuic, it was raining terribly. But this morning, Jason and I settled at a favorite cafe not too far away to meet some friends and give our voices to the collective cheer for the riders on their 225 km haul.

It was over very fast. One hundred eighty riders clumped very close together climbing the gentle incline of the main street in Gracia on their way out of BCN. Their longest stage to Andorra through the nasty climbs of the Pyrenees. Somewhere amongst the clump, Lance Armstrong, Levis Leipheimer, and Alberto Contador. Vaya, vaya, vaya comrades! We wish you “Buena Suerte”.

Jason got a great time elapsed series as the peloton passed us by.

Many thanks to Susan Arnst for standing on a barricade with her fantastic camera to take some of these fotos.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 11th, 2009 at 12:06 am by Corrie and is filed under Spain. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.