Saturday, July 25, 2009

Stage 20 - Back to Provence for an Epic Battle on Mont Ventoux


Click here to see Liam's ride with Lance Armstrong

Liam and I bring you this blog post on the fly. Tomorrow is the last stage of the 2009 Tour de France. We are about to make the 6 hour drive from Provence to Paris for the race finish. Today was an action packed day on the very windy summit of Mont Ventoux. Liam climbed the “Giant of Provence” for the second time. Today, however, it was extremely windy, and was by far our most difficult day in the mountains. The race itself was epic.


I have put together two video blogs that give a good feel for the last two days. The Tour de France is truly “a movable feast,” and "move" it does --- we have put close to 6000 kilometers on our rental van.

Our next report will be from the city of light.

Allez le Tour!

8 comments:

  1. Great piece, looked awfully cold on the top of the Mountain.

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  2. Liam will have the best 'What did you do on your summer vacation' report/blog EVER! I think Team Radioshack should recruit Liam! He climbs the mountains like a champion!

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  3. do you ever feel like (esp by linking to your son's ride with lance in *every* post) you are undermining some of your message by coming off like a publicity-seeker?

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  4. Hi Bill and Liam,

    we finally got some wifi to check your blog. It was really great, and even a bigger coincidence, seeing you guys again on the mont ventoux. it IS a small world. I thought the atmosphere was even better than on the Arcalis.
    we haven't had time to read all of your blogs, but i will read it and recommend it. our goals exceed that of having a great vacation. the fight against cancer is a battle that needs to be won, but a sound father/ son relationship is on of the cormerstones of fighting any battle! and worth promoting.

    The next day I climmed the Mont ventoux from malaucene and bedoin. after decending i couldn't find the energy of climbing the MV for a third time. the 100 miles from the day before, and the lack of time, got to me.

    As others I hope that Liam will win the tour ( he already bikes amazingly) or the olympics with his swimming team. (or both hehe). I hope you will succeed in telling science the importence of the oriental way...

    love Maurice and Mieke

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  5. Dear Anonymous Poster regarding "publicity seeking":

    I just wanted to clarify ... The main reason the link to Liam's ride with Lance is placed at the begining of every post is because his two little brothers love to see it - and they were having a difficult time pulling it up when it started to get buried within the posts. I let them have free access to seeing their dad and brother on the blog, but they are only 5 and 7, and were not so skilled at getting around the blog. It was actually at my suggestion that it be posted that way.

    It also has had a great impact on Liam and others, so having it readily accessible in the posts seemed fitting.

    Sorry you feel it detracts from the message. Hope you otherwise have enjoyed the journey.

    Kind regards,

    Liam's Mom

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  6. Re: the anonymous troll who mentioned "publicity seeking"

    So? Liam and his dad are promoting the best possible way of a father and son spending the summer. If that's what they're selling - we're buying. My 9-year-old son Luke and I have followed this blog with a mixture of awe/envy/admiration and are inspired to buy road bikes and climb those mountains. Bet we won't be as fast as Liam, though xxxxxx Nick in Bath UK

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  7. Liam and Bill,

    Just found this blog, amazing trip you guys had. While cycling down from Ventoux, I descended behind Liam for a while, and never ever seen a 8/9y old kid handling a bike so smoothly and with so natural touch! Having a boy of exactly same age (who wathched the race in Sault), your story is extremely inspiring.

    All the best and keep up the joy of sports!

    Markku
    Finland

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