Le Tour: Vive La France





'Flying The Tri-Colores'




July 14th - La Fete Nationale


In a week that saw Le Tour being nicknamed Le Tour de Carnage... my hero of the week would have to be dutch rider Johnny Hoogerland... One of two riders thrown from their bikes by a rogue media car,  Johnny found himself wrapped around a barbed wire fence.. That however did not stop him from getting back on his bike and riding the remaining 40kms to the finish line and achieving King of the Mountain status for his efforts..  It took 33 stitches to put Johnny back together again.. Other riders that day weren't so lucky and abandoned the race to broken bones...  


Like La Liberte, Johnny bared all to fly the tri-colores in the week of Le Fete Nationale.
















Have A Great Week Everyone










IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:
I took some liberties with the following images:
Johnny Hoogerland image: Reuters 
La Liberte Painting:  Eugene Delacroix
Unite poster:  Life Magazine Archives








20 comments:

Splendid Sass said...

OUCH! Oh that hurts me to look at his poor rear and legs! I am happy to learn that he made it to the finish line!
As always, thanks for sharing such beautiful images.
Have a great (and cool) day!
Teresa
xoxo

rjerdee said...

Le tour de Carnage, alright. At first, I couldn't imagine what I was looking at...thought it to be a knee joint, human flesh.

To my sadness, I guessed right. Poor Hoogerland, brave soul. This race is nothing but killer riding.

Elizabeth@ Pine Cones and Acorns said...

OMG, that poor man, and then to bke the remainder of the race! The media is sometimes a little crazy.

Love your site, my first time visiting!

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

Ouch! That HAD to hurt a lot! But what courage and determination to get back on there! The media in France seem to get out of control - this could have been so much worse.

oldgreymare said...

OMG- what else to say?

ouch!
xx
z

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

That poor fellow!
Love your photo editing!
:)

Martina said...

Ooooh - that poor old leg up there - reminds me of battle! Vive la liberté, vive la fraternité, et vive blogland, which is open to all! xox

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

Thanks for filling me in Julie...I hadn't watched the race since the weekend...Geez it must've stung like anything...let's hope there is no more of 'Le Tour de Carnage'...Dzintra

**Anne** said...

Just loving this post. Goodness, that poor man and stupid, stupid car driver.
Anne xx

The Moerks said...

Ouch, that's gunna hurt in the morning!

Carole said...

OUCH that hurts just to look at.
I forgot that tomorrow was Bastille day! butt ( sorry for the pun) there right now. I wonder if I can find fireworks on youtube tomorrow!

great photos,

Carole

Claudia Lane said...

OMG Julie, you know I can't watch anymore after seeing that incident with the car I was so angry...how many more cameras and photographers can be squeezed onto those narrow roads? The guy is lucky to be alive!
Love your images, they are brilliant as always :)
Claudia xo

debra @ 5th and state said...

great segue!
i had to do a double take thinking "that cannot be SKIN?! OMG...brave soul
xo
debra

simon said...

I watched the accident- he was lucky not to have broken his neck. whoever was driving that car was a complete idiot. Anyway, I think cadel is is a good position and the next stages suit him ( pity he looks like he is always about to cry everytime he speaks! lol!)

vicki archer said...

A great melange of shots Julie....Happy Bastille Day....xv

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

GOOD MORNING DEAREST! At first, I had no idea what that image was...then I thought it was a spoof, a sort of wax figure, then reading what happened, WOW....truly a hero for continuing THE RACE. Hmmm...a metaphor for the rest of us who are running our own race. Never stop...go to the top no matter what the injuries!!!!

HAPPY DAY MY DEAR, Anita

Loree said...

I love that - the rights to bare butts. LOL. Poor guy. He looks so severely lacerated. That must have hurt big-time.

Giulia said...

Thanks for keeping me au courant w/the Tour, Julie.

xoxo

Susan

La Petite Gallery said...

As usual you are right on the money. Happy 14th all of you Frenchmen.
Julie a very nice tribute to France.
yvonne

beachvintage.com said...

PAIN, thats what I felt when I saw that pic of the injury. Thanks so much for your sweet comment last week and thats great about you too!