The highway was re-opened on Thursday as was promised, but the article also provided a clarification on what happened to the QF-4 that was destroyed on July 11th.

It turns out that the problem was an illiterate loose nut on a ‘personal watercraft’ who was racing around in the restricted zone that includes the approach to the drone landing strip. Rather than improving the gene pool by possibly dropping the drone on the trespasser, they turned it back out to the Gulf and blew it up.

There are a number of restricted areas on the Gulf that are all clearly marked on local charts, and have buoys with signs posted around them. Those in the deep Gulf feature cannon rounds, missiles, and metallic debris falling from the sky, so it is not a good idea to ignore them.

Versailles to Paris Champs-Élysées

Distance: 133.5 kilometers.

The final stage is a parade that ends with a 10 lap sprint on the Champs-Élysées. This year they have decided to make an evening of it, looking for a finish at about 9:30PM in Paris.

After 23 days and 3403.5 kilometers the Tour is over.

It ended early for Lieuwe Westra ( Ned – VCD – 209 ), who had to withdraw because of injuries received in an accident early in the stage. That means that 169 riders finished the Tour this year, the second highest number.

Mark Cavendish was looking for his fifth win of the Paris stage which would have established a new record and left him in sole possession of third place in overall stage wins, but ‘tyre punctures’ interfered, and he had to settle for third in the stage behind Marcel Kittel and André Greipel, who weren’t very keen on letting other people win anything.

On The Podium:

1 Christopher Froome
2 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas
3 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver

The Final Awards:

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 83h 56′ 40″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 409 points
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) [Polka Dot] 147 points
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) 2 [White]

Team: Saxo-Tinkoff ( TST – 091-099 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Marcel Kittel ( Ger – ARG – 197 )
Super Combative: Christophe Riblon ( Fra – ALM – 089 ) [Red numbers]
Φ Svein Tuft ( Can – OGE – 189 ) + 04h 27′ 55″ [La Lanterne Rouge]

The Entire List of Finishers:
[Read more →]