ben on Humzoo

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
The Task of Getting a Tour De France Press Pass

In July I am heading to Switzerland and France to see one...possibly two stages of the greatest test of human athletic ability....the Tour de France. I am going with a buddy who is in Connecticut and we plan to do the whole experience on as little as possible.

I am in the works to blog my adventure for Channel 20. One thing I am working on is an interview with Christian Vande Velde of Team Slip Stream Chipotle. The team is brand new...American based (Boulder, Colorado)...and they are trying to set the sport right by being OVERLY open on diets and procedures as well as providing CRAP LOADS of drug tests. Basically no one on this team is doping. And Christian is from Illinois!

So this week I made a formal request with the team to have an interview during the 17th stage...the historic Alpe de Huez... a brutal climbing stage in the Alps. The woman was basically like.....uh yeah....no problem. SWEEEEEEET.

Not only did she grant me the interview...but invited me to eat Chipotle with the team on their off day during a huge off day party with staff and reporters. Unfortunately I will not be in the country yet. (Which makes me want to kill myself).
Now I just have to get credentialed...which I have very little idea how to do.

I found a website that that says there are documents that explain everything...and then don't provide them. I have tried signing up on a random online system...we'll see how it works out. Starting to get very excited for my trip!

6 Comments

1) Sounds like a blast. I remember watching a stage when it came to Southern England a few years back. I say "watching a stage" but what I really mean is standing by the side of a country road for several hours, watching promotional vehicles drive slowly by with people handing out samples and other such junk. Then about a 10 second blur of cyclists. You know when you get a camera and try to take a picture of something fast but using a slow shutter speed? Well that's how it looked to the Mk. 1 human eyeball pretty much. Luckily I had foreseen the experience and borrowed a Nikon with 6fps motordrive. I waited for the peleton, pressed and held the shutter and burned the roll in around 6 seconds. Mostly rubbish but I do have a picture of Lance Armstrong before he ever won a Tour de France.

LimeyGeorge Thursday, May 22, 2008

2) That is awesome! Yeah...Im more excited about the promotional parade before hand!

Biker Ben Thursday, May 22, 2008

3) There's nothing like a free sample sachet of Daz washing detergent on a hot afternoon.

LimeyGeorge Thursday, May 22, 2008

4) How cool! I hope to get to France and watch someday with my husband. Lookin' forward to your dispatches.

girlcarew Thursday, May 22, 2008

5) Awesome, Ben!! You'll have to tell us all about it!!

Sarah S. Friday, May 23, 2008

6) I am so jealous! I can't wait to read all about it.

CanadaPam Friday, May 23, 2008