Rider with retro-styling posing for photos on the Tom Simpson Memorial
Lots of people get their photos taken on the steps of the Simpson Memorial. You can also see all the stuff people leave their, mostly water bottles, tubes, sometimes flowers
Greg LeMond held court with Joanne Simpson, daughter of Tom Simpson, for about half an hour. He also gave a lengthy interview afterwards.
Greg LeMond, cameraman and interviewer walking off into the distance. Greg was highly critical of the fact that only one team car stopped by to pay respects at the Simpson Memorial; some of us would be highly critical of using the Simpson Memorial to increase publicity for his crusade. I would feel differently if Greg had been there just with Joanne Simpson instead of an orchestrated event with an interviewer and cameraman.
Many used the steps of the Memorial to watch the race. Not sure that seems like the right thing to do. Those are steps to an important site, not benches meant to view the race from.
The Simpson Memorial is located at an extremely-difficult part of the climb, completely exposed to the wind and a 9-10% grade.
Another rider paying respects
A non-GC contender paying his respects to the Simpson Memorial
The press reports said it was just Joanne Simpson at the Memorial, but as you can see in this photo, there are two women wearing t-shirts referencing Tom Simpson (those with the British flag, and Tom did have two daughters.
Front row, center-right, you see Mark Cavendish beginning to unbuckle his helmet
Mark Cavendish, helmet removed, looking towards the Simpson Memorial
Mark looking truly affected by the Memorial on Ventoux. Others are simply suffering, Mark, who can definitely feel pain on a climb, looks quite introspective here.
