Daddy Come to Alpe d'Oz: Guy Niv in a personal column for the highlights of the Tour de France | Israel today

Guy Niv finished the tenth section of the Tour de France yesterday, ahead of 11 more sections, until he reaches the Elysee Avenue - the Grand Final of the biggest race in the world.

After an impressive opening week, in which Israel Premier Tech celebrated a historic victory in a section of the column, and Niv was a partner in one of the most impressive escapes of his career, the Israeli rider summed up for "Israel Today" what he went through until the second day of rest.

"I surprised myself."

First full week in a column behind us, and what a week it was!

The pub stage, which promised a lot and existed in an unusual way, was an amazing experience for me.

The pub is as awesome as it looks on TV, and in reality even more so - and the proof of that is that in the last two episodes I could barely hold the handlebars, because of the cuts I made in my hand as a result of the Cobblestones' shocks.

I pleasantly surprised myself at this point, where I felt a kind of turning point in the column.

From that moment on I started to feel a lot more in matters, and I also knew that we had actually finished the planar opening days and we were starting to get into the ascents, where I feel more comfortable.

Of course the most exciting moment that day was when I was 4km to the end of the stage and heard "Simon won". I can not describe the chills all over my body, and the shouts of joy I sent to our walkie-talkie. Simon Clark did an amazing ride that day, and all the credit for the victory he deserves , But also to all the people who have been behind this system for a good few years, led of course by Sylvan Adams and Ron Bar-On.

Alp d'Oz.

Niv returns to where Bar Mitzvah was celebrated, Photo: Gettyimages

"The column is hard, nervous."

Move on.

The next few days open with insane speeds, and very long battles at each stage until that day’s escape is successful.

It took the escape group in stage 6 almost two hours until we opened a gap, in which we covered about 100 km. We finished the stage itself at an insane average speed of 49 km / h, to the next stage of 220 km.

The column is harsh, edgy, cruel.

But I'm here and feeling good, and I knew stage 9 was a stage that could suit me very well.

It had long ascents and at the end we reached the Alps of Switzerland and France.

After more than an hour in Plato, I managed to fit in with the right attack in a big, super-quality escape.

I looked to the right, I looked to the left, and every rider next to me is a bigger name than the other: Thibaut Pinot, Bob Jungles, Warren Bargill, Riguberto Oren, Watt van Art.

The fact that I managed to get into such an escape alone is something I can be happy with, but I want more.

I was hoping we would get a good enough gap from the platoon, but the fact that Warren was on the run, and at the start of the day his gap from the leader in the overall standings was only 3 minutes, actually eliminated the chances of a big gap opening.

Inside I knew that the chances of getting to the finish and achieving a beautiful result were very low, but I did everything I could.

2km to the end of the penultimate ascent of the same stage was an attack on the platoon, and I "jumped" on it: instead of increasing the pace slowly, as the other escape riders did, I put myself over the threshold but I paid for it pretty quickly and stayed behind. Finally, I can still see this day as successful and very encouraging for the sequel.

Bar Mitzvah trip.

The week opens with a formidable three days in the Alps.

In section 12, we will climb both the "Gallibia" and the "Alp d'Os", two iconic ascents, both of which as a child on a bar mitzvah trip with my father I stood on both and saw the column pass me by.

I am very much looking forward to these ascents - this time as a rider.

And one last but important word - I am starting to see more and more Israeli flags on the sides of the roads, and quite a few parents with children who follow the column and stop to cheer.

It's exciting on levels and warms the heart.

I wish it would continue to gain momentum and we will see more Israelis come to cheer in France.

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