By Chris Wallis on Monday, April 14, 2008

Having already notched up one of the Spring Classics i was looking forward to Paris Roubaix, cobbles, mud, rain and some good hard cycling.

Sadly i was to be disappointed, at least from the persepctive of mud and rain, continuing its run of sunny and dusty races the 106th edition set off to a dry start.

Having made an early start me and my co-pilot Mike took a few little detours of a direct route to Compiegne - the first to the famous Vimy Ridge and the Canadian War Memorial - Vimy  and then finally a dogleg out towards Belgium to get a quick look the Trouée d'Arenberg and figure out whether the stop would be possible the following day.

After a brief meeting setting out the rules from ASO for the next i collecting my race programme and bib and headed of ... Read More »

By Chris Wallis on Monday, April 07, 2008

All in all a good day, the start was a little hectic and not really what i wanted, didn't get much of the riders signing on, but the crowds were so big that trying to fnid you way through was not easy so a quick snap of the depart and off to the first stop for the day.

THe first two stops went nicely to plan, arriving in enough time to park at the bottom and then walk up. Met some interesting fans, and despite the language barrier, my appaling french mainly, managed to chat a little bit killing time before the ladies race and then the mens arrived.

It was then onto the koppenberg again parked where i needed and headed up to the summit of the climb. Got a great place, and snapped Boonen in his only real bid for glory for the day.

From that point on the day went awry from the plan, trying to get across to the bosbery, i was caught out by relying on the Tom Tom, which sadly took me on a route crossing the race course twice, which wouldn't norma ... Read More »

By Chris Wallis on Thursday, April 03, 2008

Its finally time for my first pro-tour race of the season, having been stuck with only TV footage of the world track champs i am all charged up for my First Tour of Flanders, having done a little prep work, studies maps, good my gear ready and all the batteries charged. Most importantly i have the sweets and junk food that will pass as lunch on race day.

I am hoping it will be go somewhere close to my plan, although i kinda know deep down that it probably won't so as long as i get a few good pics i will be happy.

 

as soon as all is snapped and editied the race is on to email off and you will then find my pics both here and on www.protournews.com

and if you want to know a little more about me check out the interview here&l ... Read More »

By Chris Wallis on Thursday, March 13, 2008

The continetal cycling season has started in earnest with Paris Nice  and Tirreno-Adriatico providing the pro's with their first test of form. This all leads up to the spring classics 4 weeks of racing in some historic races, i will be following them for certainly a few of these races so look out for my pictures and tales here and also here so look out for this as soon as april gets here.

 

Having filled the cycling off season with some fun at basketball courts their season is almost over so thanks to th ... Read More »

By Chris Wallis on Sunday, December 02, 2007

its always a struggle to get photos published, cycling photography being such a hard area to get a break in but please find my photos published on the following sites

 

 

www.londoncyclesport.com/news/article/mps/UAN/3639/v/1/sp/

 

www.londoncyclesport.com/news/article/mps/UAN/3632/v/1/sp/

 

www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/tra/EventReports2007/20071125_Gent_6.asp

By Chris Wallis on Wednesday, November 28, 2007

After seeing the 6 day last year as a aspectator i was keen to go back and capture the excitement on camera and this year i got the chance, at least for 2 nights of it

After a short dirve and a slight longer ferry trip we were zipped our way along E40 towards Gent on a slight cold winter evening, with the life saving tom tom guiding us safely to the hotel we checked in and got an early night ready for a long day tomorrow.

Knowing that the raing didn't start till at least 7 we had plenty of time to do some exploring and tick off a few things off the "things to do in Gent "list

First on the list was a trip of Plum Vainqueur bike shop, which luck would have it was only a few hundred metres from the hotel.

After a look round the museum and the purchase of a souvenir hat myself and Mike came out furnished with a short ride to work up our appitites for lunch

Read More »

By Chris Wallis on Wednesday, October 31, 2007

I reaslise that the summer racing season has now finished its time for some training, some practise and maybe the odd muddy shoot of cyclocross

 

 

 

By Chris Wallis on Sunday, July 29, 2007

Stage 20 Marcoussis to Paris – and finally I can go home

Ironically the day I was looking forward to was the poorest day for photography. The Start was not looking good when it started raining and didn’t look like stopping, and then in between showers all we got was overly bright clouds, not making for the best backgrounds.
The roll out was on some very ugly roads so it was a quick drive straight into Paris and then onto the closed roads of the Rue D’rivoli and the Place de la Concorde.
I took up position at the opposite end to the Arc D’Triumph so that I could shoot coming onto and leaving the Champs Elyesse. I am putting my lack of shots down to some real tiredness. I got the light wrong a few times, motorbikes got out of the way to late so I could focus on the riders properly. In short all the things that I have done, learnt and practiced over the last few weeks went out the window and had to concentrate ... Read More »

By Chris Wallis on Saturday, July 28, 2007

Today was going to be quite a relaxed stage, which I was so grateful for, no need to drive a couple of hundred km’s in one day. I skipped the start all together and went straight to the finish, didn’t feel like trying to get shots on course and find somewhere good, and struggled getting access to the course due to some poor direction.
As the British guys were quite down on the GC (general Classification) I had to get to the finish line quickly to catch Geriant Thomas crossing and then it was time for lunch and sit down ready for the action.
The finish was the same as yesterday, and although it threatened to rain for most of the day when the sun did come out it was coming straight down the finish. Thankfully as it was single riders coming across the line I was able to sit closer, and although surround by guys with 500mm lens I got the shots I wanted.
Not all the riders were kind to the photographers and weaved across the finish straight and al ... Read More »

By Chris Wallis on Friday, July 27, 2007

Cahors to Angolueme Another long day in the car

Yet another slightly boring stage that was destined to end in a breakaway and a sprint finish, and yet another long straight shooting almost into the sun.
Thinking that the one route would be quicker an easier I decided to go in front of the race to the off course exit point and get a shot before then and drive straight to the finish.
The first shot I took was a bit of an experiment having found some slightly interesting towers in the background I messed about with the shutter speed to get a blurred shot, for the first time I got some filters out to counteract the bright sun, an ND x2 and a CPL (as I only have the ND2 for that size) and dropped the shutter speed down to 1/20. Still not 100% sold on the shot but worth while for something different and thinking on my feet.
The rest of the day was a frustrating journey in the car, with some poorly signposted off course route so only with lu ... Read More »