I have spots in front of my eyes, but it’s nothing to do with the heat or a headache, although the humidity is high and the crowd I’m in is colossal and cacophonous. I’m opposite the Sacre Coeur Basilica in Montmartre, waiting for the arrival of the riders doing stage 21 of the 2026 Tour de France, along with thousands of other people, virtually all wearing polka dot t-shirts.
These spotty tops, given out by the caravan and emblazoned with the logo of Tour sponsor hypermarket chain E.Leclerc, are inspired, of course, by the jersey won by the king of the mountains, who this year is Richard Carapaz, EF Education-EasyPost’s popular Ecuadorian rider.
