Pauline Ballet’s aerial photograph of the peloton crossing a bridge also headed up a collection of photos from this year’s Arctic Race of Norway that we understatedly sub-titled the most beautiful race in the world.
“I love shooting in this dramatic landscape,” she says. “There’s raw landscape, the weather and light are always changing, there’s a lot of harmony in Norwegian constructions.”
As a bonus, she adds, the Arctic Tour comes with a lot less pressure than the Tour de France. And Ballet knows all about that. The Paris-based freelancer is frequently contracted by Tour de France organiser ASO to work as one of their official race photographers.
Alongside her extensive coverage of ASO events like La Grand Boucle and the Norwegian race, Ballet shot commissions for Rouleur this year on Andy Schleck in his bike shop and the Maginot Line fortifications that overlooked the third stage of this year’s Tour.
“The Paris-Roubaix madness : dust, a crazy crowd, cobbles and suffering on the face of Alexander Kristoff in the Trouée d’Arenberg.”
Read: Arenberg – the making of a Paris-Roubaix legend
“November 2017 – Japan. Riders give it full gas during a Saitama Criterium sprint.”
“The second when you realise you’ve won the stage. Romain Bardet takes it from Fabio Aru and Rigoberto Uran on stage 12 of the Tour de France.”
Read: John Pierce – the photographer who has covered 50 Tours de France
“The last kilometre of stage 18 on this year’s Tour, on the legendary Col d’Izoard.”
The post 2017 photographs of the year – part 1: Pauline Ballet appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.
