Paris Olympics gallery: A weekend spent on the slopes of Montmartre

Paris had a wealth of options to show off the city when it came to the men's and women's Olympic road races. But with its three-lap finishing circuit passing through the historic Montmartre neighbourhood, the games struck pure gold.

Historically, La Butte Montmartre has been home to les classes populaires, the modest working classes, artists and bohemians. It was here where the Paris Commune fostered some of its strongest contingents in the mid-19th century, while artists like Henri Toulouse-Lautrec celebrated the figures of the late-night cabarets and Pablo Picasso spent his first years in Paris working in the Le Bateau Lavoir, a labyrinth of artist studios that played a central role to painters and sculptures on Montmartre for decades.

In a modern sense, cycling is one of the world’s most popular sports, as it remains free to spectators and offers unparalleled proximity for fans seeking a glimpse of their favourite athletes. But this year’s Olympic road races were a success beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, as fans from around the world packed the slopes of Montmartre to celebrate the sport of cycling and the Olympic spirit.

Rouleur photojournalist James Startt was on hand for the men’s and women’s road races, walking up and down the slopes of the magnificent neighbourhood and revelling in the festive mood that permeated.

The mood heats up as the riders approach the summit of Montmartre.