Where can i find a high resolution version of the Tour de France 8th stage photo finish?

July 11, 2005 6:40 AM

I am looking for a higher resolution version of this picture of the photo-finish in saturday's 8th stage of the Tour de France.

GIS and the official site are comming up blank as are some fans site that are covering the tour. Maybe someone has an HD screengrab that is better? I love the effect the photo finish camera does with the spokes and the striped background.

posted by TinTitan to sports, hobbies, & recreation (8 comments total)

Slightly better.

Even bigger.
posted by humuhumu at 7:02 AM on July 11, 2005

And just slightly bigger than either of those (500x500).
posted by humuhumu at 7:06 AM on July 11, 2005

And another version, from ESPN's Cycling Photo Wire.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:17 AM on July 11, 2005

Without knowing anything at all about the camera used, I would guess that the original (smaller) photo that you linked to is the highest resolution photo out there. I doubt the race officials use a high megapixel camera, since they need to take several frames every second, they would choose for a smaller resolution.

The larger pictures are just enlarged versions of the smaller one.
posted by achmorrison at 8:28 AM on July 11, 2005

Those slit photo finish systems have a 1/2000th second frame rate, and are still fairly low resolution. This image, for example, is at what I believe is the native resolution.
posted by zsazsa at 8:39 AM on July 11, 2005

wow. I hadn't seen that image until now.
The winner is ahead by no more than two pixels. At that frame rate, I'll bet the difference was in the nanosecond range. (sorry to be chatty, but that's a fantastic image)
posted by Popular Ethics at 9:45 AM on July 11, 2005

I'm afraid achmorrison is correct. Bigger pictures but no better resolution.

zsazsa: thanks for that link, plenty of other finish line examples, middle of the page here

Popular Ethics: The official split between the two riders is 2 millimeters. It is indeed a great shot, I wanted to be able to print and frame it.
posted by TinTitan at 10:24 AM on July 11, 2005

That probably is the highest resolution, for the reasons that am and zz cite. TDF had to rely on the onboard position sensors to make a decision about who won. Further, the winner had come from behind in the last few seconds and just barely eked out that win. TDF stage summary here, minute by minute stage description here.

By the way, tomorrow's when they hit the Alps and all hell breaks loose. Personally I'm worried that Lance's team (and thus he himself eventually) is about to collapse.
posted by intermod at 1:41 PM on July 11, 2005