A single tenth of a second captured on camera may change his life forever, or at the very least, accelerate his career trajectory. Quentin Joly, a former high-level cross-country skier, has been dreaming of becoming a professional sports photographer for years.
For several years now, Joly has been positioning his camera lenses on ski slopes and along racing routes, honing his craft and building his portfolio. His athletic background has given him unique insight into the world of competitive sports, which he now seeks to document through his photography.
On July 27th, Joly made his way to a café perched on the famous hill of Montmartre, hoping to capture and immortalize the final stage of the Tour de France. He certainly wasn't alone in this endeavor, as photographers from around the world had gathered for this historic moment.
For the first time in its storied history, the Tour de France's Grande Boucle had obtained special permission to pass through the iconic Montmartre district three times during the final stage. This unprecedented route change came in the wake of the recent Olympic Games held in Paris, marking a significant departure from the race's traditional finale format and creating a once-in-a-lifetime photographic opportunity for sports photographers like Joly.
