Russell Crowe went on the bike ride of his life Tuesday when a member of the paparazzi followed theGladiatorstar 7.7 miles on his own bike.
According to TODAY , J.B. Nicholas was determined to get the perfect picture of the Oscar winner as he biked through the streets of New York City. In his attempt, Nicholas wound up following Crowe on his own two wheeler from Manhattan to Brooklyn.
“It all started at about 10:30 a.m. when I and five other shutterbugs waited outside a Tribeca hotel where Crowe is staying,” Nicholas recalled in his story for the New York Daily News . “The double front doors of the hotel flew open and Crowe and his bodyguard dramatically shot out on a mountain bike and headed south on Greenwich St.”
Nicholas proceded to describe how he chased Crowe through Battery Park, past the Statin Island Ferry Terminal, under the FDR Drive and on to the Manhattan Bridge.
“I and five other two-wheeling cameramen followed, but most gave up from exhaustion,” Nicolas wrote. “There were two of us left and Crowe’s bodyguard was trying to block us.”
The pursuit finally ended at the movie set in South Williamsburg where Crowe is shooting his upcoming movie, Noah.
As Crowe was making his way into his trailer, he playfully joked with Nicholas saying, “You missed the best shot; I just gave you the finger.”
Not too long after, Crowe came outside to congratulate Nicholas on keeping up with him on the 7.7 mile bike chase by giving him a hug.
Later that day, Crowe wound up commenting on the event, tweeting :
“11.6km bike ride to work, meditative peace of the morning ritual decimated by paparazzi … on bicycles … Only in NY folks.”
Crowe also wound up noting, “ride turned in to a bit of fun, certainly upped the speed, did the 11.6km in 30 mins, only 1 pap stayed on pace, I congratulated him.”