Support/lust after our lads cycling in the Tour of Britain here!

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

We watched Team Sky and Brad win the Tour de France, we're watching Froome in the Vuelta (bless him) and we took an Ode to the Olympic Time Trial (which inspired them to win medals ).

And now (to fill the massive hole left by the superb Olympics and Paralympics) from Sunday we can watch Team Sky and Team GB cycling heros here in the UK!

I thought I'd start this thread for lusting supporting our team faves and having a laugh.

TOB starts this Sunday 9th Sept!

TOB website here

Stage 1 Ipswich to Norfolk - Live on ITV4 from 1.45pm with highlights at 8pm .

The rest of the stages are also live everyday on ITV4 with highlights at 7pm.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Right, I'm going to watch it this eve and not watch the end or find out about the end of the race on twitter.

My fave twitter comment so far is 'those lads really want that cheese' re points prize for sprints.

Back later...

[evilgiraffe]

Yes, HalfMum, "Contador" does sound all competitive and exciting. Difficult to affectionately shorten, though - "Connie" doesn't have quite the same authority as Wiggo, Cav, or Froomedog...

I've just watched the finish on ITV4 +1, having been out all day so missed it in real time. Fabulous finish again - go Sky! Every time I watch him sprint I love Cav a little bit more, it's a wonder I'm capable of doing anything useful, really.

[frostyfingers]

Couldn't watch the end on TV and am out tonight so have just sneaked a look at Sky's website and YES, RESULT again. Thrilled to pieces (wish he'd shave the fluff off though....).

[evilgiraffe]

Half Mum, which twitter account do you follow for ToB/TdF type stage updates?

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Another fantastic result. I loved Wiggo giving someone a little shove out of the way before the lead out as if to say 'Mind out lad, I'm coming through'.

And all the little kids, let out of school at the roadsides throughout the stage. Cute.

Evil - On Twitter I am watching @centurytv (who film it), @nedboulting and @robhayles1, @teamsky, @realstephens, @tourofbritain and @skodaukcycling

The best updates are from teamsky, realstephens, tourofbritain and skodaukcycling.

Factoid of the day (from DH) Cav used to be a champion ballroom dancer!

Cav is the leader!!!!!

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Did I put this thread in the wrong place? It is v quiet here. I thought more people would be into the tour of britain after the tour de france and our olympic cycling endeavours.

[Minimammoth]

Waves. M'in bed now. Have been watching thread but not managed to watch any Tour of B. thus no post. Suppose the 2012 topic is over now? Sounds as if sky team are doin'good.

[frostyfingers]

Watched it on ITV player after our night out, we couldn't miss it, especially knowing the result. Filthy weather for them, hope it's better tomorrow, I don't fancy standing out in the rain. Yes, loved Wiggo's little "out the way" move - it's fascinating watching Sky run the whole thing like that, and amazing when Cav accelerates.

So looking forward to tomorrow!

HalfMum - maybe if we were in Chat it would have attracted more attention - who knows!

[LostInWales]

So excited for tomorrow too! We'll be at different ends of the race frosty. Having trouble watching the coverage, apparently indiana Jones got precedent last night in our house

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Morning, I see young Cav made it onto the BBC website front page yesterday. And there was a mention on Radio 1 yesterday.

Hopefully a drier day today in Stoke.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Lost - Indiana Jones? (also hot though)

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Good piece in the telegraph here

[frostyfingers]

Nice article - do also read William Fotheringham in the Guardian, he's a great writer (lots of books too), plus an acquaintance!

[LostInWales]

Don't think I could be happier right now, Caitlin Moran webchat, Tour on tv, dog on my knee. Sod housework/homework I'm having an afternoon off . Cav looks a wee bit tired!

Indiana Jones because I am the lone female in a household of 5 and therefore am constantly outvoted for the evenings viewing.

[frostyfingers]

I too am a lone female out of 5 lost, however DH is as obsessed as I am so we win, every time! Off to give dogs a long walk so they are happy while we are out tomorrow, then another hours work, then school run and dinner for five, then Tour highlights, pack my picnic, and then we're ready for tomorrow.

Excited, moi?

[LostInWales]

I think we may be having twin days frosty! Except with any luck DS1 will have made dinner for us all in food tech today not that I have slipped an emergency meal into the fridge just in case, oh no

Is it wrong to be pleased Cav will be out of that grim gold jersey tomorrow? I want to see him in his rainbow stripes.

[LostInWales]

Just thought I'd share a photo from the Tour of Britain 2010. We waited hours in that horizontal rain and drove home without our trousers on as they were saturated. Was still a great day, I saw Bradley Wiggins for about 0.2 of a second

It was a lovely day for a bike ride

[frostyfingers]

That looks grim - I hate the rain! Dogs now walked, just a bit of work to finish off..... It is pretty yucky that gold jersey, and quite hard to spot, the stripes are much easier.

Do you know much about the course for the World Championships - is he likely to keep it? I heard that it was hillier and therefore less likely, but he seemed to manage with hills yesterday and the day before.

[LostInWales]

I've been thinking that's probably why he did the ToB, just to get some hill practice in. He doesn't settle well to doing nothing and I think he prefers to race rather than just go out and train. Not sure about the Worlds course though. I am taking my highly cycling literate friend with me tomorrow (she got me into all this years ago) so I will ask her opinion and then come back on here spouting it as though it is all my own

ToB in the rain was truly grim but also quite hilarious. I don't think I've ever been so wet before or since.

Right, my turn to go out. Dog walk which segues into picking up the younger two, multi tasking at it's finest.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Frosty - I will check out your guardian mate. I am sulking as boss won't let me have day off so won't be able to see Brad in the flesh. Gutted.

Frosty - rumour from bloke at work is that cav will only hang on to jersey if team GB all help him and it totally depends on the team. Team GB may decide their loyalties are with new Norwegian sky team member and help him instead.

I think wiggo is doing TOB as a lap of honor from Olympics and TdF. Not sure about Cav

[Minimammoth]

Oh no halfmum. I will be chained to desk in the morning, even though they will be nearby. I need to catch up on what's happening, have been too buried in computer. Will go look on web site.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

You could probably go and watch a climb. They would be going slow then so you could see.

Today it all went pear shaped for Cav. It looked like he got tired. Wiggins went back to see what was wrong and ended up stuck at the back with him and they rolled in 12 mins behind the leader. So sky is a bit buggered now and I don't know what the plan will be but its not going to easy.

[frostyfingers]

HalfMum - that's not fair, doesn't he know how important it is? It didn't seem to go well for Sky today, hopefully they can get their act together tomorrow. Cav was never going to win the GC, he hates the hills but hopefully they can get someone else a bit closer.

I'd heard that the World Champs course wasn't up Cav's street - hopefully he won't be too tired after this week, and he did manage the hills well yesterday and Wednesday.

DH has new camera and if he manages to get some good pics we'll try and get them up.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Thanks frosty would be good to see the pics.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

stage 6 map

Mini I think you will have to drive a long way to see the race from where you are. Builth wells is near where the mountain bit is which looks closest