La Vuelta (Tour of Spain) and The Tour of Britain

[Pan]

Taking a leaf out of my new biking hero Sylvan Chavanel, it seemed a good idea to lead from the front.
Vuelta starts this Saturday, and many of the usual suspects will be in there. The course looks quite climby, so Team Sky have opted for their Columbian rider Sergio Henoa Montoya as leader, tho' an old warrior will be the sprint king.
Useful links are:
A course guide
and
The Start List by Team
As far as I can tell, Eurosport are carrying live action and ITV4 are showing highlights, tho I think that may well be from the action the day before.
The Tour of Britain starts the day the Vuelta ends, 15th September.

Sooo, if you like most things in lycra and whizzing along a road, this is the place for you. As NicholasTeacozy reckons, it's like chess on hundreds of wheels. If you're intrigued but don't know your peloton from your domestique, drop in and someone will no doubt help out.

Why am I not surprised about all this hotel transfer stuff? Hmm...

Well, on a happier note, I was well excited about Stage 2 of the ToB today, finishing as it did in my home town, the beautiful Kendal. I grew up there and although I haven't lived there permanently since I left for uni, my family are all still there Terrible shame about the rain, though, it would've been nice seeing the Lake District bathed in sunshine.

The Tour went right past the house I grew up in (a white cottage on the outskirts of Kendal, which you can see at the 4km point) and the finish went up the very steep Beast Banks, which I used to fly down on my roller skates . I had those old fashioned roller skates, with no stopper on the front - I was a right little daredevil in those days . There's a railing fixed to the wall at the side of the road which I would cling to for dear life when I started to go too fast... my mother would've had a fit if she'd known, but she didn't - I'd set off from my grandmother's little terraced cottage, which was right opposite the finish line of the race. So today's stage, apart from some great cycling in horrendous weather, was a trip down memory lane for me.

Unpleasant historical fact coming up for anyone who might be wondering about the strange name of the race finish - Beast Banks is locally believed to have got its name because bear baiting used to take place there in medieval times, on the green area beside the finish line of the race .

cross-thread fertilising. Aldis are having their annual bike gear sale here. Commences 26th Sept

Nice stories DA. Did we have bears in medieval times? What happened to the bears in the UK? Where they not smarter than your av bear and get culled?

I'm serious!!!

Aargh honestly didn't mean to do that then. Was a grin for the last page.

Sorry, yes there were bears in medieval times, and wolves I think.

ah just read that our native poohs became extinct about 1000 yrs ago, and bear baiting was done with imported European ones. Nice.

Was glad to see Crowds on Honister Pass not that dissimilar to those on that last mt stage of the Vuelta, but with more rainwear.

Drama -the roller-skates sound mental.

HalfMum I am pleased to say I have calmed down a bit since then and am now a sensible middle-aged mum who wouldn't dream of telling her sons half the things I used to get up to .

Yes Pan the Beast Banks bears were imported for the pleasure of the natives. I am happy to report we Kendalians are somewhat more civilised these days.

Honister Pass crowds were amazing. DH said it was like the Tour de France with cagoules!

I think i have TOB fever.
I am contemplating coming home at lunch to watch Wiggo do the time trial.
He is on at 1.30pm
Hope the weather improves!

After some lengthy contemplation. I think I will take DS to the finish tomorrow in llanberis. Kendall looked brilliant with the atmosphere and big screens and podium. I would do Pen y Pass but there isn't anywhere to park (on the pass, there is park and ride) and I think DS would get too knackered.

I was going to go to the TT today but have chickened out due to rain and no one going with me (no days off). Hence the planned skive late lunch.

TT start times

The crowds were fanstastic :).

HalfMum thanks for the TT info - I think I'll take a late lunch to watch Wiggo too.

I can't eat, too tense watching the Wiggo /Dowset rides.

Cav just did an excellent time!

drama - are you watching?

This is tense!

stannard doing well too!

Wow! Amazing. Not saying the result in case you don't want to know yet!

It was fantastic to watch.

Best go back to work

That was fantastic! No spoilers but doesn't Wiggo look weird without sideburns. Almost handsome! Missed Cav sadly. can't admit this is because the children had messed with all the TV handsets and I couldn't work out how to turn the TV on

I don't usually watch TTs (other than Isle of Man) but this was a good one, definitely well worth a watch. Apart from all the cutting to sodding adverts at inappropriate moments.

Here you are - didn't think to look in "sports" doh! Going to miss my usual TOB trip to the hills this Thursday as have to take one DT to Uni with the other going on Saturday - feeling quite traumatized and really would like a Cav win to cheer me up. When are there some sprint finishes for him to do his stuff. I though Saturday's was a horrible finish up that nasty hill!

HalfMum yes I was watching, just didn't have time to access laptop in my miserable half hour lunch break! (Don't have a posh phone to MN on - just as well or I'd never be off )

Great result. Won't mention names in case others haven't caught up yet.

frosty I feel for you with your DTs off to uni. It's hard enough one going, but two at the same time... . My SIL's two are both going this weekend as well, and they're both off abroad to foreign universities because they didn't get the grades to do what they wanted here in Ireland. She's dreading it. My DS1 has decided to go fairly locally, so we'll still see plenty of him, or at least his washing . I hope he likes his course this time around - he ended up having an unscheduled gap year because he hated the course he started last year & left within a few weeks. It's an exciting time for them, but a difficult time for parents. So yes, a Cav win or two would be nice to cheer us all up .

Morning ladies. It's stoke to Llanberis today and I have a stinking cold! Gutted. But as I am a tad on the bonkers sides I will still be taking DS to the finish. I promise not to get germs on Wiggo, we don't want him ducking out again.

Can't imagine the DCs going to uni. Traumatic indeed frosty.

Wow. Just wow!

The Tour went right past the bottom of my lane this morning so I took my DD for a walk so we could have a look :) I was pleasantly surprised by how many people had turned out to watch - there must have been about 40 people at the quiet crossroads just outside my village and the centre was packed, even the local primary school had come out to watch :)

I reckon Cav must have read my post yesterday! Will miss the replay tonight as going out for the "last supper" - hopefully I'll be able to find it somewhere.

That route is all round where I used to live so annoyed I won't see it - typical.

Made school boy error of opening BBC web page last night so knew Lord Wiggo won before I'd seen it. Bastards.

Will settle back this evening in the bliss of the ignorant.