Tour de Yorkshire, Cambridge...and oh yes France as well!!

[Panwearsjaune]

T minus 35 days and counting, to the Grand Depart from Leeds 5th July, with two stages in the White County, and then a third from Cambridge to the Mall in London. It's just soo exciting! It's the biggest biking event in the world, with approx 190 professional riders in about 20 teams racing across tarmac and cobbles, up mountains and down Dales and ending on 27th July on the Champs Elysee, Paris in the now traditional sprint finish there. So here's the thread to share in it all, swop info about accommodation for Tour watchers, road closures, the parcours (courses), peloton gossip, potential meet ups, tv coverage, who's got the nicest legs etc.. and everything to do with the thrills and occasional spills with the event that is a game of poker played out every day on 380 wheels. OF course if you are a newbie to all of this and are curious about the whys and hows of racing then ask and someone will pop up to answer questions. Hopefully.

So I'll depart here next with the routes of the UK 3 stages being taken so no-one gets lost and ends up in the dreaded broom wagon.

Right - no time to do any sewing so ridiculous tent-like uniform will be worn in all its tent-like glory unless I can wash DH's more slimline model and get it dry for my 4:45am start.

I am planning on loading DD1 onto her new bike tomorrow at 7:00am, strapping a sulky DD2 to the tag-a-long on DH's mountain bike, strapping a shed-load of food and wet weather gear to my back and then cycling up the route out of Leeds until we see a space. There we will stop and stay for as long as it takes, whatever the weather. First child to whine gets pushed under a speeding gendarme. Between work and kids, I have seen nothing, people. Sat & Sun had better deliver.

Gossip and news from Leeds, featuring the almost continuous feed from my bike club's FB page reveals:

• Europcar bus went the wrong way up a one-way loop. OGE get away with it so far.
• There will be giant Miffys in the caravan.
• GIant Shimano, AG2R and OGE are out and about and friendly and lovely. Sky are not.
• Kittel takes as many selfies himself as the fans do. He signed a club member's bike.
• One of my ride partners has just texted me to say she has been chatting with Ned Boulting.
• On Monday I met and chatted with Emma Pooley who is LOVELY and my new girl crush. Did you see her in the Nationals? Awesome.

The rain is meant to clear up by 6 / 7am according to BBC and Met office, then the sun come out at 10am. I do hope so.

mistle my in-laws are still travelling up from the South, being my in-laws they didn't think to set off early and are now surprised that they are stuck in traffic.

Just like MIL trying to book a hotel a couple of months back and being surprised and dismayed to find that they were all full.

Monteray I don't know. We're planning to get where we're going about an hour before the caravan as that's about the upper limit of my children's ability to stand and wait for anything. If that's too late then tough, really.

That's about the timings that we are going for - one hour before caravan. If its rammed, we'll turn round and go home and perhaps saunter up to the nearest Hub later on.

Que sera, sera

Sitting. On the M1. Can vouch for the fact that the m'way is chocka. Not unexpected, and we are well prepared with picnic
DCs only asked "how far?" About a trillion times.
Wish I'd brought me

Thanks Sea re Spesh. When you ride it the top tube is a non-issue - I'm sure Specialised will provide a critique! I did notice that Saxo-Tinkoff ride Speshes and they also have moderately drop-away top tubes. A bit. Though of course the Cannondale is more horizontal in design.

Wrt your Spesh Pan, the rake is a bit more extreme than I'd be comfortable with, I prefer a more relaxed angle. Do you find it steers quickly?

Ouch.

Ouch.

Ouch.

How can they make an exercise bike so uncomfortable?

Dr, yes you are right! It's wheely wheely sensitive to turn, especially on descents when your weight is even more over the front. Doing the clip-ins is only the bottom of the learning curve- learning how to manage it's 'hardness' is something else and a bit .

I want a new bike - my current one is a ancient rust bucket. I want a really sexy one but I suspect I will be doing most if my riding with 2 children in two, or watching my son race on the velodrome (5yo and the brainwashing is coming on a treat)

It's chucking it down here and v windy. I hope it clears up north

Aibu to ignore my children and visiting friends 10.30-4.30?!

www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/lance-armstrong-wouldnt-last-long-in-halifax

Number 22!

Need you ask, Sea?

I love Number 22

Endo that is utterly fabulous. Adored the 'told you to slow down'. Cheeks are burning with laughter.

Endo that's so funny. Love it. My rellies arrived exhausted after horrendously long car journey north. We've decided to set off at 8.30 am and hope for the best re getting decent spot. Have a fab day all.

YANBU SeaShells as long as you FaceTime me .

Oof, been out all evening and The Tour Starts Tomorrow .

Ey-up, Le Tour de Yorkshire is actually here!!!!!!!!! The MN peloton rolls out.

Have we all oiled our chains and filled our water bottles? Weather looks a bit dodgy early on but picks up later. Looking a bit showery for Stage 2 tomorrow - keep the rubber side down, lads.
I'm going to necessarily miss the early part of today, damn - need to take dd's mum to pick up a car from dealership and today.

Procedural point, Chair. Are we sticking to the usual deal? It's a real-time sporting event, so people who are lucky enough to be able to see day-time action should be free to share-in-the-moment on thread rather than wait til the high lights have been on. Otherwise we will have no posts all day and then a flurry of posts from folk who just happen to have the time to do it later. Which seems ridiculous? So if people don't want any info in the day, avoid the thread til later?

Thought so Pan. It's a bit too extreme for me, I prefer a more relaxed set up. It's interesting how much something seemingly inconsequential affects the handling of a bike.

Anyhoo, today's the day! :o

Morning!!!!!

YY avoid thread until highlights show if you want to avoid spoilers seems to be a plan Pan.

I've finally caught up on the team presentation (it is so much less cringeworthy when you can skip through sections) and Spartacus is looking fab. It is also sooooooo telling how much bigger the other sprinters are cf to Cav. Oh and Richie Porte shouldn't sit on his bike - it makes him look even shorter when next to Thomas!!

Losty I'm hoping to see the depart then go out, then back home for the last hour or more. Will FT as soon as I have wifi.

Oh and viewing - obviously ITV4 for highlights, but for live viewing Europsort tends to be better commentary, non?

I'll be following on in the team car with the spare for you all on the roof!

Spoilers not a problem, will be going out to watch later this morning, will be able to see who is in the lead about 3 k out from the finish and then look for winner on big screen if we're quick!

We are recording Itv4 and Eurosport in case one doesn't work. Will watch both!