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.
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Tour de Yorkshire, Cambridge...and oh yes France as well!!
Panwearsjaune · 31/05/2014 13:05
Can't wait for Saturday. Feel like I'm about 11 years old.
Riding into central M/c to Evans Cycles after work (Am about 2 miles away) to do the deal on a Specialised Secteur bike, after having flirted outrageously and stroked some other more expensive machines.
So many things for mention!
Wheely wheely want to be at Holme Moss for the TdF. Reckon that if one can't be at Harrogate to see Cav in yellow then HM is a close second, so all roads must lead there, as busy as it will be. A couple of buddies want to camp and make a boozy weekend of it - not so keen. Another buddy fancies riding out to it in the morning. Better. HM is closed from the Friday!
Wiggo out of the Tour. Thought his interview on Beeb was fairly classy in the circs. Have a feeling that Sky will do him a deal re contract like they did with Cav. Wonder if he has another team lined up for Vuelta?
ordered! But not from the corporate monster that is Evans. Be about two weeks. With clip-in pedals and shoes! And a v expensive rain jacket....
How that concussed thing is really useful isn't it?. Hope you are recovered. We need you in the peloton, to go ___
Realised that IF Cav picks up yellow on Stge 1 then he will be really easy to spot on HM!
We can hook up properly nearer the time? Will go out in the car and recce for where to park IF needs be and get an idea of distance. This is a once in a generation ocassion thing isn't it?
Harrogate is lovely I went to school there for a few years. I'll have a look and see what's happening there, I'd discounted it for us as we can't make a weekend of it with school.
It is such a once in a lifetime thing, although that means I am the worst mother in the world if I don't take my gaggle of ginger boys with me too. I need to get a carrier for the back of the car then we could cycle into position. When we were at the ToB on Caerphilly mountain there must have been thousands of people on bikes. Was just as much fun watching them all cycle off en mass as it was watching the race! It would be great to have a little MN corner somewhere up there but I am wary of subjecting more people to the whirlwind of bickering that is my family 
.
I am well jel about the MN peloton going to the TdeY 
. OK, OK, I know I went to the Giro, but I want to go to the Tour
I just heard about Wiggo being out of the Tour. Realistically, with Chris Froome having a say in team selection, I'm not surprised. We know Wiggo - he might decide to ride for Froome one day & not the next. Froome won't want to take that risk.
Lost, you need to apply for a job with Team Sky & sort them all out
Marlin - it's a lovely feeling isn't it? Your own back garden is the focus of a spectacular international event if only for a few hours.
Get a load of The Naked Bike Ride in Manchester centre this evening Whilst I was on the other side of the City doing my deal. Bikers are nuts. As it were.
I should Drama, there can't be anything they can do that my three haven't tried already .
Just spotted that it's a 5k walk from the nearest car park to Holme Moss can that really be right? If so that's me out then. Buggeration, good job I saw that now though before I got proper excited.
oh don't give up yet Lost - I'll have a look and see where impromptu parking nearer is on. I think they are talking about offishul parking lots.
I reckon local cops won't care where you park for a day so long as you aren't blocking anyone in. They will know that all usual parking rules are off for 24 hours.
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Back to Evans, the Tesco of bike shops.
All excited and within 10 mins I'd realised that their attitude was that I was doing them a favour. With lots of questions (which you have when buying a new bike) I was met with suspicion and glumness. And the bloke didn't know what size frame I needed. I'm 5' 11" with a leg of 34". It;s obv I need a 56" frame. FFS. Wanted a £100 deposit before they put the bike together, you know in case I didnt turn up.
Quickly realised they were spoiling the event.
Made polite comments and left there and went to Harry Halls, independent shop and long standing in M/c (just as the naked people set off apparently) - totally different experience. Nice young bloke in a tee-shirt and beany hat unlike the corporate shirt of Evans, went through options swiftly, says without prompting "You'll be needing a 56 won't you?" Correct! Showed me the pedal options (settled on MTB pedals and stiff shoes) and spent 10 mins talking about rain jackets alone.
Harry Halls in yellow. Evans in the broom wagon.
Rant over!
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