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

984 replies

Panwearsjaune · 31/05/2014 13:05

Bike 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. Bike

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LostInWales · 08/07/2014 19:25

Oh my goodness HowGood I got a bit teary just reading about it, what a fabulous experience.

My exciting tour news is that DS1 did work experience at a Welsh language TV studio today and not only are they doing an interview with G for their lunchtime TdF they've also managed to get Brailsford and they will both be speaking in Welsh! That man has more hidden talents than we even suspected Grin

Ginfox · 08/07/2014 19:32

Howgood that was brilliantly written, feel as if I'm standing on your island with you. I bet you still have this face Grin two days later.

ariadneoliver · 08/07/2014 19:42

HowGood, what an amazing day! Were you not tempted to shout 'shut up arms' at any point. Grin

HowGoodIsThat · 08/07/2014 20:16

ariadneoliver I DID! I SO DID! I kept thinking "Rule 5, woman, work with the pain" and "WWJ(ens)D?"

Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 20:54

Brilliant piece of reportage and a lifetime of memory!Bike

And consolidates "Queen of the Posts" jersey!GrinBike

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HowGoodIsThat · 08/07/2014 21:05
Grin
Letsgoforawalk · 08/07/2014 21:05

howgood !? Well good. Thanks to all of you who shared your "what I did when the tour came" stories, I have loved reading them.
I am Quite Peeved that today's stage hasn't recorded. Confused but it looks like it'll be on ITV player tomorrow.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 08/07/2014 21:13

Amazing, howgood - what a wonderful experience! You have done the MN peloton proud!

TunipTheUnconquerable · 08/07/2014 21:21

Great stuff, Howgood!

Thank you for risking life and limb so the rest of us can enjoy the Tour from the safety of our verges Grin

EndoplasmicReticulum · 08/07/2014 21:21

Went in to work today, we were all swapping "what I did when the tour came" stories. Everybody I spoke to was completely enthusiastic about the whole thing, even those who had previously never watched the tour, or who would consider themselves fans of cycling. It was just such an amazing event.

Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 21:37

Monday morning on the way to work, I stopped to pick up a couple of apples from a shop. Shopkeeper asked "So where were you for the Tour?" The bike and big reddy face gave the game away! She said they went to Otley for the weekend, had no previous interest in biking - it was rammed for 48 hours - every bar/restaurant/shop heaving. She said it was like a non-stop carnival with a bit of riding added on.Grin

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Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 21:40

My fave twitter quote was a rider who described the first two days "like riding through a night club!" Smile

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ariadneoliver · 08/07/2014 21:57

Any tips for amusing people to follow on Twitter during the Tour? I'm following all the obvious cyclists and team chefs etc. I can offer

@lesvachesdutour and @TourDeJose

Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 22:00

odd thing is that you'd normally expect to experience a bit of a 'downer' after the intense show has left town and with such a build up, but it doesn't actually feel like that? There is still so much to chat about.

And Queen of the Posts jersey gets me thinking, about organising thread 'jerseys' to award over the next three weeks- there will be lulls to consider these things. "Best photo" jersey. "Best linked item" jersey. "Most insightful post" jersey. "Daftest post" jersey. Or is that just too intense?SmileBike

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ariadneoliver · 08/07/2014 22:07

Great idea Pan, should we have a 'jersey of the week' to be handed out on Saturday evenings?

Bunbaker · 08/07/2014 22:07

Sigh. I just can't get into Twitter. And I have tried. I prefer reading anecdotes in proper sentences and not truncated with all this hashtag nonsense.

Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 22:09

Good idea, ariadne. Nice and simple.

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Bunbaker · 08/07/2014 22:11

Is there a blue jersey? I don't suit yellow or spots Grin

Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 22:15

I think it's going to be a jersey which you can have in whatever colour goes best for you. In your face, Tour de France!Grin

Okay. So How wears "Queen of Posts" jersey for the next four days, then we pull out the podium Sat/Sunday morning and award the next jersey for the following week. Bike

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EndoplasmicReticulum · 08/07/2014 22:19

Someone mentioned asking MNHQ for little jerseys, like the little flags for the footie. Is that asking too much?

I found this today while looking for something else:
ifarm.nl/tdf/

too late for this year, but 2015 I reckon we could come up with a MN team.

Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 22:23

Endo - I'll ask tomorrow, unless someone else wishes to? Otherwise we should stick to weekly award? Where of course the jersey-holder MUST name-change to incorporate it when posting on thread!

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DramaAlpaca · 08/07/2014 22:30

Lantern rouge here, but I have to say that How's post was brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us Flowers

Panwearsjaune · 08/07/2014 22:58

Tomorrow looks pretty scary. 10km on wet cobbles. Keep the rubber side down,Bike

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FelixFelix · 08/07/2014 22:59

Haven't watched today's yet as been out. Wet cobbles sounds interesting Shock

mistlethrush · 08/07/2014 23:35

Dry Yorkshire Cobbles definitely superior...