6th July 2014:
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Me and my brother fly the flag on Stage 1 |
I think everybody involved
in Le Tour this year has been blown away by the reception that they’ve received from
the Yorkshire public, with the weather holding off to provide
riders and spectators alike with some blazing sunshine (Press words not mine).
The truth be told, it was a comfortable 19C!!
Stage 1
from Leeds to Harrogate (190.5km) was won by the German sprinter Marcel Kittel from
the Giant Shimano Team after a long and brave early break away by Nicolas Edet
(Team Cofidis), Benoit Jarrier (Team Bretagne) and the 42 year old powerhouse of
pro cycling, Jens Voigt (Trek) was pulled back after
over 140kms.
Jens Voigt, Benoit Jarrier and Nicolas Edet |
The speed of the peleton was then kept high enough to assure
the tens of thousands who had gathered around the finish line in Harrogate a thrilling sprint finish. They weren’t disappointed, although sadly, it
wasn’t to be the finish the British had hoped for.
Indeed, the final position
standings at the end of the stage don’t tell of the dramatic crash
involving Mark Cavendish (Team Sky), Simon Gerrans (Team Orica-Greenedge) and
Bryan Coquard (Team Europcar) just a few hundred metres from the finish line which
left Cavendish out of the Tour with a dislocated shoulder, and Gerrans and Coquard lining up
for Stage 2 with undoubtedly some very painful bruising.
Stage 2
from York to Sheffield (201km) was perhaps for many riders a surprisingly tough
one, and one which would rival some of the non-mountainous stages that France can
offer.
Stage 2 Peleton, Nr Blubberhouses |
It was certainly a stage that was
tough enough to split the field up with Stage 1 yellow jersey winner Marcel
Kittel (Team Giant Shimano) finishing some 20 minutes down on the eventual
Stage 2 winner, and newly crowned Italian road champion Vencenzo Nibali (Astana
Team) who classically stole away with
just 1.5 kilometers to go and held off a charging pack on the line.
The race results however
fail to tell of the hundreds of thousands who turned out on day, or who had
camped out to witness Le Tour, whether arriving by car, on foot or
even bike, some perhaps seeing the light of day for the first time after a long
period of inactivity!!! The enthusiasm of the Yorkshire public as they lined the
roads and streets to cheer their favourites, learning a little more at the same
time about the tough sport of cycling was palpable. Indeed, the announcement
that 2015 will include a UCI Tour de Yorkshire road race will surprise few in Yorkshire.
Having once again been left off the start sheet :-) I’ve been out on my MTB bike
scouting the countryside for good vantage points from which to watch the event.
In fact, this morning (6 July) I even rode part of Stage 2, and everywhere,
even at 7.30am was greeted with an ‘Allez allez’ or a ‘not far to go now
mate’ by people seated on the side of the road enjoying Le
Tour English style with coffee and crispy bacon sandwiches to await the arrival of the race.
You (Dear Reader) will probably have your own favourite online locations to go to in order to read a more
comprehensive and no doubt accurate review of each of the opening two stages,
and so I’ll sign off here for now. Vive Le Tour!
I really enjoyed your blog!
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