Phorum Community

So, the first stage of the Tour of Britain has passed through North Yorkshire on a glorious September afternoon. Mrs Octo and I were at a road junction on the way to Upper Helmsley. I had the cargo trailer on the back of my bike, because earlier on I'd cycled across to our local tip with a pile of old cardboard. Our neighbours headed in the direction of Leavening, and watched the race there. They had a kiddie trailer on the back of one bike, with their one-year-old son in it.

At each location, car drivers who were destined to be held up for 10 minutes while the race went through (Ten whole minutes. Can you imagine it?) got argumentative. One woman at our location demanded to know who organised the race, so that she could complain.

Meanwhile, two leaders, a pelleton of about 90 cyclists and a fleet of support vehicles raced onwards to today's finish in York.

I have no idea who was leading. In fact, I'm completely ignorant about cycling's top personalities. What I can tell you is that there was a Russian support vehicle amongst the fleet. A full first-stage rider list can be found at http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_pdf/stage_1_rider_list.pdf.

If the organisers really want to build the Tour of Britain up into an event that can rival the Tour de France, I can immediately see several things that they could do:

1. Better signposting. Not just "Cycle event", but "Tour of Britain ...".
2. Proper road closures. Partly so that no one has to argue, but also to make the event more "special".
3. Sweep some of the road surfaces. You might say that the riders should travel across the native roads whatever their condition, but loose gravel accumulates on one side of the junction at which we were standing, and nothing had been done to tidy it up.

These things aren't vital, but they'd all help to enhance the event. How do they prepare the roads in France?

Yes, they are passing through my village of Marchwood as well. As you say Geoff, better signposting is required, as I had no idea it was the Tour de Britain, heheh.

We have enough trouble with big lorries coming through the village to be honest. The cyclists are more likely to be splatted by a truck than heckled by a local.

This video makes me smile every time I see it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JsYPd12pcQ

It's 30 seconds to mars and a lot of weird cyclists.

Great clip! Like the music.

Can someone tell me what music is at the end, with the titles?

That's 'stranger from a strange land', also from the new 30STM album.