NFR- Tour de France start

[RidgeRider]

Absolutely beautiful day over there today and a really gorgeous part of the country between Leeds and Harrogate. Loved the terrain, the sweeping roads and the rock fences all over the countryside. Some nice climbs and descents. Would love to come over and ride that area.

The number supporters on the roads was really impressive, they were loud and into it but much better behaved than what I've seen on the continent. Well done England!

[bobby01]

 :plus one: thoroughly enjoyed the coverage, drama at the end.

[HatterDon]

uh, the Tour de France starts in YORKSHIRE???????   :58:

[RidgeRider]

Great drama. On the down side for UK fans is that Cav is for sure out. I've done my clavicle before in a race and he had every sign of fracturing it. Too bad. 1st stage and likely over.

[RidgeRider]

uh, the Tour de France starts in YORKSHIRE???????   :58:

yup, I'm sure this isn't news but ASO (Tour de France organizers) does their best to make the Tour De France as global an event as possible, and one of the ways they do it is to start the race in a country other than France. Even the Giro D' Italia started their tour in Ireland this year. Beautiful scenery there as well.

[HatterDon]

uh, the Tour de France starts in YORKSHIRE???????   :58:

yup, I'm sure this isn't news but ASO (Tour de France organizers) does their best to make the Tour De France as global an event as possible, and one of the ways they do it is to start the race in a country other than France. Even the Giro D' Italia started their tour in Ireland this year. Beautiful scenery there as well.

Ah, I did not know that.

And that IS a lovely part of England. I spent some time there in my much younger days.

[nose]

Great day
Disapointing crash for cav
Looked bad

[RaySmith]

Cav didn't break his collar bone - he may start tomorrow.

[BishopsParkFantastic]

It has been a brilliant day here in Huddersfield for the Grand Depart in Yorkshire. Go on to the following link to see 29 great ways that people in Yorkshire greeted the Tour de France:

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

It's just gone midnight and, having watched the Netherlands Vs Costa Rica match, in a couple of hours I'll be off to the summit of Holme Moss, the biggest climb in West Yorkshire, positioning myself to greet the tour ..........

:clap_hands:  :yay:

[Fulham76]

uh, the Tour de France starts in YORKSHIRE???????   :58:

One hell of a 'tour'.......

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

uh, the Tour de France starts in YORKSHIRE???????   :58:

I remember a few years ago when it started in Ireland.
The launch event was still in Paris, and I took the Irish Dance Company I was managing (Celtic Feet)
to Paris where they danced in the Palais De Congress in the presence of a load of dignatories
including Barry McGuigan and President Chirac.
Heady days !

[RidgeRider]

Cav is out. He not being there will change the sprinting finale's for sure. Won't be quite as exciting as he is a 'love him or hate him' figure in cycling.

His comments yesterday after the race gave me a whole new level of respect for him. Hopefully he will be back for the Vuelta.

The crowds are immense again today. Seems all of England are out on the roads. Well done.

[RidgeRider]

Wet in London today. Any of you chaps get out to see the Tour go by?

Lots of SmartPhone toting spectators not paying attention taking riders down over the last two days. Be careful.

[RidgeRider]

Froome out. Wonder if Brailsford wishes he wouldn't have left Wiggo off the tour team.

Not sure why he abandoned. crashing is part of the sport. Maybe injured, maybe not tough enough.  086.gif

[Shredhead]

Wet in London today. Any of you chaps get out to see the Tour go by?

Lots of SmartPhone toting spectators not paying attention taking riders down over the last two days. Be careful.

I went.  I was about 50m from the turn in front of Buckingham Palace.  It was a fantastic atmosphere and a bloke near me was streaming the coverage on his tablet. Result.

Shame about Froome. Lots of withdrawals - I wonder if it's because riders are cleaner?

[RidgeRider]

I would say perhaps a few of the "fatigue" withdrawals are due to a cleaner peloton but many have been due to crashes.

The weather was wet in England and has remained that way, basically, in France. Even those that are still in the race, several of the contenders are no longer in the mix due to crashing several times. The first week is always this way but now its moving into the second week.

Rain, nervy peloton, and course selection have all contributed.....less doping probably is making a difference as well.

[RaySmith]

Froome out. Wonder if Brailsford wishes he wouldn't have left Wiggo off the tour team.

Not sure why he abandoned. crashing is part of the sport. Maybe injured, maybe not tough enough.  086.gif

He ripped the tendons in his shoulder and had to have an operation. I'm sure he was completely gutted about having to drop out.

Froome broke a wrist, and Contador his leg. Both riders attempted to carry on  with their injuries before dropping out. Compare cyclists to footballers who roll around with the slightest knock.

As far as I'm aware the withdrawals have mostly been because there have been a lot of crashes in the wet conditions, but you always get a few  withdrawals through fatigue - riding the Tour takes a lot out of mind and body - drugs or not.
Cycling is about 500 times tougher than playing football.

I do think cycling is pretty clean now - one of the cleanest sports perhaps.

What about athletics? - how come all these top runners keep getting bans of I year to 6 months, and walking back into competition with hardly an eyebrow raised - top American and Jamaican sprinters.

If they were cyclists we'd never hear the last of it.

[Fulham33]

Live in Sussex but watched day one from Skipton and day two from Nora Batty's front door (more or less) in Holmfirth. Although the atmosphere not as great as the Cottage v Hamburg the feel was better than London during the Olympics. Spontaneous singing of Ilkely Moor bar t'at was a nice touch from the locals. The weather helped and I reckon half of Yorkshire turned out. OK you see 30 seconds of cycling but I guess you don't go for that - watch it on Eurosport or ITV4 if that is what you are after. Do you prefer watching the whites live or on TV? I rest my case.

[Otley]

Now living in Surrey but went back to Otley to watch it. Then drove over to Harrogate to see finish.
On day 2 watched the "climb" up Le Cote de Blubberhouses.

A marvellous weekend!!