Women's tour 2014

Surprised there has been little interest here for this historical moment in UK cycling.

Prize parity and TV coverage and all the best female riders in the world have started .....today!

Live coverage: http://www.womenstour.co.uk/live/

looks fast

It is exciting! And it started in the town I grew up in. If my work wasn't hideous at the moment I'd have gone up to watch the start.

Are there any forumengers in the race?

Been following the live text at http://www.womenstour.co.uk/live/index.php#.U2opM_ldVCb

Last few k were well exciting! Will defo try and catch the ITV4 highlights later.

COME ON LIZZIE!

Looking forward to the highlights this evening

I was at the finish in Northampton and it was a great turnout. Good atmosphere all round and a lot of support. Loads of younger school kids having a great time. I'm looking forward to the highlights because I blinked and missed most of the riders as they shot past despite quite a strong headwind and steady incline on the finishing straight. Smiles all round afterwards from the riders too as they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Hope to catch them again at Brixworth tomorrow for one of the QOMs as it's a hill I know well and one that takes me an absolute age to climb. It will be great to see it done properly!

Just watched the highlights- some great racing. So pleased to see this on ITV.

Quite an exciting finish, I enjoyed that. Who was it that crashed and was apparently unconscious near the beginning, and is she ok?

COME ON LIZZIE!

Go Hannah, too. She got third.

Quite an exciting finish, I enjoyed that. Who was it that crashed and was apparently unconscious near the beginning, and is she ok?

The rider who looked like she'd face planted? That was Ashlynn Van Baarle, from the Dutch National team. She's been tweeting (in Dutch) and has a minor head injury but otherwise is okay I think.

That's the one - I turned my head away for a moment during the highlights and didn't get any commentary, only visuals. Looked very nasty from what I saw, glad she's ok all things considered.

Just back from the 2nd QOM of the day at Brixworth. It seemed to be a reasonable turn out considering the weather and it being mid week.

The riders looked to be suffering with the rain and muddy spray from the country lanes.

Wet day in the saddle yesterday by the looks of it but as mentioned still plenty of spectators out which was good. I should have gone to Northampton to watch the first one but completely forgot to book off work...

Today's stage has just be neutralised due to a road traffic accident on the course in advance of the race.

It sounds like the race is back on, not clear if it was ever neutralised.

Think it finishes in wgc, loads of people here today

the irony of yodel 'direct' sponsoring the sprint points is beyond me

Was great. Met Laura Trott, she's amazing, seems so happy to socialise with the fans. Not sure if everyone else in the team are shy or think no one is interested in them! We think you all are amazing!

especially after she stacked as well.....^^

Watching yesterdays highlights, that motorbike in the final corner got a bit stuck in the wrong place.

Watched yesterday's stage 4 as it ascended Port HIll in Hertford followed by a quick ride over to Old Welwyn to see them come down the High Street.
The quality of women's road racing has come on a lot in the last few years. Fitness. bike handling skills, tactics; not much different from the men's races now. A real tribute to the ladies and their managers. Also the quality of the race management was superb, which I guess it should be being a top class International event, but in the past the girls have been a bit short changed here but not this time. Plenty of support vehicles, police outriders, signage, rolling road closure - good stuff.
I think we can say the Women's Tour of Britain has been a great success and I hope the sponsors feel so too and it will now have a regular place on the calendar.

Not quite sure what happened here;

Women's tour crash in wormley - YouTube

It looks as if, in injudiciously trying to get to the front, the red race car hit the flexible bollard on the traffic island, and that may have swung to the left to fell one of the riders (or because the car suddenly stopped), setting off a small chain reaction.

Vos really is something. So dominant.

Gutted that Pooley couldn't make anything stick in the last two stages - some great riding from her.