Tour de France 2014

Xavier, in case you hadn't seen this yet:

http://www.lfgss.com/thread105227.html

There will be a chance to finally see how hard the race is when the breakaways try to grab their chance to get away and stay away: nine stages of the TdF 2014 will be fully covered from start to finish for TV (although it's the national broadcaster's choice to do so or not; start your petitons!). (UK times)

July 5th – Stage 1 
Leeds > Harrogate 
(from 10.55)

July 6th – Stage 2
 York > Sheffield 
(from 10.55)

July 7th – Stage 3
 Cambridge > London 
(from 12.00)

July 9th – Stage 5 
Ypres > Arenberg Porte du Hainaut 
(from 12.35)

July 14th – Stage 10 
Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles 
(from 12.00)

July 19th – Stage 14
 Grenoble > Risoul
 (from 10.55)

July 23rd – Stage 17 
Saint-Gaudens > Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet
 (from 12.35)

July 24th – Stage 18 
Pau > Hautacam 
(from 12.00)

July 27th – Final stage 
Évry > Paris Champs-Élysées 
(from 14.15)

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/general-news/your-tour-de-france-bunting-could-bend-our-lamp-posts-1-6684658

T ' Greetings folks,

For those not heading up to the land of t' white rose..... stage three - Monday 07.07.14 the tour heads from Cambridge to Babylon-don.

I know it heads through the Olympic park and then heads down to Embankment.

Is anyone coming out to watch?

If so, any ideas for good places to view? Ideally I want somewhere with a good view and not 5 deep with mamils and nodders.

Are we having an LFGSS meet up?

If so can I come along?

Peace and t'love,
JAH t'im

I was thinking of riding to the start, watching the start and then riding back to London. It'll take about 24 hours and it will mean I ride from Leeds to London quicker than the pros :P

Or I could just watch the TV..

I have taken the monday off to see stage 3.
Not sure where yet, but the olympic park might be less crowded than the Mall

Greetings folks,

I'll think I'll pass on your offer to accompany you Hippy - lovely though it t'would be...

Blue Quinn, I too have secured the day off, so will be up and about. I've had a look at the route and I'm going to have to complain to the Tour organisers as for some reason it doesn't pass through Tooting!!! Quel domage n'est pas.

Realise it is a couple of weeks away, so surely nearer the time people will come out of the virtual woodwork and a plan will take shape.

Really looking forward to this one. The last time it came here the opening stage was a time trial around central London and the crowds were absolutely massive. Second day was London to Tonbridge Wells / Canterbury? I rode out to watch it all go past and had a great time. Again lots of cyclists en route and I saw all the tour buses heading in to town for the start.

When watching road cycling there is huge anticipation and expectation, then suddenly it is all over in a matter of seconds. My wife says she can relate to this...

So couple of weeks to go so it's time to look through the wardrobe and get your team rigs together. Surprise surprise I'll be supporting Brixton Cycles.

Peace and love and see you in a couple of weeks.

Allez Allez,
Tim

bye eckers like, car booked i'm taking missus 'up norf'... for t'weekend grand depart, not a euph.. doubt my legs will work after styrkeprøven.. but the bike's going too..

Interesting fact...

Did you know that Owls originate in Yorkshire?

Yes that's right, you only have to hear them call................................. t'wit, t'woo

Tim, you do know that the t is not actually pronounced don't you. You only pronounce the ' which is single syllable pause.

God's own county, fat rascals, Wensleydale cheese, gaping gill, wharfedale speakers, Ricky Feather, cracking toast Grommit.. And owls..

God's own county, fat rascals, Wensleydale cheese, gaping gill, wharfedale speakers, Ricky Feather, cracking toast Grommit.. And owls..

You callin' me a fat rascal?

I think he was calling you a Wensleydale Cheese, actually.

Well worth a listen...

Radio 4 - Ilkley Tour Baht 'at...

I was thinking of riding to the start, watching the start and then riding back to London. It'll take about 24 hours and it will mean I ride from Leeds to London quicker than the pros :P

Or I could just watch the TV..

what route do you have in mind? I'm gonna head up (from london) and don't really know much between here and the the peaks, any suggestions part of/all the way, would be most welcome?

I just plug destinations into the Garmin and press Go. Route planning and me don't really get along.

I'm going to head up for the first two stages with a mate and have booked a campsite (well, my mate has). He's heading up from Norwich and I'll be driving from London. If anyone wants a lift, it could be arranged - it's a tiny car and I'm taking a bike, so it might be cosy.

BBC now covering it too:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20724621

So is 18 months enough time for me to make such a huge success of Microcosm that I can get us all a nice large apartment building from which to make base?

How's that going?

I just plug destinations into the Garmin and press Go. Route planning and me don't really get along.

Hah, I hear that. So, Trispoke's, Skinsuit and M1?

I've been pulling n' poking a b-road line running alongside the A6 on one of these gps mappers tieing in a couple suggested routes route. There's also a couple London -> Nottingham
Audax routes, which might be okay to pick up after redbourn. Should be fairly flat, quick and get the most part out the way to save some time to tackle the peaks and up to the dales.

You callin' me a fat rascal?

Luci, we're staying with Niall in Bishops Thornton..
join us and bring some of those tasty pork pies from bentley's of pudsey..
Al x

Gonna be kicking around Harewood House Festival of cycling campsite from thursday night. Doing a bit of work whilst I'm there. I'll keep my eyes peeled for 'on here' types.

Me and a mate will be based in Otley, going up on Friday. As its so close we may ride up to Harewood House on Friday afternoon/early evening. Do you know if we can just come and mooch about for free on Friday? I can't see anything to indicate we have to pay.

And who will you be working for T4? Will try and swing by if we can blag our way in.

I've spent this morning looking at the route for the first two days. This excellent blog gives the best breakdown of the first two stages I've seen so far.

day 1
http://blog.veloviewer.com/the-climbs-and-finish-of-stage-1-of-the-2014-tour-de-france/

day2
http://blog.veloviewer.com/the-climbs-of-stage-2-of-the-2014-tour-de-france-part-1/
http://blog.veloviewer.com/the-climbs-of-stage-2-of-the-2014-tour-de-france-part-2/

Me and 'im indoors are camping in Ikley and going to head to somewhere near Skipton (but not Skipton proper cos that'll be heaving I reckon)

If the peloton are due at roughly at 1245 though Skipton, any idea what time the tour caravan will be coming through?? Got to get me some free haribo innit!

http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2014/us/stage-1.html

ITV coverage announced

Looks like they're showing almost all the first two days on ITV1, presumably the swtich to ITV4 on the Sat is due to the World Cup quarter final. Stage 3 live from noon on ITV4.

^^ It sets off a couple of hours before the start and takes 30-45 mins to trundle past.