Tour de France 2014

Details of the first 3 stages to be released today apparently*

*Matt Seaton on Twitter last night

I would add, saw an amazing sign on the particle accelerator ring road once:

LEEDS - FINANCIAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE*

• Except London, Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, Rome, Madrid (+ another 20 cities or so)
  
  

It's a spelling mistake.

It should read:

LEEDS - FIN ANAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE

We've got a big tank where we keep a dolphin that will bum you for a mackerel.

Only one in Europe, apparently, but they're popular in Japan.

itv.com have got the drop on details of the first two stages...

S1 - around the dales

S2 Peak District inc. Holme Moss

S3 Cambridge to London (The Mall)

Is this the first confirmation we've had that it's starting with a proper stage rather than prologue?

Stages revealed. Those in Yorkshire look good. Sharing at least part of the route with the Etape Du Dales.

And then down from Cambridge through Epping Forest. I might try and go to every stage.

Anyone got a link to the detail of the third stage please?

Wrap up warm though - should be -5 feeling like -7 or -8.
Driver On The Wing's weather reports thread >>>>>

Click images for embiggening...

Passes through my home town on Day 1 and nearby on Day 2.
Ace.

Fuckers at work wouldn't give me the time off to go. I'll be sat at work grinding my teeth and doing jobs wrong on purpose.

That'll learn them.

I wouldn't worry about it. Now that the route is all over the news I'm a lot less excited about standing in the freezing cold getting jostled by over-excited mamils and fixie skidders. (Sadly, I'm both of those.)

Although, it might be interesting....

Route out of Leeds looks like it goes up Scott Hall Rd and within 1/2 mile of me sister's.

Passes through my home town on Day 1 and nearby on Day 2.
Ace.

So you'll be going home and saying hi to your folks then? (and bagsying the upstairs window)

Plural folks. Upstairs.
Ouch, it's like you're doing it on purpose.

#whenyouseeit/mirrorimage

Finishes in my home town, there may be some camping available in my garden.

Will riders be permitted to remove their helmets between Otley and Skipton?

A tiny bit of detail on stage three here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/17/tour-de-france-2014-olympic-park

Pretty ace that it will be going through Epping, probably gonna hit a few of the roads I ride on at the weekends!

Will riders be permitted to remove their helmets between Otley and Skipton?

Only if it is to replace them with flat caps.

Nay, lad, tha has to ride o'er Ilkley Moor baht 'at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMaB0cqwcvI

Yay for stage 3. I know the route isn't confirmed but the best way out of Cambridge towards London goes by my front door. Any recommendations on cowbells and road paint?

Not wearing a hat on Ilkley Moor = getting eaten by worms.

Might have to fly home a month early for this! a lot of this route is where I used to ride :D

For all those heading up and who are not yet sorted with friends and family the friends we are staying with mentioned this:

The building is only around 3 years old so I think the rooms/facilities should be pretty good. The best thing is you can walk straight to the start line.
http://www.meetinleeds.co.uk/shortbreaks

Might be of use to some of you.

aren't all 25,000 of us staying with general lucifer
i thought that had been arranged already