Such sad news this morning that Cav is out of the Tour after crashing 250 m from the end of yesterday’s stage—the very first of the Tour. I feel so, so sorry for him.
Poor Mark Cavendish slowly cycling to the finish after his crash.
Apart from that miserable end to the day’s racing, yesterday’s Leeds to Harrogate stage was fantastic. I watched the whole thing (much to Chap’s disgust, as it was a beautiful sunny day outside)—but hey, how often does the Tour come to the UK, and when it does, how often does the sun shine? Yorkshire looked stunning, and the aerial shots from the helicopter cameras showed the countryside to its best advantage. The sun shone, the grass was an unreal green, the drystone walls and stone buildings looked chocolate box perfect. Best tourism advertising Yorkshire could hope for! The crowds were amazing, too—estimates are between 1 and 2 MILLION people lining the course. I love the way the people have embraced the Tour with all the fun decorations to the houses and walls and lampposts and fields and sheep—pretty much anything that can be decorated.
Approaching the top of Buttertubs, 5 July 2014. Photo: Le Tour de France.
The Peloton passes through the Yorkshire village of Muker. 5 July 2014. Photo by Owen Humphreys/Press Association.
I’d have loved it if Jens Voigt had won after his brave breakaway, especially as this is his last Tour, but he was reeled in and it all came down to the mad dash into Harrogate, where poor Cav came a cropper and Marcel Kittel won the charge for the line.
Today the Tour carries on its journey through Yorkshire. The stage passes through Haworth and Brontë country, and climbs the splendidly-named Blubberhouses (renamed the Côte de Blubberhouses for the day). My sister and her hubby will be somewhere along the route watching. They thought they would try to get to High Bradfield (Côte de Bradfield in Tour speak) near the end of the stage.
High Bradfield Church and village. Photo by Terry Robinson.
I hope the weather is good today and the rain holds off. Allez!