The Tour de France ranges all over Western Europe. This year it is partly set in God’s Own County[sub]TM[/SUB]. In fact this morning it went past the end of my street.
Correct. The first three days of this year’s Tour de France is spent in England. Wrapping up in London tomorrow before going across the chanel to France for the balance of the race.
Great scenes around the course (and a tasty final today as well), but I hope the British media is getting out the concerns about the crowds.
Too many people are getting too close to the riders, or jumping away too late. A bunch of riders have already bumped into spectators (not seriously) and pretty much every climb has have had riders getting of their bike because there is too little room. Going towards London only means more people (I’d think).
So again, great scenes, but I do hope people act sensible.
I saw that. The commentators (This was on NBCSN, I think) were discussing who was at fault and none of them would put the blame on Cavendish. It seems he can do no wrong in their eyes.
Cav is pretty much always responsible for his wrecks. He either does things like he did yesterday, or he keeps going straight when they come to a sharp turn.
The race has always routinely crossed the border into Belgium, Italy, Spain etc, but they’ve also started in Corsica in 2013, the Netherlands in 2010, England in 2007, and Ireland in 1998. I think that was the first time, but am open to correction.
Chronos, you must not have known for decades. The Tour goes outside France more often than not, and this routinely includes starting stages. In 1998, the prologue was in Ireland, in 2010, 2006, and 1996 in NL, in 2012, 2006, 2004, 2001, and 1995 some stages were in Belgium, 2007 and 1994 had some stages in the UK, 2011 went into Italy, 2000 went through Germany and Switzerland, 2009 went into Spain and Switzerland, 2005 went into Germany, 2002 started in Luxemburg.
Went out to see the stage today - great stuff. Turnout was indeed impressive - was stood at the top of the climb from ewden beck, not a real hotspot, and it was still mobbed. Leading group went by in a blur.
Great atmosphere, would have loved to have taken the kids and made a day of it - logistical nightmare though with the driving, parking etc. Much easier to cycle there - rode over the moors with a mate and popped out right on the route.
Oh, right, I knew that they were sometimes on one side of the border and sometimes the other, but it still used to at least roughly follow the border. It looks like they only started crossing the Channel in 1994 (which, yes, was after my “last I knew”).
