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The arrival of the Tour de France circus had passed without significant comment. It was news in Yorkshire – a mere 35 miles away – but not in an adjacent County. We awoke on Friday morning to BBC Breakfast covering a story about Le Grand Depart, with a presenter looking less than stable on the slippery cobbles that cover Haworth Main Street……………….. looked at each other and thought simultaneously ………. we have to be there! It was an Olympic London 2012 moment, but fortunately did not involve hours of pressing refresh on a ticket website and hundreds of pounds to bring to reality. The destination for Stage 2 on Sunday was already fixed by the efforts of Louise Minchin – the prospect of watching the procession on the cobbles was too good to miss. However, a plan was needed for Stage 1.
The first hurdle would be accommodation. We were a bit late in the day, so choice was going to be limited and by chance a first class and affordable venue was still available at the Abbey Lodge in Shipley. If the plan went wrong, there would always be the consolation prize of real ale at Fannys and a
curry at Shimla Spice – best curry in England 2009.
It was an early start on Saturday to get a race location. The advice was to use public transport where ever possible, so the back-up plan was to catch a Ilkley bound train from Shipley. The bad news on the radio indicated the rest of the world had thought about catching a train too and there were reports of mass delays at Leeds and of trains passing through stations with no more room heading north out of Bradford. However, the good news was there to see on the road – no other cars. It was shame that West Yorkshire wasn’t like it more often. There was a slight build up above Baildon as we headed over the hill into Wharfdale, but that was as much to do with the actual poor road as traffic. We were safely parked up in a good location in Ilkley at 9 am.
The Tour spirit unfolded. The Tesco provided a convenient toilet stop. Shoppers were scarce with probably no more than ½ a dozen in the whole supermarket. The car park helpers drafted in to secure the spaces were occupied by legitimate
parking looked on ……….. bored by proceedings. The French incarnation, Carrefour, were main sponsors of the Tour, but it was not having too much immediate effect on takings for the day. A yellow bike adorned the roof of the supermarket. The yellow bike was much in evidence as we headed past the Rail Station, as a decoration from roof tops, fences, and balconies. Sales of 2
nd hand bikes and yellow spray paint had clearly boomed.
As a veteran of the London 2012 Road Races, we knew the speed of the bikes would be beyond normal comprehension. We therefore selected the outside of a bend in the town centre, which would hopefully slow them down a touch as they headed into town. The adjacent kitchen design shop sported a fetching yellow kitchen in it’s window as a twist to the bike theme. The bikes were due at 12.15 pm.
The action started somewhat earlier with the arrival of the Caravan, preceded by various Police and security vehicles. The presence French Gendarmerie motor cycles surprised more than a few. The Caravan was a procession of sponsor vehicles, all flying in at high speed and depositing their promotional wares at an
equally fast pace to the waiting public on both sides of the road. There were too many to mention – Skoda, Carrefour, Nuffield Health, McCains – health food from Scarborough, Robinsons – abandoned Wimbledon for the day, Haribo and more. Mark Cavendish would later be perceived as the first injury victim of the Tour, but the girl next to us on the barrier claimed that after a glancing blow from a freebie thrown by a sponsor vehicle.
After 3 eventful hours, the cyclists came around the bend in a very orderly fashion – almost in team formation. It was still very much a procession in these early miles. A first class view had subsided a bit by the crucial time, after 2 Johnny Come Latelys sneaked into a seat being used by the shop owners and then added insult to injury by climbing on to the barrier just before the start. The long drive and patient wait had generally been rewarded ………….. and without further ado, we were off – up the side street, past the Rail Station, into the car and off out of town on the next phase of the mission.
The roads remained quiet and
the back road route assessed in advance paid dividends. The only obstacle slowing progress was the sheer volume of recreational and club cyclists clogging every side road, Still, it was there party!
The side streets of Harrogate were busy, but parking was not impossible. It was still a 20 minute walk into town, but at that point at 2.30 or so, there were as many people walking away from the town centre as there were heading to it. The volume of people near Stray was the probable reason – rammed. There was long queue to get into the Fan Park, so one of the many Pop Up Cafes proved very convenient for the toilet stop. The information available and directions to the viewing was suspect to say the least and some people happily continued to stand on the barriers on the Caravan run off area, oblivious to the fact the cyclists would not go past. Royalty was in town and so was sport royalty. Sir Geoffrey passed us. Alright Geoff. Alright, he replied. He clearly didn't remember signing my John Hampshire benefit programme all those years ago.We walked down the Ripon Road. The crowds did not thin out at
Ilkley
Mark Cavendish all and every conceivable vantage point was occupied. The crowds on the barrier were a minimum of 10 deep and salvation came in the form the walls of some very executive property. We were too far from the finish to see the "crash", but the sprint was well underway at our vantage point. The speed is unbelieveable and makes for difficult photography.
We walked briskly through the backstreets of Harrogate - where the haves live - and found ourselves back in Shipley in the hour.
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