it's the Tour...

the Tour cast it's magic spell again this year. With extra added spice that British riders made the podium and collected a wheen of stage wins. Let's not narrow our focus too much since there are just so many great bike riders out there. The Tour is too large to take in all of it at one sitting. Indeed even though we gorged ourselves on all things bike at the final iTT and final depart from Rambouilllet it still meant that we only just scratched the surface. The riders whizzed past at speed on the time trial but we were secure in the knowledge that there was another coming along soon. Drama too when we saw Richie Porte catch his 2 and 4 minute men at the same time and Tejay Vangarderen over take Cadel Evans. We were relying on our own watches to judge who was going fastest and it did prove pretty reliable. It was odd then to have to text home to find out for certain who had won. The depart was a much more relaxed affair with time to appreciate bikes, equipment and the effort riders had made to get to Paris. We could see the helicopter hovering over the peleton as we made our way round the peripherique yet it still took a long time to find out that Cavendish had taken his fourth win on the Champs Elysee. It felt like a long time to just keep hoping but sometimes...

UCI to rule on aero profile

david millar

andre griepel

vincenzo nibali

thomas voekler and higgs bosen

no tour complete without a smile from jens

just pecqueuse

For all the modernising and professionalisation of the Pro Peleton road cycling remains a relatively accessible sport. I have been on holiday in north of Spain where people took bus trips to Barcelona just to see the hallowed turf of the Nou Camp. That is as close as it gets. Similarly golf fans rarely if ever get a chance to play on the championship courses and even then at some expense. A similar story can be told of cricket too I've heard.

Though the start and bus areas may be invite only at the Tour we stand at the roadside and our heroes duly ride by. And the course is open to us every other day of the year. In the final stage this year there was a wee bit of spice with two cat 4 climbs of Cote de Saint Remy les Chevreuse and Cote de Chateaufort. Nothing to get distressed about for the pros but maybe enough effort required to suspend frivolities and apply both hands to the bars. Staying close to Village Depart of Rambouillet it seemed only right to take in a few kilometres of the etape just to see what they looked like.

simplement parce que

A few others had the same idea and a number of nods of recognition were exchanged. This Tour has had only two riders wear the yellow jersey and both are time trial specialists. Bradley Wiggins has acknowledged Miguel Indurain as his Tour hero and he too was able to make large gains in time trials and defend them in the mountains. It is customary now to suggest that Big Mig could not climb but this misses the point since he so clearly could climb but had no need to attack to gain any more time. It is also fitting that at the top of Cote de Chateaufort is a monument to Jaques Anquetil another man who could make great gains in the time trial and defend in the mountains. Having seen what was there it seemed a fitting point to turn and try the climbs from the other side for no other reason than I could.
 

stele Jacques Anquetil

we know he's special, but.....

please click and read as Bradley Wiggins becomes...

guff at the tour

guff were represented at the Tour again this year. The delights were many to say the least with a post to follow in some sort of attempt to do the experience justice.

In the meantime here's a photographic composition from the depart at Rambouillet on Sunday 22 July

still life with hats

Sky take over the BBC

The cyclesguff prediction (let's face it, we were not alone) came true last year. It surely is time for another....

and since we are on a roll, how about Phil Liggett for Director General?

Stay dreaming

world wide wiggo

The inimitable words of ITV4's Gary Imlach summed it up 'Not sure I'm qualified to pronounce an exact degree of Britishness, but there is no doubting that Bradley Wiggins is a champion.'

citizenship of cycling

The success of Team Sky as they roll across France and the potential for Team GB to start a foundry over the next few weeks will hopefully result in an increased number of riders out enjoying their bikes. The retail environment may go into a crazy spin as people race to snap up late Le Tour bargains and any Olympic promotions. We can only hope that the increase in cyclists on the road will make the Great British motorist become more considerate of the Great British Cyclist.

Most of us, whether on or off road will no doubt take the responsibilities of being on a bike seriously. Traffic laws, respect of the countryside and bikes being kept in working and good nick aside, many of the guffer peleton are parents of young kids. It still amazes me the lack of consideration and room that 'fellow' road users offer when you are out with the young bunch. With a push to have more kids out enjoying physical activity what hope do we have that the riders of tomorrow will gain the confidence to venture out onto the open road?

Thankfully Cycling Scotland have been very active, in their own words 'Cycling Scotland is the national cycle promotion organisation for Scotland.  We’re working to establish cycling as an acceptable, attractive and practical lifestyle option. We want to make Scotland a nation of cyclists.'

tut tut, where's the apostrophe?

Unfortunately, the cynical bones in my body have to be warmed up from the chill that the youngsters enjoying the UK 'majority sport' of football suffer from those that still allow their dogs to crap on the playing fields...

Stay upright