Le tour - anyone supporting the UK sections?

[matt 74]

Just been viewing the Le Tour site and thinking of an over-nighter or two at a local campsite taking the bike to support some of the Tour not forgetting the BBQ and a few beers! anyone else thought along similar lines as will be looking for a good site along the stages!

http://letour.yorkshire.com

[pattyg]

You'd better be quick. I looked for self catering in the area for a few days. Nought left unless you are willing to pay Top Dollar.

[dienamic]

Definitely! Won't be camping as it passes about 1/2 mile from my front door, but planning a bbq and beers afternoon at the top of cragg vale!

[ewenm]

We booked as soon as the stage maps were published. Staying in a Yorkshire pub on the route.

[Spyder5]

Ilkley Cycling Club are running a campsite on the Rugby ground with use of the club house and changing rooms - £15 a night.

http://www.ilkleycyclingclub.org.uk/index.php?page...

Its pretty well located for day 1 and 2

[Chicken Chaser]

We arr camping in our camper on a site which is just a short distance from Buttertubs. Booked it last July and had a few knock backs then. Harewood House prob your best bet.

[gazza285]

Our club has been asked to oversee the campsites on the Holme Moss climb, for which we will get our own spectating area. Cragg Vale is alright I suppose, but it's not Holme Moss!

[RobGT81]

Free tickets for the Grand Depart stage 2 at York race course.

http://yorkracecourse.co.uk/tourdefrance/

[Spyder5]

RobGT81 said:

Free tickets for the Grand Depart stage 2 at York race course.

http://yorkracecourse.co.uk/tourdefrance/

LeTour Website... said:

The Ebor Package includes...

....traditional Yorkshire lunch waitress served to your table

Not bad for £300

[r-kid]

I'll be spectating as Cragg Vale is just down the road from me.

[rhinochopig]

RobGT81 said:

Free tickets for the Grand Depart stage 2 at York race course.

http://yorkracecourse.co.uk/tourdefrance/

Good tip, thanks. Ordered my tickets so will have a ride down to watch the start.

[ajk]

ewenm said:

We booked as soon as the stage maps were published. Staying in a Yorkshire pub on the route.

Doing the same

[vixen1700]

Just booked the 7th July off as they're coming through Saffron Walden from Cambridge on their way to London.

[Gren]

vixen1700 said:

Just booked the 7th July off as they're coming through Saffron Walden from Cambridge on their way to London.

Same here. M-I-L lives around 5 miles from where they go through Epping Forest so will sling the bikes in the back of the car and go up the night before.

Edited by Gren on Friday 24th January 13:24

[Gizmoish]

I've got the week off. Will see them come down through Epping Forest, sprint home and watch the finish

Thinking of going to the cobble stages too on Wed.

[dienamic]

r-kid said:

I'll be spectating as Cragg Vale is just down the road from me.

Have you got a plan at all? I've no idea how busy it's going to be. was thinking of taking a car up and reserving some roadside space a day or so before? viable?

[JQ]

dienamic said:

r-kid said:

I'll be spectating as Cragg Vale is just down the road from me.

Have you got a plan at all? I've no idea how busy it's going to be. was thinking of taking a car up and reserving some roadside space a day or so before? viable?

We're making the assumption it's going to be absolute chaos and are planning to dump cars miles away and cycle in to the route.

[nick997]

Thursday to Sunday at the British GP and then back home Sunday night ready for short ride to Felsted on monday to watch the race go through. Wedding anniversary weekend so I'll probably take some pain over that but hey ho...

[yellowjack]

nick997 said:

Thursday to Sunday at the British GP and then back home Sunday night ready for short ride to Felsted on monday to watch the race go through. Wedding anniversary weekend so I'll probably take some pain over that but hey ho...

She needs to get some perspective on this....

If you've chosen well, there'll be any number of other wedding anniversaries, at a rate of approximately 1 per year "until death do you part". This 'ere TdF will probably only race through Uttlesford once. If she loves you, she'll be fine with it. Hell, she might even join you at the roadside

I was based at Carver Barracks for 7 years, so I know the area very well. The race will be following a bit of my own regular route through Radwinter and the Sampfords. The most interesting bit for me will be seeing how quick they tackle the short but steep 'hump' up out of Finchingfield, after dealing with getting over the bridge there as a Peloton - it's a pretty narrow bridge, and not a straight run through it, either. I'll bet the landlord at the Fox has ordered plenty of food and drink for that day. Massive cycle race passing through one of the most beautiful villages in England? There only needs to be a hint of sunshine and he'll do a roaring trade.

The only trouble with Stage 3 is that it's relatively flat, and from a Pro-Peloton perspective, it's VERY flat, so I don't imagine you'll get a good long look at the race as it passes - it'll be a bit "blink and you miss it" I reckon, just as it was for the 2012 Olympic road race just outside of Dorking. I was luckier last year with the ToB, as I managed to blag a spot on the Hog's Back, where the race passed twice. The second pass was an over/under of a bridge, so effectively I saw the field pass three times. It's also about a lot more than simply seeing the race - the atmosphere is great all through the day, with hundreds of cyclists milling around, cheering you up the hills as you ride to your chosen viewing spot, and the whole 'caravan/circus' that precedes the race itself, and all the support bikes and team cars. It makes for a very memorable day out.

[ewenm]

We went out to Annecy to watch a couple of Tour stages last year. The first stage (stage 19 IIRC) came through the local town so we went down there to watch. There was a great atmosphere with a big mix of nationalities (including a tour group of crazy Aussies) and the cafes doing a good trade. The town was towards the end of the stage and after the descent from a big climb so the peloton was pretty broken up and it was a good 20-30 mins between the leaders and the grupetto. Really good day especially as we ended up hiding in the local PMU bar as an alpine thunderstorm broke overhead - very welcoming locals trying out their English on us with me struggling to translate

The next day we were near a sprint point fairly early in the stage and it really was blink and miss it! A small group went through with the rest of the peloton less than a minute behind. Another good day, but not quite the atmosphere of the previous day.

So, IMO try to pick somewhere after a few climbs to break the peloton up a bit

Edited by ewenm on Friday 24th January 08:55