Here at Simpson we were delighted to hear about plans for next year’s Tour de Yorkshire, a three-day stage race in May jointly staged by Welcome to Yorkshire tourism agency and the organisers of the Tour de France.
We were in God’s Own County for stage 2 of this year’s Tour de France and, as you’ll be able to read in the forthcoming issue 6 of Simpson, it was a wonderful experience.
It’s one thing to watch thousands of cycling fans lining the beautiful roads of South Yorkshire on your telly – but actually being there on that amazing day, soaking up the atmosphere and the friendliness and the warm sunshine as the Tour circus rolled by was truly unforgettable.
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said: “We knew Yorkshire was gorgeous and there was a real passion for the Tour, but now we know after the unforgettable Grand Départ that people love the sport of cycling. It is now time to work together to bring a new race that will see some amazing riders and passionate crowds once again line the streets.”
We couldn’t agree more – and we couldn’t be happier for our Yorkshire-based cycling friends, all of whom will be jumping up and down with excitement at this exciting prospect. The amazing success story of British cycling continues…
The Tour of Britain rolled into Brighton yesterday and although thousands turned out to watch, it was still possible to get incredibly close to the riders – so much so that one local club rider was overheard saying incredulously: “I just touched Kittel!” as he vigorously rubbed his own legs, hoping that he might somehow absorb a fraction of the sprinter’s awesome power.
We positioned ourselves at the top of Bear Road, the final climb of a tough day. We figured that the riders would be suffering after more than 130 miles of racing, including two category 1 climbs within 10 miles of each other. And we knew that Bear Road kicks like a mule into a 10-11% top section for a couple of hundred metres.
We were expecting to see a lot of pain and we weren’t disappointed. The effort was etched onto every face that passed within inches of us towards the final push for the finish line. It was a vivid and thrilling reminder of the extraordinary physical hardship pro riders put themselves through.
Early yesterday morning as we cycled through sunny Sussex lanes for the final 40 miles of stage seven, watching the first spectators position themselves at key vantage points, seeing the graffiti on the roads, and the bunting on the village pubs, it struck us yet again how far cycling has come in the UK over the past few years.
These are good times for British cycling fans.
Ever since we witnessed last year’s inaugural Crafted Classique sportive, part of the SkyRide weekend, this year’s event has been in the calendar as a team event for us.
The weather plays such a massive role in events like this. Regular forecast checks informed decisions on clothing and bikes. With two different distance choices on offer – 100 kilometres or 100 miles – the sportive had something for everyone. One major factor was the wind, known by some as the friend of the fit cyclist. It’s great when it's working with you but riding into it is always a challenge.
As we all know, once you are out on a bike you are committed to the choices you've made before you set off. Although you don't need to be as OCD as Eddy Merckx, it's the small things that sometimes matter the most.
Riding any distance in the summer months will demand an isotonic drink. This is a basic fact but if overlooked can have dire consequences. Without a restock of salt and essential minerals our muscles will begin to seize up.
We've all witnessed cramp at some stage in our lives. What starts out as a tinge can escalate quickly to a cramp so severe that it could mean you losing control or even crashing your bike. Without the correct hydration you could lose valuable minutes off your target time. Calculations about which food stops to refuel at become important decisions.
Several of our team fell victim to cramping; it meant any attempts at PBs went out of the window. Although the weather gods smiled on us, a simple lack of proper hydration foiled the day. But it would be churlish to grumble. The sheer joy of any ride in blue skies, warm sun on familiar roads on your best bike sporting just bibs and a jersey is hard to beat. The icing on the cake was the hog roast or burger (a veggie option was also available) and a glass of Adnams, the local beer. Bliss!
