Blog
Tour of Britain
Wednesday 17th September 2014
Last week we visited Hemel Hempstead to watch the cyclists in the Tour of Britain finish the penultimate stage of the race. Gadebridge Park was a hive of activity with a host of trade stands intermingled with ice cream and fast food sellers. A big screen was broadcasting the race so we could follow the progress of the cyclists as they peddled hell for leather through the Chilterns towards Hemel. This was all great fun and an expectant buzz went around the crowd as the leading group swept down the hill from Potten End and sprinted for the finish line on the Leighton Buzzard Road. Then 'whoooosh' they flashed past us at lightning speed and the race was over.
The teams all had their gigantic busses waiting in the park, to collect the riders and they quickly gathered them up and disappeared in a cloud of diesel fumes towards the next day's start in Camberley. The team Sky bus was the last to leave as Sir Bradley Wiggins spent a long time chatting to the fans, posing for photographs and signing autographs for the kids before they headed off. An impressive ambassador for his sport!
Two things stayed with me after this excellent afternoon; firstly it was a little embarrassing to realise professional cyclists go a lot faster than my vintage cars and secondly I learned that middle aged men really should not wear lycra, even if they do belong to the local cycling club.