B/H Weekend roundup 2nd /3rd/4th May

[Jon G]

What a great weekend of cycling it was with the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire been held on local roads. My weekend started with going to see the start in Selby on Saturday and then cycling to york to watch the finish. Bumped into Simon and graham from the saturday rides after they'd been out to Market weighton to see the race. On Sunday id pre entered the TdY sportive earlier in the year and had second thoughts about setting off on the Sunday morning when i saw the weather especially when i had ridden the 2014 Ride london in similar conditions. anyway went with mantra that its not bad weather but bad clothing choices. I know plenty of people don't like sportives mainly because of the cost and the roads are there all year to ride free of charge but it was a well organised event and is was good to ride on the same day as the pros and cross the same finish line with the crowds of people. we didn't actually join the stage route until near Hebden bridge i think but it was from there we saw lots of people gathering for the race to come through. from there to the finish it was great to have the support of the crowds.
The route was tough for a route of only 86 miles for us anyway. no flat roads really and the extra climbs were killers. any one whose cycled around that part of west yorkshire will know what i mean. . the wet made it dangerous early on but thankfully it eventually dried up later in the day so that we finished in the sunshine I was glad i made the effort and one of the highlights was the cobbled climb through Haworth. It felt like riding the tour of Flanders for the bit

Jon

[bernard turgoose]

Well done Jon, having seen this stage on TV it certainly looked tough - what about that sprint on 19% incline!!
My day on Saturday was not quite the same, I was a Tourmaker with a team of 10 on Tang Hall Lane - but the locals excelled themselves by not only coming out in good numbers, but also keeping us up to date from their TV's as well as providing refreshment and toilet facilities for the women in the team.
Roll on next year I wonder where we will be watching it?
Bernard

[Jon G]

what about that sprint on 19% incline!!

Whats was that all about I certainly wasn't sprinting

[Darren N]

Yes, well done Jon, a great effort!

...and thanks for sharing your thoughts too

I've written up my experience to encourage others to do the ride next year, it was a great day!
Find it here: http://www.cliftoncc.org/news/acliftonc ... ortive2015

Any other participants want to comment on their day?

D.

[tim_richardson]

Brilliant write up Darren really enjoyed reading it. I must get signed up next year, I left it too late this year and the mid distance had sold out. I may need some hill practice before then!!

[ClaireG]

Sounds like a great adventure on the West Yorkshire Sportive. Well done!
5 of us (Kevin; Dawn; Craig; Dave I’A & self) headed out to Cote de Rosedale on the Friday for the 1st day of TdY & to see how the Pros coped with our local climbs. We had left enough contingency time to enjoy our picnic ‘al fresco’ in Rosedale village and then seek a well-earned warm in the Abbey Tearooms, before making our ascent. This was reminiscent of climbing Grinton Moor last year for the TdF: Spectators lined the route, several person-deep and there was copious cheering, clapping and general de bonne humour! We tried to make it look as if it was easy, as we pedalled smoothly, smiled and soaked up the crowd’s applause! We were soon startled back to reality, however, as the Tour entourage came blaring up the climb after us and we had to jump off, to time it just right at the top, before the cavalcade arrived. The 1st 3 guys were really hauling themselves all over their bikes & pulling great facial expressions worthy of a gurney contest! A spectacular site, top of Rosedale, blue skies and the peloton snaking up the climb. I felt quite privileged to be out enjoying myself with Yorkshire’s finest (comrades & scenery).
For our return journey, we carried on to meet the Blakney Ridge road and then took the right turn down into Farndale to catch the last of the daffodil show there, before making our way back via Surprise View, Gilamoor & Hovingham. Thanks to my comrades for a fantastic day out in Yorkshire, or in Dawn’s words ‘A Grand Day Out’.

If I can fathom out attaching photos, here are a few non peloton shots

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