Dick's Pics

By RichardDonkin

Team GB, Olympic Road Race

Who's that in the white crash hat with the long sideburns? It couldn't be, yes it is, it's Bradley Wiggins. I'm delighted to get this shot of Britain's man of the moment fresh from winning the Tour de France and banging the big bell at last night's fantastic opening ceremony to the London Olympics.

I had a cunning plan to find today's Men's Olympic Road Race which I noticed passed over a narrow bridge that intersected a spot where we regularly walk the dogs. Once there, I discovered that hundreds of other people had the same cunning plan. There was a lot of jostling, and that was just among the photographers. I wondered if any fellow blippers were there.

There was time in the lead-up to think about tactics. The first plan - to catch the riders peaking over the little bridge in front of me - was abandoned when a family of flagwavers plonked themselves right in front of my lens and way too far out in to the road. I deliberated also about lenses and decided to go for my biggest and hope for the best.

I just couldn't get the angle I wanted because of the crowd but I'm really happy to have captured Wiggins in his prime. This ticks a lot of boxes for me - going to an Olympic event, seeing Wiggins, Cavendish and the rest, and all, absolutely free.

It's looking tough for the GB riders as I'm back home watching the race now on TV with a big breakaway in front. I decided Box Hill was too tricky with the crowds. Yes, if you blinked, you missed it but yes it was worth the not too great an effort to be there. I also caught a Cavendish sandwich here in Blipfolio.

Postscript: Cavendish sandwich too true. He's been eaten alive. Bloody Peloton. Kazakhstan - whodabelievedit? One in the eye for Sacha Baron Cohen. TV commentator very confused.

PS. Watching TV coverage tonight (swimming with the very assured Adrian Moorhouse analysing alongside yet another blathery commentator) I had to pinch myself and say these Olympics are here, that pool is our pool, we're doing this and isn't it great.

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