Allez Contador

Can you spot him?

First, thank you all so much for your wonderful comments on yesterday's blip, and for a bucket load of hearts, every one of which is enormously appreciated. It was great to read of your own experiences. I just wish I could respond more personally but, for a little while, that's not going to be possible because I have house guests, with another very important one arriving tomorrow.

It's been another amazing day of celebration in Yorkshire and, once again, despite the odds (and a slightly worrying forecast), the weather came good to show the landscape off at its best. My original plan was to head off early and try to get over to Holme Moss, but after meeting with some mates yesterday I was invited for a more social (but not slow!) ride to watch from Oxenhope, just beyond Haworth. We ended up being a little too relaxed around time because on getting to Stanbury someone had decided to completely close the road across to Oxenhope village - and blocked from access on the race route forward we were then barred from returning back to Haworth the way we had come. From that point it was a very long way around to see the race pass by anywhere. It was the first bit of silly officiousness I had come across.

But where there's a will there's a way and we soon worked out a cross-country route using paths we know well from the many fell races run around here. We carried our bikes down and up the other side of the very steep sided valley, over numerous stiles, and then along a rough track to finally rejoin the race route. From there we got up to the top of the hill out of Oxenhope to find a good spot from which to watch.

While waiting I took a wander up and down the road, coming across friends every fifty yards or so. A bit like yesterday it felt as if anyone I had ever run or cycled with over the last twenty odd years was was somewhere to be seen. It made for a very special day. Particularly special mention must be made of George who now lives in Australia but came across for the weekend to watch! To avoid confusion, that friend is a younger fellow than this George, who had come across from St.Annes in Lancashire to spectate. He's been a sporting cyclist for well over fifty years and surely had never expected to see this sight.

Once the riders passed through we basically battered it home (to use the local vernacular) as fast as possible to watch as much as the race as we could on television. Despite more massive jams getting down off Oxenhope Hill, the still closed roads enable us to get back to Ilkley in under an hour. I cannot tell you just how much of a joy it is to cycle on closed roads - especially following the wheels of my younger and fitter mates!

I arrived back to find the lads switching between the cycling, the F1 and the men's final from Wimbledon. What a sport fest. I was completely wiped out when I got back so it was lovely to just kick back and watch the riders go over Holme Moss (witnessing the crazy level of support up on that hill) and then on to the finish in Sheffield to see Contador and Froome strut their credentials before Nibali stole their thunder and put his stamp down as a contender, the three main men all trying to make a point. This has the makings of a really classic tour. And Djokovic and Federer provided a classic five set final too to round off what was a pretty much perfect day. I'm now totally done in - well battered in the best possible way! What a weekend. And thanks again everyone for your part in that.