Tour De France

Le Tour Yorkshire – Grand Depart 2014

Getting Ready for the Grand Depart Yorkshire – Tour De France 2014

02 July 2014

Author: Chris Maher, Pictures courtesy of: www.chrismaher.co.uk

Le Tour Yorkshire 2014

 

2014 TDF Route & Team Colours
2014 TDF Route & Team Colours

 

Start List 2014 TDF
Start List 2014 TDF

 

Pre Race.

 

27 June 2014

 

Team Sky finally announce their Tour de France Roster and confirm that Geraint Thomas and Defending Tour de France Champion Chris Froome are the only Brits on board. This confirms Sir Bradley Wiggin’s exclusion from the squad after weeks of speculation whether he was in or out.

 

Alex Dowsett confirms that he is un-fit to ride this years Tour. Movistar team member Dowsett rode a poor National Time Trial after wining the previous three editions.

 

Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma Quickstep Cycling Team) confirms that he won’t be riding this years National Road Race Championships in South Wales, Relinquishing his title.

 

29 June 2014

 

Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) shows off his form by taking the National Time Trial Championship in style, on a wet and technical course in South Wales. Further more, he confirmed that he was going to switch back across to the Track and focus on the Commonwealth Games later on in July, for Team England.

 

Sir Bradley Wiggins confirms that he won’t be riding the National Road Race Championship in South Wales.

 

29 June 2014

 

Another disgruntled Team Sky member not selected for the Tour, and former U23 National Road Race Champion Pete Kennaugh steps up to the mark, and claims this years title. Winning the U23 title 2008 in Ampleforth and 2009 in Abergavenny. He returned to claim the 2014 title, outsprinting team mate Ben Swift.

 

30 June 2014

 

David Millar learns that he has not been selected for one final Tour de France by his Team Garmin Sharp bosses. Millar who’s retiring from Pro Cycling this year Tweeted his disbelief after been lead to believe he would ride the Tour.

 

01 July 2014

 

Simon Yates, a neo pro for Orica GreenEdge has been selected for this years Tour de France. Former U23 British National Champion, coming third in this years National Championships will now be the fourth confirmed Brit to set off from the Grand Depart in Leeds on Saturday.

 

On a positive note for David Millar. ITV Sport have invited him to give his expert advice during the three British Stages of this years Tour. Live coverage each day will start at 10.30am  and run till the end of the race.

 

02 July 2014

 

The 2014 TdF arrives early for the Otley Grand Prix
The 2014 TdF arrives early for the Otley Grand Prix

 

The TDF begins to take shape with the arrival of the Director of the Tour De France Christian Prudhomme in Leeds. The Media Centre is officially opened where 2000+ media personnel will sign on.

 

The 2014 TdF arrives early for the Pinsent Masons Women's Otley GP
The 2014 TdF arrives early for the Pinsent Masons Women’s Otley GP

 

Otley in West Yorkshire, welcomes the Director of the Tour De France Christian Prudhomme, Racing Legend Bernard Hinault and Welcome To Yorkshire’s Gary Verity to their evening of cycle races and entertainment. Leading out several of the races around the circuit in Otley, is one of the official commissionaires red cars that ride at the head of the TDF race. Around 10,000 spectators line the route for the spectacular racing for all levels finishing with the Elite Criterium Series Round One Race, the Otley GP.

 

Gary Verity confirms Yorkshire will get a 3 Day International Cycle Race starting on May 01st 2015… at the Otley Cycle Festival.

 

Legacy 3 day Yorkshire International Cycle Race Confirmed May 1-3 2015.
Legacy 3 day Yorkshire International Cycle Race Confirmed May 1-3 2015.

 

03 July 2014

 

This evening, the official presentation of the Teams riding in the Tour De France begins in Leeds.

 

Team Tinkoff Saxo, Leeds Arena Presentation
Team Tinkoff Saxo, Leeds Arena Presentation

 

04 July 2014

 

Orica GreenEDGE’s Michael (Bling) Matthews has been ruled out of the 2014 TdF. Due to start his first Tour, Matthews who had rode the Giro earlier in the year, injured him left hand on Tuesday whilst out training in Yorkshire. Speaking last night at the Team Presentation in Leeds, Matthews seamed confident that he would recover in-time to of the Grand Depart. Replacing him, will be Canadian Christian Meier.

 

Le Tour De France confirms that the Duchess of Cambridge will present the first Yellow Jersey in Harrogate at the end of Stage One.

 

Grand Depart Yorkshire begins.

 

Stage One

Stage 1 Profile | Leeds to Harrogate
Stage 1 Profile | Leeds to Harrogate

 

Over 300,000 people pack Leeds city centre to witness the Grand Depart.

 

The Duchess of Cambridge cuts the ribbon on the official start-line at Harewood House. The Red Arrows fly-by and the race gets under way.

 

Jens Voigt – Trek Factory Racing, the oldest rider in this edition of the Tour is probably riding his last Tour, goes on a lone break. Riding solo up the Buttertubs, gets swallowed by the huge crowd waiting. He continues his solo performance to the top of the final climb on Grinton Moor, and is rewarded with the most aggressive rider award.

 

Reeth in North Yorkshire becomes the most Northerly point in the World that the Tour has ever taken place.

 

As the race un-folded on the television. The organisations involved, and the media reporting realised the people of Yorkshire had took to the road-side in their hundreds of thousands. Images were beamed across social media around the globe and the amount of interest had surpassed all expectations.

 

Huge crowds had packed Harrogate, to witness Mark Cavendish – Omega Pharma Quick Step’s bid to win the first stage. Cavendish crashed with five hundred meters to go. Falling heavily on his shoulder, Cavendish is unsure whether or not he would continue. An announcement would be made over-night.

 

Marcel Kittel – Giant Shimano wins the first stage and the Yellow Jersey in a four man sprint for the line.

 

1:         Marcel Kittel – Giant Shimano

2:         Peter Sagan – Cannondale

3:         Ramunas Navardauskas – Garmin Sharp

4:         Bryan Coquard – Team Europcar

5:         Michael Rogers – Tinkoff Saxo

 

  • Combativity Award – Jens Voigt
  • Points – Marcel Kittel
  • King of the Mountains – Jens Voigt
  • Best Young Rider – Peter Sagan
  • Team Classification – Team Sky

 

Conservative estimates have suggested around two million fans had lined the first days race in le Grand Depart .

 

The Duchess of Cambridge presents the first Yellow Jersey to Marcel Kittel, Giant Shimano...
The Duchess of Cambridge presents the first Yellow Jersey to Marcel Kittel, Giant Shimano…

 

Man of the Match! & King of the Mountains, Jens Voigt, Trek Factory Racing
Man of the Match! & King of the Mountains, Jens Voigt, Trek Factory Racing

 

Stage Two

Stage 2 Profile | York to Sheffield
Stage 2 Profile | York to Sheffield

 

 

Contributor to http://www.cyclingshorts.uk.com/

 

My photos are regularly updated on https://www.flickr.com/photos/23913935@N07/

 

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