Tour de France

I love the TdeF. 3 weeks booked in front of the TV every year ?

I always feel that the Tour de France is the real deal in a way that riding round in circles in a velodrome really isn't. So I'm a Bradley Wiggins fan but Chris Hoy? -not so impressed!

Just got it confirmed that the Tour de France will go right past our house on 18th of July , making a foray into Switzerland for 3 days- so if you watch- I'll wave to you.

Mr N has just got back after going to Essex to watch the final stage before they go off to France on the Eurostar . [I couldn't go as I had an appointment elsewhere].

He said the atmosphere was really thrilling, lots of cheering, shouting ,clapping and general good feeling.

He was even given a bacon sandwich and a cuppa .

MY DD was on the phone earlier, and telling me how well it went up North where they had gone for the w/end to see it , stayed with rellies as they live up there ! Two G/S adored it

So s all round !

Great !!

We're assuming that Derby's new velodrome will be named after him. I'd always thought he was from Ilkeston.

So he was Tegan . He is able to speak Welsh due to growing up in Gwnynedd.
Another extravaganza yesterday. Never have so many British people gathered on the top of so many hills! And a great finish. Yorkshire . A gold medal for spectating, just like in London 2012.

Already posted on other thread what a fab day I had today at the TDF. I know very little about the race but the atmosphere was great. I wonder if there will be an upsurge in bike sales!

He lived in wales but was born in Shardlow which I've only just found out.

Well said JessM

I thought it was wonderful too. Yorkshire looked fantastic and the huge enthusiasm of the people on the route was great to see. We are staying a few miles away and are going to drive round Swaledale to see all the decorations early next week. I loved seeing the Côte de Buttertub and am looking forward to the Côte de Wincobank today. The organisation round here has obviously been terrific.
I am not remotely interested in football or tennis, but I love the Tour.

In some areas of Wales they mark the sheep (free range ones) to show who owns them. On once occasion someone was a bit free with the pink and instead of a pink patch the entire flock was a fetching shade of raspberry.
This is a very negative thread about a fantastic sporting event.
I would like to say:
Congratulations Yorkshire for a fantastic Depart. You never see huge crowds like that in France and everything went off fantastically well. Scenery, Will, Kate and Harry, and the fact that there were so little casualties on such narrow roads. The spectators were not idiotic like they so often are on the continent and lived up to the high standards set by the UK in the Olympics. all round.
Fantastic weather was a bonus.
Chris Froome won last year and rides for Team Sky which is, in effect, the UK cycling team although like a football team they are not necessarily all brits. But they are managed by Brailsford (Welsh) and have won the last 2 Tours.

#goodoldcountryfile

No you didn't jingl. The dye is called raddle and is either smeared between the front legs or put in a harness so that the colour can be changed to indicate which ewes will give birth and when.

You didn't.

They also mark the ewes later, after ultrasound scans, to show if they are carrying one lamb or two.

And then each animal has ear tags which show its pedigree, etc, etc.

I don't think I made that up.

Yes! They put dye on the man sheep (ram?) 's underparts so they know when a ewe has been - you know.

Phew; that's a relief [about the sheep, that is]. I must say I'm surrounded by sheep but have never seen one lying down; it was just so odd seeing ALL of them on their side; something Monty Python like about it, I thought.Now, had they been lying with their legs in the air I would have been really worried .

Been glued to the telly ALL DAY which is very unusual for me. My beloved Yorkshire looking wonderful in the sunshine and the huge amount of enthusiasm from everyone - even in places where the tour is going no where near. I am out tomorrow celebrating my mothers 101 birthday so will miss the 2nd day in Yorkshire.
It will be interesting to see if the Cambridge - London leg is greeted in the same way.
Such a pity about the crash at the end especially when Cavendish was hoping to win in his home town.

Sheep often lie down, Tegan, to digest their food. Sometimes they don't bother standing up again for the next course, but just eat what is within reach from their comfortable lying-down position.

I don't think their owner would use a lethal dye on them. Sheep are too valuable to kill off for a short joke while the Tour is on. There are various coloured dyes which are mixed with sheepdip (done round about now to discourage fly strike and other nasties) so that the dipped ones don't get two dips while others miss out.

Shearing is done about now too, at least in the Scottish Borders it is. Before the sheepdip so that a) the fleece stays white ish and b) a shorter coat does not absorb and use up so much dip.

If one is being critical ., which one would NEVER be,.. . it boils down to being observant.

I take your point on board about the sheep , TEGAN but I am sure they would not do anything to harm them

The other one seems to be more to do with tourism. This one is about the race itself. Suppose the other poster didn't notice this one.

My curiosity is aroused, why do people feel the need to make two posts on the same subject?

it seems , rather strange to me!

I love a mystery and love to get to the bottom of things , perhaps the people who post a second post could explain !!

At least nobody was putting tacks on the road [as they have in other places.]The scenery in North Yorks is lovely.Got any Wensleydale, Grommit?

I find it really difficult to think of Chris Froome as British. He was born and lived in Kenya until his cycling took off and he moved to the south of France. He has never lived in the UK and had never visited it until the last year or so. To my mind he is Kenyan. I put him in the same category as Zola Budd (remember her?) Tony Gregg and various others who used/use the Union Jack as a flag of convenience. I really mind all these sports people who manage to qualify for the UK by dint of some distant relative being from here.

Tegan I agree with you about the grumps and I think Wiggo has been cheated of a place. After all he won the thing in 2012 and couldn't defend it in 2013 due to illness. So he is an undefeated champion!

Simon Yates it is then. Come on Simon!!!