Marcel Kittel, Giant Shimano, winner of Stage 1

Spent the weekend in Skipton watching the first two stages of this year’s Tour de France – fantastic! We stayed at the very accommodating Rendezvous Hotel and joined the throng in Skipton for the first day – watching the race live then the closing stages on the big screen. For the second stage we went to a minor climb between Haworth and Oxenhope. The atmosphere on both days was electric – the crowds fantastic, in both size and enthusiasm! The only down-side was that, with so many spectators, it was near impossible to get any decent photos -here are a few of the better ones from both days.

A small breakaway of three weave their way through the crowded streets of Skipton

.. followed a couple of minutes later by the peleton! Spot Mark Cavendish, riding his first and last stage in this years Tour – six ‘rows’ back, in the black colours of Omega Pharma – Quickstep, with a pale blue helmet. He says he’s ‘gutted’ – well so are we!!

Now on to the second stage and another early breakaway

And here comes that peleton again..

In the front half of the peleton, the riders who will eventually top the general classification and provide this years winner, including: Vicenzo Nibali, Alberto Contador and defending champion Chris Froome

Winner of the first stage, Marcel Kittel, in yellow – and alongside him, eventual second stage winner, Vicenzo Nibali riding in the pale blue of Astana

The maillot jaune..

Now a couple of ‘atmosphere’ shots

Onward to Sheffield, Cambridge, London and France!