Tour of Britain Women cycle race

Hello again people and pooches. Joe the Cocker here. It’s a bit of a different short blog today as we have just been watching the Tour of Britain cycle race passing through our village.

There was a lot of noise as the local school children lined the road and screamed and shouted as the police outriders and support vehicles sounded their sirens and horns.

We stood outside of the Wynnstay Arms and waited for a few minutes for the cyclists to appear. My human was watching the live TV coverage on Discovery+ from the comfort of the sofa until he yelled,’Joe, they are in Johnstown!’ So, I jumped up from my slumber and was dragged unceremoniously out of the house to where our vantage point would be.

Within seconds, the first police motorcycle drove past with its siren screeching. The first time my human took me to a cycle race, I was in a state of shock and panic at all the noise and commotion. Nowadays, I take it all in my stride. I can’t see what all the fuss is about. My human, on the other paw, tends to get excited and starts shouting his favourite cyclists’ names. Watching him trying to take photos and videos and clapping simultaneously can be quite amusing.

The police bikes, stewards bikes, ambulances, and police cars do make a lot of noise but not as much as my overexcited human. Even the sound of the TV helicopter overhead couldn’t compete with him. Embarrassing!

The lead cyclist soon arrived over a minute ahead of the peleton. My dad likes to call the pack the peleton because he thinks that he is part of the cycle racing community. Nah! He has done a bit of cycling in the past but racing? I think not!

Today’s stage leader had made an early breakaway, but after the sprint section in Johnstown, the chasing group had clawed back some time. Franziska Koch’s lead was down to a minute.

So, a minute later, the chasing bunch hurtled by with Lotte Kopecky, the World Road Race Champion tucked in menacingly, eying up her prospects. She was wearing the race leaders green jersey after her nail biting win in Llandudno on yesterday’s first stage.

The peleton had a determined air about it, hell bent on closing the gap. My human said that this was an exciting stage with the climb of the Horseshoe Pass coming up soon. Personally, I would prefer to continue with my beauty sleep, but I have to humour him sometimes.

A few seconds later, the bunch, or peleton, zoomed by at high speed. There was no sign of anyone slowing down to take the downhill z-bend by the Vaults and Bridge End inns.

So, after a few minutes of chaos it was all over. I could go back to the couch to continue my afternoon nap while my human watched the rest of the stage on television.

Spoiler alert! Lotte Kopecky won the stage in Wrexham.

Till next time!