Saturday 5th July – York to Sheffield
Heard heavy rain on waking this morning which wasn’t encouraging but
by the time we got up it was easing off and Dave’s early morning weather
check looked optimistic. We had to take a roundabout route to the start in
York due to roads being shut around Leeds for todays official Stage 1, but
found the Racecourse and had a photoshoot outside the disused Terry’s chocolate
factory. Have spent the last couple of weeks reading articles about the severity of
Stage 2, (‘as much climbing as in the Alps…’), so with day 2 muscle stiffness/aches
we were bracing ourselves for a very challenging day. It was bloomin’ tough, but
the drier and warmer weather made a huge difference to our morale, (and that of
Ali, our back-up van driver!). She spotted a poster outside the Baptist Church in
Hebdon Bridge which read ‘The End is NOT nigh – 108 km to go’!. Ali is doing this
weekend’s support on her own which she is finding quite nerve-wracking,
(especially the lack of a rear-view mirror for backing out of tight spaces…). No mishaps
so far…. We played cat and mouse all day with a large group of riders in polka dot jerseys
– riding the ‘Tour of Yorkshire’. We ended up together at the end of the
day, all lost in the middle of Sheffield. The city finishes involve a random circuit to add a few
extra miles before the home straight. ‘We’re just coming into Sheffield’ message to Ali actually
meant ‘ Don’t expect us for another 45 minutes..’ Didn’t finish until 8.30pm and then had
to get the bikes in the van quickly and head off to Cambridge. We haven’t yet been able to
follow our trainer’s advice to have a short stroll after finishing… Looking forward to a flatter
and slightly shorter stage tomorrow.