There we were for the start of the 2022 Tour of Britain, wandering round the pits passing critique on the hardware, strips and leg tans. Over at the Ribble Weldtite team there was a rather cool silver Aero machine, one of the ‘specials’ sprayed up for lucky Ribble riders participating in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Red Walters was the fortunate son.
Originally we hadn’t planned to go down to The Scottish Borders to see Stage Two of the Tour of Britain 2022 – but the sun came out, we made a few time calculations and as I said of yesterday; ‘it’s not every day you get the chance to see some of the world’s best bike riders on home soil.’ One of life’s simple pleasures is surely sitting on the grass verge in the sunshine, waiting on a bike race coming up the hill.
It’s not every day you get the chance to see some of the sport’s greatest names just up the road from your home, competing in the Tour of Britain 2022. Fortunately, by the time we got to Union Street it was just drizzling, not cold but grey and understandably not conducive to riders wanting to stand and chat...
We had a look around Hawick as the 2021 Tour of Britain race carnival hit town, we caught up with friends then headed out on the course, hiding from the wind on Wanside Rig to see the peloton as it headed towards Gifford...
Glasgow, The Dear Green Place, George Square on a Saturday morning with the sun shining – not much more one could ask for. With the icing on the cake being some of the world’s best cyclists about to start the Tour of Britain 2019. Dave and I went through for a meander around the busses and took a few snaps in the process...
We caught up with Joe after his Boxing Day training ride (I can just about remember those, up into North Fife with Dave Chapman for a couple of hours then home for steak pie at Mum’s)... Here’s what he had to say:
Despite a clash with the Vuelta, the Tour of Britain boasts probably it's strongest ever field. Endura Racing's Evan Oliphant is VeloVeritas man in the peloton.
Consistent Aggression. I'm in Ipswich, southeast England, and have finally found time to get finger to keyboard (what is the modern equivalent of "pen to paper"?) to scribble (again-what's the digital version of scribbling?-such important questions on this blog!) down a little of what's been going on.
VeloVeritas took the road to Glasgow on Saturday morning - carefully avoiding the road works on the Forth Bridge - to cover the Scottish criterium champs and to meet our boy Evan at the finish of the Tour of Britain 2007.
Nico Mattan was in the DFL team car with Evan at the Tour of Britain 2007, having his first taste of Kendal mint cake when I rang on Friday; we'll hear more wisdom from Nico later, but he did like the mint cake. Nico does love his beer. He DNF'd today, so will likely be home enjoying a lovely cold Leffe Blonde as you read this.
Ever wondered, why the continentals think that cycling in the UK is Mickey Mouse?-read-on! Evan's diary at the Tour of Britain 2007 in Rother Valley Country Park ...
Yesterday at the Tour of Britain 2007, Evan told us that he and Gordon McCauley were going to jump-away from the gun and stay-away to the line, but is that how it actually played out?... did that happen in Southampton?
After making such a good job of his diary for Pez in the Tour of Ireland, DFL professional Evan Oliphant will be giving VeloVeritas the low-down on his home Tour, which started in London today at Crystal Palace and finishes in Glasgow on Saturday; the Tour of Britain 2007. We caught-up with Evan, in the DFL team car, stuck in traffic, listening to the chart show [at max volume] on Radio One, here's what he had to say, (I think!).
We caught-up with Evan Oliphant at Stanstead Airport on Sunday night, en route to Edinburgh. A lift to the airport from the GB squad bound for Italia and a cheapo Easyjet flight meant he would be home just hours after racing in central London. Tom Boonen went from villain to hero in 24 hours, winning the final stage to take his total of wins to 20 for the season so far.
"What are you doing, you red fu**er?" The words of world champion, Tom Boonen (Belgium & Quick Step) to Danish rider, Michael Mørkøv when the youngster attacked, on team orders, in contravention of a Boonen-imposed ban on racing in yesterday's stage of the Tour of Britain. As well as following Evan's progress around Britain, I've been talking to Michael Mørkøv.
Before we hear what Evan has to say I thought you should hear Michael's story from yesterday.
In the next day's stage four, Manning did indeed go up the road. Third place on the stage was the reward for his efforts, behind Mark Cavendish (GB and T-Mobile) and the winner, crafty Frederik Willems (Belgium & Chocolade Jacques). Tour of Britain 2006.
We caught-up with Evan after a wet and wild stage three, won by the immaculately coiffed 2006 Milan-San Remo winner, Filippo Pozzato (Italy & Quick Step); our man had just finished dinner.
Evan was out of the team car and just off the massage table when we caught-up with him after the second stage of the Tour of Britain 2006, into Liverpool, won by GB man Roger Hammond.
We're pleased to help announce the launch of the 2010 British Downhill Series (BDS), the only National race series in the World with UCI ranking points, £10,000 in prize money and over :£15,000 in prizes. Formerly the NPS the "British Downhill Series" is the new name for the Nationals. A new Decade and a brand new race series for you to get your tyres dug into.
A few weeks ago I posted on social media a picture of Davide Rebellin in his new Sovac-Natura4ever team strip for 2018; his 27th season as a professional. I commented that he was a ‘remarkable man.’ Immediately I was informed that I was, ‘glorifying a doper.’ When I responded by asking how he was any different to the pundits, TV commentators, self-styled fashion gurus and authors who have all fallen foul of the testers but are now accepted by the cycling community - no one could tell me. Former ‘cross star Barry Davies suggested that I organise an interview with the Italian; ‘good idea,’ I thought to myself.
With all the recent transfer news about who is going where in the ProTour, or UCI World Tour as it will soon be known, certain 2011 signings of interest seem to have slipped under the radar. One which caught the attention of VeloVeritas was with Team Radioshack's U23 feeder team, Trek-Livestrong. After another stellar season for Trek with at least five riders moving up to top UCI World Tour teams; including Britain's Alex Dowsett who's making the step up to Team Sky. These moves leave spaces to be filled and one of the riders moving into the top American U23 line-up is New Zealand's up-and-coming star George Bennett.
The Lake APR: 63 riders took to the start on a bitterly cold - but dry - morning in the village of Bulclyvie. Split into six groups, with a fast scratch which included the previous week's Rosneath winner, Gordon Murdoch of East Kilbride Road Club, as well as the inform Paul Coates of Squadra Via Mazzini Racetool, myself: Stuart Macgregor and Edge pairing of Paul Rennie and Graham McGarritty (who won this race 25 years ago when still a junior!).
I hate to start with our Formule 1, again - but to emphasis the true glamour of being on le Tour, we're sharing lodgings with the race's cherry picker truck. I had to get up early to do a phone interview with Cameron Wurf, this morning. He's from Tassie; like the Sulzbergers and Richie Porte - did I ever tell you I had a Tasmanian Devil for a fiancée? No, some other time, then? Le Tour de France 2012 - Second Rest Day.
The girl in the petrol station where we just filled up was stunningly beautiful - I sent Dave back in to buy Coke, so he could see her; why don't they have girls like her in the filling station at Wester Hailes? The Gazzetta is on my lap as we head for 'partenza' in Sondrio. Even though you can't speak Italian, you can get the jist of most of what's being said; "Sorpresa Van Den Broeck, delusione Savoldelli."