The Tour of Britain 2009

As some of you may or may not know, I am lucky enough to head up the marketing and PR for The Tour of Britain professional cycle race (yes, it is a full time job!). As such, I have been lucky enough to get up close with some of the world’s best at this year’s event that took place last week. A cracking event which saw some of the best racing to take place yet on British soil. Here are some of my pics from the event:

Bradley Wiggins being interviewed by the Scunthorpe Telegraph before the start of Stage 1

At the start of Stage 2:

Geoffroy Lequatre from Agritubel

Team Halfords Bikehut

Filippo Pozzato, Italian national champ riding for Team Katusha

Dan Lloyd - Cervelo Test Team

The UK's Team CandiTV - Marshalls Pasta with Malcolm Elliott and Russell Downing

In NewcastleGateshead

The Tour of Britain press office where I spent most of my time during The Tour

Then onto Scotland for the start of Stage 3

The view from the Hydro Hotel in Peebles, Scotland

One of Rabobank's many many vehicles on The Tour

The SRAM Neutral Support vehicle

Team Joker Bianchi

Team Vacansoleil

Little & Large from Team Katusha

Pozzato's Ridley - check the gold drop outs!

Mauricio Soler - former KOM Winner in the Tour de France

Ben Swift from Team Katusha

Nicolas Roche from AG2R

Edvald Boasson Hagen taking line honours on Stage 3

Stage 4 in Blackpool

Doing the typical tourist picture outside the AG2R mechanics truck

Geraint Thomas being interviewed

Ian Stannard from the ISD Neri Team

Team Joker Bianchi's racing machines

Podium Girl Becki showing off her gift from the CSF Navigare Team

The finish of stage 5 in Stoke on Trent

Some of the thousands of school kids waiting for the riders to come in at the end of Stage 5

Lauren and Becki - our podium girls

The end of Stage 6 in Bideford

Edvald Boasson Hagen's racing machine

Start of stage 7

Nicolas Roche's racing machine

Brice Feillu - stage winner in the 2009 TdF

Vladimir Karpets from Team Katusha

Kai Reus from Rabobank

Kim Kirchen

The final stage that took place in London. It must also be said that for the very first time ever in the history of London, Embankment was closed on a Saturday to a public event.

Riders lining up for the start of the final stage of The Tour of Britain

More of the riders

The Tour of Britain 2009

The different jersey leaders on the start line together

Stage 8 Combativity Award winner - Thomas De Gendt

2009 Tour of Britain Sprint Competition winner - Thomas De Gendt

2009 Tour of Britain King of the Mountain Competition winner - Thomas De Gendt

2009 Tour of Britain Champion - Edvald Boasson Hagen

De Gendt and Hagen

De Gendt and Hagen

If you’d like to see the full gallery which includes in race footage, head over to The Tour of Britain website for more.

I do have some videos from the event which I plan on getting up here within the next few days, especially now that things are a little bit quieter at work.

Augustyn survives crash down mountain side

Barloworld rider, John Lee Augustyn, today endured a spectacular crash during the 16th stage of the Tour de France which left him stranded halfway down a mountain side.

Augustyn crossed the summit of the day’s second unclassified climb on his own after attacking his leading group half a kilometre from the summit. But moments later, after being rejoined by his group, he misjudged a right hand bend and, despite braking, his momentum threw him over the edge to leave him 50 metres below on the gravelly mountain side.

After dusting himself off and waiting for a new bike he eventually finished in 35th place at just over five minutes behind stage winner Cyril Dessel of the AG2R team.

Let’s hope Augustyn’s legs are feeling good for tomorrow’s stage up Alp d’Huez.