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.