Anyone worked out a strategy for going for the day to watch it? There seem liable to be to be roads closed and queues of doom afflicting all who venture near. Was gonna share the experience but not so sure now......
Best bet..... but being local you probably dont want to ......would be to book onto one of the campsites at the side of the route. Arrive saturday, enjoy a few beers, then youre there on the sunday ready
Cheap trains from Wakefield into Leeds City Centre or similarly train to Meadowhall and walk to a viewing point. Jenkin Road should be interesting. It's hard enough to get up in the car.
Yeah it seems to be a bit much to have to go out and buy a tent etc. just to be able to watch it, but that is what is best catered for.
Saturday I'm getting to Leeds and going to find the best spot possible. On the Sunday I'm going to watch it on Jenkin Hill in Wincobank.
The race itself doesn't actually start until Harewood House, up until then it is merely a roll out procession, having said that you could see the depart and pop onto a train to Harrogate and see the finish....I drove the route from Skipton to Buttertubs on Sunday, its going to be brilliant but hugely busy, chaos I would imagine, some of the farmers round hawes are wanting £20 for parking............
Made me chuckle. Special Stage - 'Cote de Jenkin Road' - Bit different to the Pyrenees stages of the King of the Mountains. This is quite helpful though ... http://letour.yorkshire.com/travel/travel-information-map
I'm not kidding, Jenkin Rd goes up and up, must be a 1 in 3 with a sharp bend. It's short, but I reckon they will be very slow climbing that one after 2 days racing.
Oh I know, I wouldn't want or be able to ride up it! An old work colleague used to live near the top behind Concord Park. Just laughung at the scenery of Wincobank compared to the scenery of the majority of the tour.
http://blog.veloviewer.com/the-climbs-of-stage-2-of-the-2014-tour-de-france-part-2/ scroll down the page for a photo of the incline!! 58% the guy reckons for that section. Contributer: Squeakin • a year ago I live at the top of Jenkin Road. I ride to work almost every day. I have ridden up my road 5 times in 3 years, on the 4th time I got up without stopping, did it once more to prove it wasnt a fluke and go 5 miles out of my way to avoid it. You can argue all day about the gradient but one thing is certain......Its bloody steep!!. Cant wait to watch the TDF coming up my road, so excited.
I honestly don't think some of the teams realise just how hard the stage to Sheffield is. Apparently only a handful of the 20 teams have checked the stage out. There'll be several of the overall favourites lose significant time
I saw Sky had done reconnaissance of the stage and Marcus Kittel has been up there 2-3 months ago. I think he was hoping for a sprint finish, but that hill could lead to a late break winning the stage (Philippe Gilbert or similar).
Train into Penistone, nice walk up to Midhopestones and on to Langsett Hub along the footpath (About 3 miles) where there's all sorts of stuff going then gentle stroll back to train station.
Ye Kittel checked out the first two stages & realised he's not got a prayer of been near the front on the second stage. I can honestly see a front group of no more than 25 hitting Jenkin Road. All the big GC favourites plus a few strong men, Gerrans, Gilbert etc. Apparently only Sky, Tinkoff, Movistar & Argos have checked out the second stage. It'll be carnage. That & the cobbles on the 5th stage should make it the best first week of a tour in years
