Meeting Cav

Secteur

Well, took a day of annual leave & went to the Blackpool stage finish today, only to find it was a bit blowy and had been cancelled - gutted!

Thankfully, Cav agreed to show up at the finish, and I got to meet him, shake his hand and get an autograph!

It was bizarre - he was brought into the Blackpool Ballroom (where the Wurlitzer was in full flow with half a dozen elderly couples still dancing - eventually it stopped after about 4 songs!). He just sat down on a chair and was totally accessible - no security or team personnel - he just sat there looking relaxed and slightly sheepish at the 30 or so people, photographers & tv cameras just stood around him looking at him!

He spoke to every single person that wanted to speak to him, and signed every single autograph asked of him. He was even happy to pose for photos.

I had a couple of very brief chats with him to wish him luck at the worlds ("Thanks", he said!) and to ask how great it must feel to have 20 TdF wins and be considered the best sprinter on earth ("yeah, it feels pretty good" he said!). Unfortunatley I was a little too awestruck to actually think of any good questions.

Anyway, eventually the Wurlitzer stopped and there was a little interview done on the stage which will be on ITV4 tonight.

Oh, also met that Ned Boulting fellow too :-)

So, here's the photos! (in widescreen- use the slider beneath each photo to see it all)




In the full sized image you can just tell it's Cav



Yep, it's definitely him!!







He's in there somewhere!
















The Nike "Twitter Trainers":

Graculus

One of my son's friends (aged 12) met him at the Vendee stage of this years Tour and he was lovely then too. He let him hold his bike while he signed the autograph - my son was very envious and is desperate for me to take him to Exeter later this week :roll:

I'm glad that you at least got something out of your day off!

Tusher

You have no idea how envious I am.

lostboysaint

Don't worry Corney will be along in a minute to explain why your experience wasn't really the reality at all!

spinndrift

He was superb at Kendal this morning making sure he signed everything and posed for photos - but the highlight for me was meeting and having my photo taken with Sean Yates.

zebra67

Thanks for sharing that. Am gutted that it got cancelled today so that was a nice consolation story .

amaferanga

I went up to Kendal and then headed to Blackpool even though there wasn't going to be much to see. Kendal was way better - watching all the team cars and buses arrive, dozens of bikes parked up all over the place and all the riders wandering around as they went to sign on. Girlfriend got some Rapha freebies as well.

It was good of Cav to do the interviews in Blackpool, but Hugh Porter's bigging him up was way over the top and made me cringe.

I left all the autograph hunting to the kids though

Secteur

I must admit, I was resisting getting an autograph but he was sat about 2 feet away from me for ages and no-one was talking to him - he was just sat there surrounded but alone, so I couldn't help but ask !

Slimbods

Great post, chuffed for you, sounds like your day was rescued!

Secteur wrote:

Unfortunatley I was a little too awestruck to actually think of any good questions.

I was on a club run with him over winter, ended up on the front next to him and all I could think of was 'nice bike'. Lame!

Secteur

Slimbods wrote:

I was on a club run with him over winter, ended up on the front next to him and all I could think of was 'nice bike'. Lame!

How do you get on a club rub with a pro??

Didn't think they'd do club runs?!

spinndrift

Obvious question would have been "Are you looking forwards to riding a Pinnorello next season?"

LeicesterLad

Secteur wrote:

Slimbods wrote:

I was on a club run with him over winter, ended up on the front next to him and all I could think of was 'nice bike'. Lame!

How do you get on a club rub with a pro??

Didn't think they'd do club runs?!

A Lot of british pro's still do their local club run when they are home and have the time! Riding is riding! You can tell those who are in it for the money, and those who are in it for the riding and the money

spinndrift

Obvious question would have been "Are you looking forwards to riding a Pinnorello next season?"

oldwelshman

Secteur wrote:

I had a couple of very brief chats with him to wish him luck at the worlds ("Thanks", he said!) and to ask how great it must feel to have 20 TdF wins and be considered the best sprinter on earth ("yeah, it feels pretty good" he said!). Unfortunatley I was a little too awestruck to actually think of any good questions.

Could have asked him his view on the bike radar forum

BG2000

Well, you made the effort to go and watch, so you deserved to meet him. I hope he wins the worlds - you'll feel extra special then for wishing him luck !

Nice of you share a photo showing how rough the weather was ! Maybe the riders should have had a go at surfing instead ?!

Gazzaputt

Met him at the Chasing Legends premiere at the O2.

Was happy to chat as you say and pose for very photograph asked.

Had a small chat about last years world champs when he scrawled something on Millar's saddle.

Great guy and can't wait to see him in action Sunday.

Slimbods

Secteur wrote:

Slimbods wrote:

Didn't think they'd do club runs?!

The pro's still seem to go out on the rides when they're home. I've ridden with Cav, both Kennaughs, Bellis (very often during his recovery), and Ben Swift on training rides. Cal Cruchlow joins our rides too quite often, he's nearly as quick on a Pinarello as he is on a Yamaha. The Isle Of Man's a great place to be a cyclist