Riding Stages 1 & 2 of the TdF 2014

freebs

Hi, I'm keen to come up north next year and ride stages 1&2 of the Tour (in May or June before I get any wisecracks regarding pro teams etc!!).

The only thing I'm wary of is if it takes in too many miles of busy roads (bearing in mind the Pro's won't have to battle with irate motorists!!). Don't mind a little bit but if there are long distances on fast roads and dual carriageway I'll do something else!

Can anyone let me know. Many thanks, Freebs.

MartinGT

You will be fine if you're on your own or a few others. 20+ riders and you may annoy people, but hey, the roads are for all as long as you;re considerate.

Enjoy.

freebs

Only me! Thank - you.

MartinGT

freebs wrote:

Only me! Thank - you.

Stage 1 has some great low traffic roads, the main bit of heavy traffic area is coming out of Leeds. After that its a nice mixture.

Otley & Ilkley is busy, but as its an area of heavy cycle use (Thwaitesy, Brownlee's Edmonson's, Armitstead and the infamous Leeds CG) they are used to cyclists.

Once you get further into the Dales you're laughing. Some great climbs and views if you havent been in the area, you will love it.

Day two the A59 is a FAST road. Lots of traffic, so just be wary of it. You're not on it for long like, but still busy. Then 'uddersfield will be busy. Holme Moss you'll be fine on, its wide enough.

Cracking

freebs

Thanks Martin, I'm looking forward to it!,

Garryboy

Hi,
Also interested in this as a few of us (around 6) are looking to ride the stage 1&2 routes for Charity next May (coming down from Scotland).

Can you get a detailed route map nd/or GPX file from anywhere yet?

Wardster00

Here you go.......

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3640577
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3640578

I fancy doing this as well, but it seems like a pretty big undertaking as my previous longest ride is 110 miles and both of these stages are longer than that and stage 2 looks tough.

mattbabs

The first few miles of Stage 1 are through Leeds so lots of traffic and lots of stopping at lights. There are some bike lanes but they aren't great so it won't be a relaxing start to the ride, I suppose it depends how important it is to do the exact route. Of course if you were planning a ride in the area you wouldn't choose the TdF route (even if you could close the roads). There are lots of nice back roads that take you through Ilkley and Otley and into the Dales away from the traffic but the TdF is too big to fit on them.

durhamwasp

Im not surely exactly when, but the Stage 1 (and possibly Stage 2) route is to be fully signposted for cyclists to follow. Have a feeling its happening early 2014, but will definitely be in place before the Tour.

mattbabs

I've read that the County Council are paying for the signs on the route in North Yorkshire. That includes most of stage 1 but only the start of stage 2. Perhaps the other councils will follow. There's certainly no sign of anything in Leeds/Otley/Ilkley. I've just got back from a ride that included the Leeds-Harewood-Otley section. The council need to sort out some potholes before they start spending money on signs!

markhewitt1978

It's a shame there isn't an organised ride over the route, as like the OP I'd like to do the route but would rather do it with a group, or at least have other cyclists on the road at the same time since there's some busy roads involved.

Missing out the city centre Leeds bit - and Harrogate because it's the wrong way up a one way street would be fine.

thefog

Sections of the route are not suitable for cyclists and the advice about it being quiet roads is not quite right, given that many roads in the dales are one road in/ one road out. Height of the summer and you already have increased traffic/ tourism and many f the roads are key summer motorcycle routes. Add increase in popularity of the area.

That said, most lengths of stage 1 are rideable, with the very specific recommendation you do NOT cycle on the A61 between Ripon and Harrogate.

Just be sensible, enjoy the ride, don't ride restricting traffic etc, stop in the plentiful cafés, tea rooms, shops, bars, restaurants and hotels etc.

Signs are being installed by North Yorks County Council (their own idea and cost - it's not a project by the event organisers, up to each Council balancing tourism against road safety) over the majority of stage 1 route with the A61 exception. These signs are tourism based as oppose to just for cyclists.

Signs probably won't be installed on the sections of stage 2 as the roads just aren't suitable (A59 particularly) and I wouldn't recommend you cycle on it either! I wouldn't!

markhewitt1978

Good advice, thanks. I'm still planning, with some friends, to cycle most of the route on a ride before the tour goes across.

However I'm flexible on the route concerned, that it should be the majority of the Tour route but we don't have to stick to it precisely. e.g. I've no particular interest in Leeds city centre, so would probably start around Harewood. Good advice about the A61, perhaps some of the adjoining minor roads could be used instead?

The whole point for me would be to see the tour riders tacking the stage and be able to say "I've ridden that"

simona75

I did this ride earlier in the year, it follows some of the route and has the advantage of being a loop. Left my car in the national park car park in Grassington for the day for about £2

http://www.cyclethedales.org.uk/routes/ ... iption.pdf

Would recommend

alanp23

I know of at least one event that will be doing the Stage 1 route in June next year.

I am pretty sure that over the next few months there will be a few other that appear offering eiher stages 1 and 2.

I am definitely planning to ride both stages prior to the Tour. Just need to decide on the dates.

mattbabs

I can understand that people want to be able to say they've ridden the whole stage but as someone living near the route in Leeds I would recommend that people start outside the city. The race itself will be neutralised until they've gone through the grounds of Harewood House so the proper start will be about 10 miles into the stage. Even then they are missing all the good stuff like going down into Ilkley from the Cow and Calf rocks (you could probably hit 60mph if you've got the bottle!). The interesting bits start once you are in the Dales - see the above post about Grassington. You could also start in Ilkley but I wouldn't follow the official route on the main road via Skipton to Grassington, it's much quieter (and hillier) to go via Bolton Abbey on the back roads. If you are visiting the area you will be missing out on a lot if you only follow the official route, and the roads will be full of tourists!

markhewitt1978

I would think I would want to start around Harewood anyway, but there's no point in going to the area and 'riding the route' but actually riding roads near the route, could do that any time, as it's pretty meaningless.

ForumNewbie

mattbabs wrote:

I can understand that people want to be able to say they've ridden the whole stage but as someone living near the route in Leeds I would recommend that people start outside the city. The race itself will be neutralised until they've gone through the grounds of Harewood House so the proper start will be about 10 miles into the stage.

I hadn't realised it was going to be neutralised until Harewood. That's good for news for me as I live in Harrogate and want to do the route next spring but didn't fancy riding an extra 18 miles just to start in Leeds. I regularly commute by bike down the A61 to work in Leeds, so happy to miss that bit out rather than cycle down to Leeds and back up the A61 again to Harewood. I'll probably start and finish in Harrogate as it's about 9 miles to Harewood to get on the stage route, so I'll be riding the same total distance as I'd be doing if I was starting in Leeds.

thefog

ForumNewbie wrote:

I hadn't realised it was going to be neutralised until Harewood. That's good for news for me as I live in Harrogate and want to do the route next spring but didn't fancy riding an extra 18 miles just to start in Leeds. I regularly commute by bike down the A61 to work in Leeds, so happy to miss that bit out rather than cycle down to Leeds and back up the A61 again to Harewood. I'll probably start and finish in Harrogate as it's about 9 miles to Harewood to get on the stage route, so I'll be riding the same total distance as I'd be doing if I was starting in Leeds.

First 10km on all stages are generally neutralised. So Stage 1 is from Leeds to A659 [starts after jcn Weardley Lane], and stage 2 from York centre to the A1237 ring road.

Have to say though, some sections of the A65 aren't the best for cyclists either.

samoff

I live in Harrogate and I'd echo the notes above about missing out some of the main-road bits of the stages. I've signed up for the Ripon Tour Sportive [http://ripontoursportive.co.uk/] (no vested interest), as it looks like it covers some of the best bits and goes a week after the tour so the roads are still painted etc.

Having said that I might do Stage 2 as a separate challenge.

zx6man

I will be doing the 2 stages, but not set a date yet

markhewitt1978

TheFog wrote:

Have to say though, some sections of the A65 aren't the best for cyclists either.

Which is why I think it's disappointing there isn't a closed road sportive for this purpose. Then everyone who wants to do the route - and I'm sure there are many, could do on one weekend and in safety away from heavy traffic.

rodgers73

I wouldn't mind getting a group of people together off here to ride the 2 stages over a weekend. Maybe a couple of weeks before the Tour starts. Would be fun to finish off with the group in Harrogate/York and Sheffield and go for drinks etc afterwards.

I'll do a separate thread on it.

ForumNewbie

TheFog wrote:

ForumNewbie wrote:

I hadn't realised it was going to be neutralised until Harewood. That's good for news for me as I live in Harrogate and want to do the route next spring but didn't fancy riding an extra 18 miles just to start in Leeds. I regularly commute by bike down the A61 to work in Leeds, so happy to miss that bit out rather than cycle down to Leeds and back up the A61 again to Harewood. I'll probably start and finish in Harrogate as it's about 9 miles to Harewood to get on the stage route, so I'll be riding the same total distance as I'd be doing if I was starting in Leeds.

First 10km on all stages are generally neutralised. So Stage 1 is from Leeds to A659 [starts after jcn Weardley Lane], and stage 2 from York centre to the A1237 ring road.

From centre of Leeds to A659 Weardley Lane junction is nearly 9 miles, so it seems quite a long neutral section on Stage 1. It'll be interesting to see how quick the pros still are while doing that section at their neutralised pace.

thefog

markhewitt1978 wrote:

TheFog wrote:

Have to say though, some sections of the A65 aren't the best for cyclists either.

Which is why I think it's disappointing there isn't a closed road sportive for this purpose. Then everyone who wants to do the route - and I'm sure there are many, could do on one weekend and in safety away from heavy traffic.

Closed roads sportives are usually on quiet roads with some crossings of main A roads like the Marie curie Etape events - the Tour de France is on the only major roads into some areas. It just won't happen - would cost a fortune to close those roads and would restrict a lot of rural communities. Many already pissed off at one day road closures.

AllWhyte

There is a organised ride with this hotel doing the hosting I am doing it in mid May, 7 of us.
http://www.rendezvous-skipton.co.uk/ind ... and-depart.

DaveMoss

Riding the exact route of a TdF stage (or two) sounds appealing; but then when I think about it I ask myself why?
The race chooses a route to take in some spectacular scenery to show off the area on telly, so that's a good reason. It also seeks to make it a worthy challenge for the worlds best racers, so that's two reasons. But they also want to take it to the people, so that means towns and cities. They also want to get to places in a hurry sometimes, so that means main roads for some of it. and they are happy to end with a good stretch to suit the sprinters teams, which is not the best for the leisure cyclist.
So, given that it is easy to find more scenic, less traffic and more challenging rides in the area taking in the best bits of the stages, what exactly is to be achieved by sticking to, or even close to, the exact route of the race? ( or have I lost my soul)

A closed road event on the exact route is not likely going to happen, but you could always sneak into the peloton on race day and hope no one notices, it will be a full field for these stages so you should get away with it ok.

markhewitt1978

A few reasons I think. For me the main one will be watching the pros on TV tackling the course and thinking "I was there! Ooh that's that climb where I struggled, that's that really good twisty section" etc. And to say that you've done it and you are a 'part' of the event.

Personally I can get on my bike and go into the County Durham hills any time I like and have similar scenery, but that's not what it's about, it's the Tour de France, and that's just that little bit special.

I suppose the same way as the day we went to see the Olympic torch coming through, it's something that doesn't happen very often, in the case of the Olympics probably not again in my lifetime.