Aay up, ecky thump, it's Le Tour 2014

[Jon Crofts]

Starts July 5 in Yorkshire with 2 stages, then Cambridge to London before heading across to France for the remaining stages.

No Sir Wiggo, big, big mistake in the PR game by Dave Brailsford & Sky, a lack of respect for Wiggins?

Sadly can't see past Froome, yes I know how unpatriotic of me not to support the Kenyan stem starring miserable snake.

[stubbsyandy]

Can't Wait...we are off to stay in Masham for the week, and the tour goes through on Saturday!

[lennythekad]

If he hadn't been following team orders, Froome would have probably won it the year Wiggins did.

[Chris Jameson]

Harrogate seems to be getting quite excited about it, loads of yellow bikes appearing round the town and a lot of knitted tour jerseys as bunting. Of course there's been loads of grumbling about how many visitors it will attract to the town and that for two days the roads are closed. They were even moaning about the fact they've been moaning about the state of the roads for years and they've now been repaired for a bike race.

To be honest I've got no interest in it especially as the only rider I could pick out of a line up isn't going to be in it but it is quite exciting that a major sporting event takes place 2 minutes from our doorstep. The mayor of Knaresborough even claimed it was 'likely to attract even more visitors to the town than the world famous bed race'. That's the world famous Knaresborough bed race.

[Woofles The Wonder Dog]

They came through Tunbridge Wells a few years back, so I ambled down to see them go swoosh past me, then scuttled a couple of hundred yards across town to see them go swoosh again.

I do follow cycling, and it's something to have seen the Tour go swoosh (twice!), but it wasn't the greatest sporting event I've ever witnessed.

[Chris Jameson]

I do follow cycling, and it's something to have seen the Tour go swoosh (twice!), but it wasn't the greatest sporting event I've ever witnessed.

I've never been able to get into any sport where you can't see all the action as it's happening, I've tried to get my two kids to build up some enthusiasm but they really aren't interested! One really great thing about it though is Sporting Memories have been welcomed on board and invited to have a series of hubs to gather memories, spread the word about their work and make it a dementia friendly Grand Depart.

[UK Redsox]

If he hadn't been following team orders, Froome would have probably won it the year Wiggins did.

Yep, on that one climb Froome clearly had Wiggins beat but was told to slow down by the team. If Froome had been allowed to go for it that day there would be no Sir Wiggo

[Yossarian]

I still wanted the Brit to win then and I still wish the Brit was starting the race especially as it starts over here. For most of my life I have watched the tour with no Brit as a contender for the GC and this year will be no different. I will still get excited by the Alps, the Pyrenees and all the big bunch sprints.

[Gareth]

If he hadn't been following team orders, Froome would have probably won it the year Wiggins did.

Yep, on that one climb Froome clearly had Wiggins beat but was told to slow down by the team. If Froome had been allowed to go for it that day there would be no Sir Wiggo

He might have took 30-40-50 seconds that day but Wiggo smashed the time trial by over a minute and won by over 3.

Shame he isn't there this year because he proved in California that he has plenty of gas to have been good for support of Froome

[Lizz]

Harrogate seems to be getting quite excited about it, loads of yellow bikes appearing round the town and a lot of knitted tour jerseys as bunting. Of course there's been loads of grumbling about how many visitors it will attract to the town and that for two days the roads are closed. They were even moaning about the fact they've been moaning about the state of the roads for years and they've now been repaired for a bike race.

To be honest I've got no interest in it especially as the only rider I could pick out of a line up isn't going to be in it but it is quite exciting that a major sporting event takes place 2 minutes from our doorstep. The mayor of Knaresborough even claimed it was 'likely to attract even more visitors to the town than the world famous bed race'. That's the world famous Knaresborough bed race.

I was in Harrogate last month, and driving round North Yorkshire wondered why there were bikes above a number of pub doors. It was only when I noticed the French flags that the penny dropped. A taxi driver told us there were a lot of complaints about road closures.

[Chris Jameson]

I was in Harrogate last month, and driving round North Yorkshire wondered why there were bikes above a number of pub doors. It was only when I noticed the French flags that the penny dropped. A taxi driver told us there were a lot of complaints about road closures.

It's typical of the town, it's for two days in the year and they've had plenty of warning! It seems to be the letter writers to the local paper who are very much in the minority and fail to see how good it will be for the local economy, all the hotels have been fully booked for over a year and the restaurants are all booked up. We've got an event on at the Theatre on the first day headlined by John Cooper Clarke and at one stage it looked like we might be putting him up, I was gutted they managed to find a B&B as my daughter has been studying one of his poems at school!

[Mister E]

I was in Harrogate last month, and driving round North Yorkshire wondered why there were bikes above a number of pub doors. It was only when I noticed the French flags that the penny dropped. A taxi driver told us there were a lot of complaints about road closures.

It's typical of the town, it's for two days in the year and they've had plenty of warning! It seems to be the letter writers to the local paper who are very much in the minority and fail to see how good it will be for the local economy, all the hotels have been fully booked for over a year and the restaurants are all booked up. We've got an event on at the Theatre on the first day headlined by John Cooper Clarke and at one stage it looked like we might be putting him up, I was gutted they managed to find a B&B as my daughter has been studying one of his poems at school!

I haven't picked up the same negativity around here as you seem to have done, Chris.
It'll be great for the town and the road closures are a minor distraction; most people seem to understand that.

It's been a much bigger hassle having the extended devleopment of the new M&S on the Leeds Road TBH.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

If he hadn't been following team orders, Froome would have probably won it the year Wiggins did.

Like he beat him in the Olympics...oh wait, he didn't.

Wiggins, in 2012, was the best rider. Pushing ahead in one stage doesn't mean Froome would've won.

[Chris Jameson]

I haven't picked up the same negativity around here as you seem to have done, Chris.
It'll be great for the town and the road closures are a minor distraction; most people seem to understand that.

It's been a much bigger hassle having the extended devleopment of the new M&S on the Leeds Road TBH.
[/quote]

Don't get me wrong I've not heard any first hand but the letter writers to the local paper seem to think they speak for the majority of the town and they quite clearly don't!

[Jon Crofts]

If he hadn't been following team orders, Froome would have probably won it the year Wiggins did.

Like he beat him in the Olympics...oh wait, he didn't.

Wiggins, in 2012, was the best rider. Pushing ahead in one stage doesn't mean Froome would've won.

Wiggins would ride for the team, you won't catch that snake Froome riding for the team.  I really hope he gets his arse handed to him this year.  As you can tell, I'm not a fan.