Tour de France fever and American Independence Day

Tour de France fever:

 

 

Best wishes to local rider Mark Cavendish

This weekend sees the arrival of the Yorkshire stage of the Tour de France, the Grande Depart, and as the Country gears itself up for ‘Tour de France’ fever, I would like to wish local professional road racing cyclist Mark Simon Cavendish MBE good luck in the race and look forward to him bringing home the coveted yellow jersey and nearly half a million in Euros.

 

Cavendish was born on the 21^st of May 1985 in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, but brought up in Harrogate, where his Mum was born, and now lives in Essex and trains in Italy.  Last year he was the first, second, fourth and eighth stage winner of the Tour of Turkey and in 2012 won the final stage of the 2012 Tour de France on the Champs-Elysees, for a record fourth successive year and has won 24 Tour stage wins in his career to date.  He won the red jersey at the 2013 Giro d’Italia, one of only five riders to win the points classification in all three Grand Tours.

To follow Mark on Twitter as he takes part in the race: @MarkCavendish

 

Where will you be and what are your plans for the Yorkshire stage of the Tour de France?  Will you be watching on the Saturday or Sunday, or even camping so that you can take in both days?  To help with your decision, see below our guide to the Tour de France:

 

The first stage in Yorkshire goes from Leeds to Harrogate taking in Otley, Ilkley, Skipton, Kettlewell, Kidstones, Hawes, Muker, Reeth, West Tanfield, Masham, Ripon, Harewood, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Addingham, Grassington, Buckden, Aysgarth, Buttertubs Pass, Leyburn, East Witton and North Stainley.

 

On Sunday the 6^th of July the route goes from York to Sheffield, taking in Addingham, Haworth, Oxenhope, Ripponden, Holmfirth, the Peak District National Park, High Bradfield, Knaresborough, Keighley, Hebden Bridge, Cragg Vale, Huddersfield, Holme Moss, Langsett and Blubberhouses.

 

 

I am very excited about the Tour de France and I will be watching it live on Saturday as it goes through Pool in Wharfedale and camping at Midgeley Farm, situated on the A659, which runs through Otley.

 

Whatever your plans for the Yorkshire section of the Tour de France, the first stage is set to give us a wonderful weekend of sport.

And today is also a special day for other reasons and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my American followers a Happy Independence Day.