Cavendish a Yorkshire Man?

Mark Cavendish backs Yorkshire's Tour de France bid


Mark Cavendish and Ben Swift are backing Yorkshire's bid to bring the Tour de France to the county in 2016.

Cavendish, who won the green jersey last year for being the Tour's best sprinter, said: "My mum is from Yorkshire so I'm proud to be backing the Yorkshire 2016 bid."
Team Sky team-mate Ben Swift said he would love to see a stage of the race run in his home county. "It would be amazing to be part of the peloton through the Dales," he said.

The first two days of racing, the Grand Depart, are held in a new location outside France every two years.

The Yorkshire Grand Depart has a great ring to it !!!!!!!!!

The Yorkshire Tourism Agency called 'Welcome to Yorkshire' say that the route would take in Leeds, Scarborough, York, Hull, Sheffield and the Yorkshire Dales.

Yorkshire is competing against Barcelona, Venice, Berlin and Scotland for the right to host the 2016 stages. Stages were last held in the UK in 2007 when London and Kent played host.

Cavendish, who has won 20 Tour de France stages, believes the county's natural beauty will prove attractive to the race's organisers.

"The county would provide a stunning backdrop to the Tour as well as a real test for the competitors," he said. "I have fond memories of holidaying in Yorkshire, a lot of my family still live there and it would be fantastic if the world's greatest cycle race could come to Yorkshire."

Swift added: "It's special to say you've raced the Tour de France, I'm proud to be able to say I have. I would love to see the Tour come to my home county, and I hope Welcome to Yorkshire can make it happen in 2016."

More than 185 countries around the world show the Tour de France every year on 92 different television channels with the last hour of every stage broadcast live across western Europe.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, wants the public to back the bid by signing a petition on their Back le Bid website.

"Some may see us as outsiders but we think Yorkshire has a lot to offer, not just our stunning scenery but the passion of our people and the expertise we have in hosting world class sporting events," he said.

Being a Yorkshire man I am totally behind and will do what I can to provide support please visit the
 Back le Bid website. and pledge your support

In the Frame

For those of you that have followed my blog for sometime you would have appreciated that I do like to use my Camera whilst out riding.

Sometimes its a bit tricky to pedal and 'click' at the same time.

I either crash, knock somebody over or take some very average photographs.

I have been looking for some suitable device to assist and to be able to use my video facility on my camera too.
I found a shop on E bay that provides a sturdy and maneuverable device that is perfect for all I need. I can even move the camera around the bike to get some great angles.

I have only used it a few times so far, for mainly Video clips and have attached the results below.

The E bay reference and contact details are:-

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/RiderMount?_trksid=p4340.l2563

mailto:colin@RiderMount.com







Its great value !!!!!

I cant wait to try some extreme videos

Inspiration

Today saw me break the 1000 mile mark for the year. Last year I did over 1000 miles in March alone so I am a bit behind both in Mileage and my annual weight loss.
Its a tough time...........The days are now getting longer and excuses shorter.
The usual commutes to work and occasional weekend rides are now replaced by obligatory commute extensions and longer rides at the weekend.

Although the cycle patterns have changed the weather has not - its still cold and icy, with lashings of rain.
Its far more suited to sitting in the lounge bar of your favorite pub than cycling in multiple layers. My legs have only been on show twice !!!!!!!!!

When my alarm goes off at 5am the birds may well be singing, but its still dark and I'm not quite ready for a duet.
The temptation is always to hit the snooze button multiple times, until its impossible to cycle for fear of being late.
When presented with those moments I used to think WWLD (What would Lance Do?)
That would always do the trick and Id be up and away.

Unfortunately my body has become immune to WWLD as some of the answers have become a bit ambiguous.
So I now look for new inspiration and WOW there is a lot of choice out there.

When I first got into cycling there was very little British interest in the Tour de France and I had to look to the track to find my first cycling Hero - Graham Obree 'The Flying Scotsman'.
Who flew around the track in such a position that I felt uncomfortable just watching.
A radical genius and tortured soul. Hero Status 9/10.
Then there was Chris Boardman, a reluctant Hero. His achievements were undeniable but he never really got me excited especially when he could only ever do a few days of the tour before retiring. Hero Status 6/10

After supporting American riders for years along comes Bradley, who I think maybe one of the best all round cyclists this country has ever seen. He has Pace, durability, Stamina and always seems totally relaxed and unfazed.

He would score 10/10 but being a Liverpool FC football fan I do have concerns about his mental health. Hero Score 9/10
Cav the boy Racer. World road Champion - Don't you just love him.

People say he is arrogant - not me. Every time a microphone is put in front of him he shows remarkable humility and always credits his team for any of his personal achievements. He is fast and very passionate. Hero Status 10/10

In the UK we have two brothers who can swim, cycle, and run pretty much faster than everyone in the world - The Brownlee brothers. They are from Yorkshire too - Where else. Hero Status 9/10
Vicky Pendalton has been the pin up girl of women's cycling for years now. You are now more likely to see her in a glamour magazine than on a cycle. Whilst the cameras have been focused on her, another star has emerged. - Joanna Rowsell
Joanna Rowsell is the new women's cycling sensation and pursuit champion and she has the attitude that makes hero makers purr.

Having lost all of her hair through Alopecia many young girls would avoided the public performance - Not Joanna -the 23 year old has used her condition to spur herself on and to draw the Camera away from the glamour to what really matters - The cycling. To see her ride is truly a thing of beauty. Hero Status 10/10

Last August Karen my friend, and wife of one of my closest friends had a tragic cycling accident in Texas whilst preparing for the annual Hotter than Hell ride. She had to be air lifted to Houston Memorial Hospital with a serious head injury. Her recovery has been slow and frustrating and she is still not well enough to return to work. This week she has an eye operation to try and help speed up her recovery. Myself and all of the Mules wish her well. If ever I needed an inspiration of courage and guts Karen provides it daily. Hero Status 10/10.

Paddy my twin brother has been the driving force behind the Travels with my Mule cycling team (The Mules) in the USA and whatever the weather he is out there, bullying, coaxing, encouraging, supporting. Whatever it takes to get folks cycling and smiling.

He would be the first to admit that his own personal fitness and weight have hindered his own aspirations and he has sometimes struggled to overcome this.

Not this year though.!!!!!!!

This year he is an inspiration. Fitter, lighter and stronger and starting to look like a cyclist rather than a cycle enthusiast. Hero Status 11/10

The snooze button is no Option