Two cycling pals have tested out the Tour de France route through Calderdale and Kirklees and said: “It’s fantastic!”
Experienced riders Rob Lucas 46, and Dan Stocchero, 41, travelled the route from Hebden Bridge to the top of Holme Moss for the Examiner.
The duo completed the ride in two and a half hours with a couple of stops for pictures and drinks and Rob said: “People are going to love this.
“It will be brilliant for the riders and brilliant for those coming to watch. It’s going to be spectacular.”
Click below to see video from the route.
Rob, of Birkby, is a keen amateur who has ridden in some stunning European destinations including the Pyrenees, while Dan competes across the North of England with Brighouse-based team 3RT.
Dan, of Fixby, who has ridden the whole route, said: “My parents are Italian and I have ridden all over Europe but the scenery in Yorkshire is as good as anywhere I’ve seen. It’s stunning.”
The duo completed the ride in warm sunshine with blues skies above the normally foreboding Holme Moss and Dan said: “If the weather is good it will be brilliant and if the weather’s bad it will still be brilliant!”
The weather isn’t a concern for the riders, according to Dan, but it is for the spectators. “The riders will get on with it regardless but we want sunshine and good weather so people will come out and enjoy the day.”
The duo took seven minutes to get up Ripponden Bank – the pros take about three minutes – and Cragg Vale, the longest continuous gradient in England, they dismiss as “relatively easy” depending on how much speed you build up first.
Despite the big hills, the Kirklees and Calderdale stage will benefit the sprinters and Rob said: “This stage is relatively flat. Yes, there are some short, steep punches but compared to climbing three mountains in the Alps it’s nothing.”
The duo reckon the stretch from Ainley Top through Huddersfield and into Honley will be a fast stretch.
“From Ainley Top crowds are going to witness something like Formula One,” added Rob, who says his favourite part will be the tight terraced streets in Elland around Queen Street and Hullen Edge.
“It’s unbelievable that people living in these little terraced houses can look out and see these riders up close. The 90 degree bends are something else.”
There has been some concern expressed by Tour riders that some of the Yorkshire stone walls on the route proved a bit daunting for fast-paced racing but Rob said: “I don’t think that will be a problem in summer.
“And lots of stretches of the road have been resurfaced, like Ainley Top, and while there are one or two rough sections on the whole it’s pretty good. Some surfaces not on the route, however, are dreadful.”
To hear more from Dan and Rob on what they think some of the best spots to view the race could be, click below.
Holme Moss is, of course, a killer and Rob said: “Holme Moss is definitely the hardest part.”
Rob and Dan want everyone to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle and Dan said: “While the riders will be past in 10 seconds, it is the whole day that counts.
“A whole cavalcade will descend and it will be a day-long party. There are lots of free giveaways, which the kids will love, and rather than whinge about roads being closed, people should just enjoy the weekend and pack the pubs and bars and have a really good time.
“The circus is coming to town. I don’t know how else you can describe it.”
Rob added: “This is a proper world class sporting event which billions of people watch. It’s the hardest sporting event there is and it’s going to be stunning.”
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