While grouping up outside Jane’s Pantry in Twigworth, we saw the enormous Jumbo Visma team bus pass on its way to the start, with a smaller camper van belonging to Team Bingoal slipstreaming it. Obviously different teams have different budgets. A little later, another camper van passed, this time with the occupiant blowing his bugle. No prizes for guessing who that was!
With the closure of Down Hatherley Lane lifted, we diverted via the beautiful new surface through Boddington. The G road took us to Salter’s Hill, which was a new climb for me, and is certainly a brute, with little shade in today’s scorchio conditions.
Arriving at the top of Castle Street just in time to see what must be the entire country’s collection of police motor bikes pass, we then saw the peloton, and were glad to observe that they were struggling just like we do. After the race had passed, and we had amused ourselves watching people try to manoevre oversized cars down conjested lanes, we headed off on Salt Way, with great views down the escarpment.
A puncture near Brockhampton was quickly fixed, on the way to cold refreshments at the Royal Oak in Andoversford. The group appeared to have little appetite for the significant hills over to Edge in the intense heat, so a retreat home was made.
47 miles, 2,300′ ascent @14.6mph
