Tour de France 2014

Tour de France (TDF) is the most famous cycling race in the planet. It also has the most number of live audience, could be 15 million or more, people lining up on the roads to watch the riders and their team vehicles, organizers' and media vehicles.

TDF 2014 first three stages were held in UK. Part of Stage 1 last Saturday. This is from BBC's Tour de France 2014: The "grandest" of Grand Departs.

 
I was active in cycling from 1992 to around 1998. In the mid 90s, I was riding about 100 kms. a week for two years or more. Just a recreational rider, not a competitive cyclist.

Britain's royalty watched the opening stage on the road.

I was a member of the Neopolitan Cycling Club in Fairview, Quezon City. Many of my cyclist friends are still there.

The BBC report said about 2.5 million people watched Stage 1 alone. Even in rural parts of Britain, there were many people.

During the heydays of Marlboro Tour in the 90s, me and some friends would travel to Baguio City to watch the punishing stage in that big mountain city, elevation about 4,500 ft above sea level.

Part of the crowd in Stage 2, York to Sheffield. These photos from the TDF facebook page.

We would also bike from Fairview to Tagaytay and back (about 160 kms.) in the 90s. And join the "Century Ride" from UP Diliman to UP Los Banos via Rizal towns and eastern side of Laguna.

Still part of the crowd of Stage 2 in Britain.

The beauty of being a stage winner. Vincenzo Nibali. Look at the crowd at the finish line.

Part of the crowd yesterday, Stage 3, Cambridge to London.

The Brits are hooked on the tour.

TDF and road cycling is the only sport in the planet where atheletes pass by remote rural areas...

To big cities, on the same race, or same day. Big Ben in London.

I wish to see TDF live someday, in my lifetime.