There’s a certain irony in the fact that Bath is hosting the first ever Saturday night stage of The Tour Series and the Matrix Fitness Women’s Grand Prix with a brand new city centre route which starts and finishes on Great Pulteney Street.
I am just a humble local cyclist who uses this grand Georgian terrace-lined route into town as l emerge from Sydney Gardens and the canal towpath.
As a regular man-on-two-wheels l can tell you the road surface is in a real mess and bike riders in particular feel every bump.
Whilst the professionals will speed over this lunar crater-like surface at a much greater speed than l ever could, l wonder whether B&NES is feeling just a tad embarrassed about its condition.
I mean bone-shakers are supposed to be a thing of the past but not in Great Pulteney Street. Just be careful you don’t bite your tongues you lovely ultra-fit racers.
There are other events on Saturday, May 20th which, according to B&NES, will aim ‘ to encourage as many people as possible to choose cycling as either a leisure activity or as a way of commuting to work in Bath and North East Somerset’.
I think that will depend on decent road surfaces and properly designated areas for us cyclists to use all year round – not just on May 20th when many will turn out to cheer that flash of blurred colourful lycra as these cycling supremos wizz past.
The Tour Series starts in Worcestershire on May 9, and finishes on May 29 in Stevenage.
Highlights of every round will be shown on ITV4, with programmes also available on demand via the ITV Hub.
More information can be found for all cycling events in and around Bath on May 20th via www.bathnes.gov.uk/tourseries
You can follow details of the Bath Stage of the Tour Series and the Sportive on Facebook Love 2 Cycle or Twitter @Love2cyclebath #TourBath #love2cyclesportive
