What’s it like… to ride in a support car during a pro cycle race

An email came through at Sport magazine where I was working at the time. Would any of us like to ride in a support car for one leg of the 2011 Tour of Britain cycle race?

All eyes in the office turned to me. ‘Defo,’ say I.

Tour of Britain 2011

My car-eye-view of the cyclists as the media car pulls up alongside the racers during the longest stage.

I take a look at the schedule and pick the longest route – 124 miles from Bury St Edmunds to Sandringham – with the idea being I’d make the make the most of the opportunity. It was a looooong day.

Following the cyclists at bicycle pace – a rapid bicycle pace but an engineless pace nevertheless – takes a while. I think it was five hours I spent in the car.

On your bike

I took loads of photos, chatted to the Tour of Britain driver about many an indiscretion over various races around the world at which he’d worked.

I also chatted to the PR guy from the company who’d sent the email to the magazine in the first place who was in the back seat.

Below is a vlog of the day from my photographer’s eye view of the 2011 Tour of Britain. I’d give you more of a heads up about the cyclists but quite honestly I had no idea what was happening.

Tour of Britain 02

The camera operator must have thighs of steel

At day’s end, the PR boys headed off in a car back to London, pretty much going past where I lived. Despite a spare seat they opted to drop me at a local train station where I sat alone for an hour waiting for a Sunday-schedule train.

Couldn’t help but think it would have been quicker by bike…

If you like this, you might also like:
How to get stupidly excited about men cycling up a hill
An Ode to Odious Lance Armstrong
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Author: Jo Gunston

Freelance sportswriter Jo Gunston works for the likes of Olympics.com and also publishes additional content at sportsliberated.com. A favourite personal sporting moment for the former elite gymnast was performing as a 'dancer' in the London 2012 opening ceremony.

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