Tour of Britain, September 2014

The cycling Tour of Britain passed through Wales and the West Country in the middle of September. I caught up with the riders on Stage 3 (Newtown to The Tumble) and Stage 4 (Worcester to Bristol). This sort of event was a first for me so I spent quite a bit of time deciding what cameras and lenses to use and which vantage points to pick.

First up was the Tumble, the long fairly steep ascent of Blorenge, the mountain to the immediate south-west of Abergavenny. I chose a spot just back from the top of the steep section, 1.5 km from the finish. I used two cameras, both on tripods, one used conventionally and one set in a fixed position that I could trigger via a remote button under my heel!

A spectator with a hilly sign...

The lead riders...

Next group of riders...

Some of the following groups from a very spread out peloton...

The following day I went to Welland to catch the riders early in Stage 4.

The breakaway group.

A small group behind the breakaway group.

Followed closely by the peloton...

A straggler.

I then headed south to catch the riders at Nailsworth. I used two cameras again; one hand-held from the top of a small stepladder to see over the crowds, and a second on the top of a 4m mast in a fixed position triggered by a remote button under my big toe!

The breakaway group...

Alex Dowsett just behind the breakaway group following a double puncture...

The peloton...