{"id":77767,"date":"2023-09-09T19:06:20","date_gmt":"2023-09-09T19:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/?p=77767"},"modified":"2023-09-09T19:06:20","modified_gmt":"2023-09-09T19:06:20","slug":"local-fans-turn-out-in-droves-to-support-tour-of-britain-riders-tackling-146-kilometre-stage-in-record-breaking-heatwave-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/local-fans-turn-out-in-droves-to-support-tour-of-britain-riders-tackling-146-kilometre-stage-in-record-breaking-heatwave-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Local fans turn out in droves to support Tour of Britain riders tackling 146-kilometre stage in record-breaking heatwave | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
THERE can't be many things worse than riding 146 kilometres during a record-breaking heatwave.<\/p>\n
Well, that's what stood in front of the 95 riders competing in the sweltering Tour of Britain on Friday.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
After five days of progressively uncomfortable temperatures – within which the race covered nearly 800km [497 miles] – the challenging conditions continued to ramp up to unprecedented levels on stage six.<\/p>\n
Usually, the weather in the eight-day jaunt around the UK is a welcome departure from the soaring heat experienced at some of the biggest races of the year on the continent.<\/p>\n
Instead, Friday saw the fifth consecutive September day of temperatures climbing above 30 degrees Celsius [86 degrees Fahrenheit] for the first time ever.<\/p>\n
Yet that did not deter the British public from lining the streets throughout the course – which ran from Southend-on-Sea to Harlow.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SunSport headed to the midway point of the day's action, to the 5,000-person parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning, to get a feel for the atmosphere.<\/p>\n
And those in attendance could not have been more thrilled for a televised sporting event to be happening on their doorstep.<\/p>\n
One local said: "I think it\u2019s fantastic that our charming village will be showcased, albeit briefly, and the rest of the country get to see the wonderful countryside around us."<\/p>\n
While another added: "Maybe it will also mean a few potholes get fixed!"<\/p>\n
<\/picture>DRIVE TO SURVIVE <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>TRI HARD <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>RIP CHAMP <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/picture>WIGGLE ROOM <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS<\/strong><\/p>\n Hundreds of people lined the pavements in the middle of the day to watch as the three-man breakaway and 90-plus rider peloton sped through the village centre and up the hill to Fryerning – all the while making it look as flat as a pancake.<\/p>\n And the impressive crowds gathered despite it receiving little local promotion.<\/p>\n Very few signs could be seen telling people the race was coming past their homes – with one explaining they "only caught wind of it" through the village Facebook group.<\/p>\n That was despite the likes of Britain's Olympic gold medallist Tom Pidcock and Belgian superstar Wout van Aert leading a strong field.<\/p>\n Such was the lack of information that James, 40, who works in Anchor Fish & Chips metres from where the riders came through, nearly missed them because he "got his days muddled up" and "thought it was tomorrow".<\/p>\n Admittedly, it's not the Tour de France.<\/p>\n But you would still have hoped the increased attention cycling has received in the UK over the past decade would raise the Tour of Britain's profile.<\/p>\n By contrast, club cyclists were never going to make the same mistake as they turned up in their droves to watch their idols – with many taking the opportunity to ride some of the course.<\/p>\n But it was less than an ideal day for local butcher, Clive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 64-year-old, working at Galvin Family Butchers on Friday, admitted the extreme weather meant his sales actually dropped despite the influx of people.<\/p>\n When asked if he sold more as a result of the Tour of Britain, he replied: "Less. Who wants a roast dinner today?"<\/p>\n Nevertheless, the feel-good scene created by the race will hopefully have translated to the riders as they endured the gruelling heat on another day for the sprinters.<\/p>\n Ice packs attached to water bottles at feed stations on the course are often one way the peloton deal with extreme conditions.<\/p>\n But other than that it is a case of suffering on the bike and ticking off more tarmac as they move towards Sunday's finale.<\/p>\n Friday's stage was won by Bora\u2013Hansgrohe's Dutch rider Danny van Poppel – who ended Team Jumbo-Visma's streak of winning all of the opening five stages.<\/p>\n There was some bad news for British fans on Saturday as their big hope, Pidcock, 24, abandoned the race due to a saddle sore infection.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Uno-X's Norwegian rider Rasmus Tiller went on to claim the penultimate stage.<\/p>\n And Van Aert, 28, heads into Sunday's decider with a three-second lead over Van Poppel, 30, in the general classification.<\/p>\nHow Armstrong made \u00a316m from Uber after losing fortune in doping scandal<\/h3>\n
Triathlete shunts OWN TEAM-MATE off bike into barriers & fans aren\u2019t buying excuse<\/h3>\n
Champion cyclist aged 22 dies in training crash with team left ‘heartbroken’<\/h3>\n
Olympic legend\u2019s son targets LA 2028 gold and claims \u2018I\u2019m better than my dad\u2019<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\nRead More on The Sun<\/span><\/h2>\n
Signs of diseases hidden INSIDE your mouth – from cancer to HIV & how to check<\/h3>\n
Helen Flanagan holiday-shamed after sharing unseen pics fromGreek trip with kids<\/h3>\n