Aviva Womens Tour.

This morning the Aviva Womens Tour came through Buxton on their way from Ashbourne to Chesterfield, so I took the day off work to watch them pass through. Now I should confess that I don't follow cycling, so know nothing of the teams and riders, but I do enjoy the spectacle of a pro bike race.

I found a nice spot near a roundabout, (next to the Palace Hotel for those that know the area), which I felt would give a good vantage point for photography as the riders would have to slow for the corner.

Walking down into town you wouldn't think that some of the worlds best riders were about to race through, I'm sure that more fuss was made for the mens tour last year. Womens cycling really doesn't get the attention that it deserves, which I find quite sexist to be frank. Mini rant over.

That short time before the riders appear is always quite exciting I find, with the various course cars, police motorbikes using their sirens, the motorcycling marshalls (who I bet wish they had sirens) and the team cars bristling with spare bikes and spinning wheels on their roof racks.

Then the stars of the show appeared, first off a breakaway;

Followed by the main pelaton;

Heading off under an overcast sky;

Followed by a straggler chasing hard;

Another straggler followed (remember that even those at the back will be far quicker than us mere mortals), along with more team and course cars then it was all over, probably much to the relief of the lorry driver who was held at the roundabout for about half an hour...

Again I had the difficult choice of view through a lens or leave the camera at home. My efforts to record this event are to be honest a bit crap. I had the camera (a DSLR) set to auto, a mistake perhaps, and the overcast sky didn't help matters.

Dani didn't join me today, she had an appointment in Sheffield to keep, but she was able to get to Chesterfield to see the finish.

Paul.