Steely determination of Wiggo and his merry men

I had just about decided not to blip today by simply not picking up a camera, but the blipping presence of Woodpeckers has meant there are more reminders and suggestions now. She has always been very imaginative and tonight intimated that the diced butternut squash, white onions, lemon grass, coconut milk and the other associated ingredients for supper, a recipe for which she had found on an ipad app, would be just the blip for me.

I did try, but in the rather dismal light in the kitchen. my efforts now look drab and dull, unlike the actual vegetable curry with chick peas and rice that she cooked which were delicious and filling. I then retreated, whilst she prepared the food, to watch the end of the fourth stage of the Tour of Britain on the telly and played around trying to work-out how best to film images on the tv screen.

I am an armchair fan of cycling and went to watch the Tour de France several years ago, after my interest had been kindled by Pat W., a cycling friend who urged me to follow the tv coverage many years ago and began to explain the technicalities and intricacies.

Today the riders were coming south from Carlisle across the Pennines, Shap summit and the edge of the Lake District, in torrential rain at times. As they approached the last few kilometres the main riders gathered again at the front, dropped the majority of the pack and headed along a nearly straight road along the lengthy sea front to cross the line beneath Blackpool Tower.

Here close to the end, the Sky Team are in formation for cleaving a path for their sprinter Mark Cavendish, the fastest sprinter in the world and World champion, for a few more weeks. Bradley Wiggins is here leading the Sky attack with Luke Rowe, who would take over guiding the 'Manx missile', as Cavendish is fondly and rightly nick-named, to the last few hundred metres, from where he is generally unbeatable. Cavendish is dressed in his unique World Champions rainbow striped jersey, which he wears for the whole year of his reign.

In fact, not only did Cavendish win today, easily in the end, but highly unusually he is also the leader of the overall race, or General Classification, and the question is now whether the Sky Team can work together in the next few stages to bring home Cavendish home as winner of the Race. It is most unlikely, but would be a coup, as the next few stages are normally the haunt of the climbing specialists. Can he do it? Tomorrow he will have the choice of wearing the Golden jersey of the overall race, like the fables Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France leader, or remaining in his World Champion's attire. I would put money on the former as it must be very rare for him to lead a race. I'm not a betting man though.

I rather liked the graininess of this picture, and of course must thank the tv cameraman on his motorbike for the image, which I am appropriating for my blip.