Excitement!!

What a day it has been for Yorkshire!!! The early low mist and drizzle blew away, the crowds came in their thousands, the sun came out and Le Tour fever gripped Skipton.

We walked up the High Street at 9am as people claimed their pitches alongside the barricades. Cafes were already doing a roaring trade, and cyclists were arriving in droves and pedalling along the route. We walked on up the hill and out of town to find our own spot, passing houses covered in bunting and residents setting up tables and chairs and bbqs. The atmosphere kept building, and the crowds kept swarming up the hill and didn't stop until just before the lead riders came through.
The noise, the colour, the speed of the peloton and all the support vehicles was electrifying. As we walked back into town, Skipton was just a sea of people.

I caught this shot during the caravan, and think it captures the fun and excitement of the moment.