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Sportive

La Marmotte, Il Maratona or Le Grand Départ? How to cope with the date clash dilemma

British cyclists face choice between watching Tour de France on home soil or riding European sportives


Option three: Watch it on Saturday, ride it on Sunday

Just can’t decide whether to watch or ride? Then do both.

Line the roadsides on Saturday July 5 to witness the Grand Depart and Cavendish and Marcel Kittel battling with their fellow sprinters for the maillot jaune then follow the same route yourself the following day.

Welcome to Yorkshire have promised to create a legacy from the Grand Départ, and part of that legacy includes the installation of road signs marking the route to allow cyclists to follow the same course.

New signage, shown here by Cllr John Weighall, leader of Yorkshire County Council, and Gary Verity will be installed so cyclists and drivers can follow the Grand Depart route (pic: submitted by Tom Swain/Welcome to Yorkshire)

Sportives are being organised specifically to do this, too: the Dare 2b Yorkshire Festival of Cycling, for example, which offers the opportunity to witness the race first-hand on the Saturday before hosting organised rides across the weekend.

Whether part of a big group on an organised ride, or riding alone with a passion to get some miles in on the same route the professionals have taken, the opportunity to tackle the route within 24 hours of the world’s best having done the same will come just once.

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