Quite a few years ago David Duffield ( ES commentator) when he was setting the scene would say that there were 8000 people travelling with the Tour.........so basically it is a small town travelling along the route and decamping every night........

probably more than 8000 now ..........

I would not care to hazard a guess how many involved.. on local TV here last night they were thanking the 12000 volunteers who will help marshall the event

the security is tight on the Local Hotels with fans last night converging on them snapping with mobile phones etc at two of the Hotels the police were called to shift them all
today some one really famous must be showing up at Harewood as the Local tv is saying they cannot name the person for security reasons which is odd consideing that tomorrow 3 Royals are arriving yet the person today coming cannot be named
all very odd

Maybe it's the French president himself!

They usually turn up for at least one of the French stages, sure enough.

Michael Bling Matthews has sadly had to retire from the Tour following an earlier training ride crash.

Typical. I jinxed him yesterday by saying I was going to support him. Oh well. Geraint Thomas is my hot choice now.

Can riders still be replaced at this stage? Not quite sure.

They must be as OGE have already confirmed Christian Meier as his replacement.

There's hope for Wiggo yet!

LMAO. I'm sticking pins in my Chris Froome voodoo doll as I type.

Don't. Chris is the only cyclist that can challenge Bertie. I don't want to see a Spanish procession.

Following on from the earlier thread about the VIP visiting it turned out to be David Cameron
rather odd how 3 Royals are advertised as being there yet the PM is top secret

Saw the Europecar cycling team training today on a road 1 mile from my house... pretty surreal driving around with the Worlds top riders training everywhere nearby
cant really believe all this is going on in my home town

Didn't realise David Millar was so big........

He looks to be a foot taller than Chris Boardman and Gary Imlach......

Off we go on ITV - they haven't thought through the presenter's podium, David Millar is towering over Chris Boardman and Gary Imlach.

Yeah, I was shocked. He's about 6'3".

no wonder he was a 'rouleur' and not a mountain goat !

Gutted that David Millar isn't racing, though I'm glad he'll be commentating. Certainly a very thoughtful and intelligent bloke. Not afraid to go off piste in his comments, either.

There's a long 'roll out' with Leeds being such a big city.........the flag won't drop until Harewood House which will be around mid-day

There's a lull between 11.40 and noon where they have to stop and get off their bikes apparently - for the opening ceremony at Harewood.

I've been to Harrogate a few times for conferences and the finish line today isn't far from the conference centre. The road kicks up quite a bit shortly before the final sprint, so I'd expect that to play a role insofar as positioning is concerned.

I think that will just be the roll out through Leeds with the flag at Harewood House

I don't think they'll get off the bikes.......they never do on any other stage.......

Yes, I agree it would be highly unusual for them to get off their bikes but I'm just going by what the book says.

11.10 Unofficial start of the 101st Tour de France
11.40 Official starting ceremony of the 101st Tour de France ahead Harewood House
12.00 Official start of the first stage

And we're off

I think you're right...........effectively they appear to have 2 roll outs........one to get outside the city, then another at Harewood House

I wonder how many people watching for the first time will think 'blimey, this is boring..........they're crawling along' !