The Tour de Yorkshire kicked off once again on the East Coast of our wonderful county in Bridlington. I have photographed each edition of the tour from a location usually at a midpoint in the race. My ambition was to research a good location, and get there ready to compose an image of landscape and the peloton.

TdY 2015The Tour De Yorkshire 2015 Edition winds through Castleton towards Danby in the North York Moors. TdY 2016Cote de Blakey Bank. I wanted to capture the road as it leads up Blakey Ridge but dull weather and parked cars spoilt the image for me.

However this year I decided to have a change and volunteered my services to the Tour de Yorkshire Official Charity Partner the Alzheimer's Society.

My brief this year was to capture my own images of the race, but also to capture some pictures of the volunteers that endlessly contribute their personal time to this worthwhile cause.

The Team at Bridlington

As well as the guys at the tent by the start line, volunteers were out with buckets collecting donations.

Further down the promenade the teams were arriving and preparing for the opening stage of the tour.

British ChampAdam Blythe's signature white cycle within the Aquablue teams set up.

I was stood at the top of the slipway when 2 young lads in the Raleigh Pro GAC team had a quick warm up on the seafront. Both were polite when they returned up their smallest climb of the day, as we wished them luck for the tour.

Cheers lads, and your team won 2 new supporters!

Meanwhile near the start line, the entertainment was keeping the crowds happy. I had a brief chat with my best man who was leading a local disability cycling group through the start corridor.

As the start approached I spotted the Sand Art was having its finishing touches being done. Unfortunately the TV Helicopter wasn't in sight to capture its grandeur. I hope these guys got some appreciation and hopefully some pics from a drone!

It looked just as good, at ground level.

Well done Bridlington on hosting a superb opening event! 

I managed to get home and get to Birdsall, as it was the nearest point the Tour passed my house! 

Day 2

I'm in Tadcaster, on my first visit to the town. You could tell the excitement of the local for hosting this event. It made a great celebration of unification in the town now the bridge has reopened. On both sides of the River Wharfe, there was lots going on with Minster FM in attendance, all the shops were selling refreshments and having charity raffles and prize draws. It was great to be about. 

It wasn't just a celebration of cycling it was a celebration of  a town & community coming together.

A cracking sense of humour in Taddy! 

Once again, I took time to photograph the volunteers and shop keeps raising money for the Alzheimer's Society.

By the time the Caravan had left town 2 hours before race time, the town was already buzzing. Many were watching the Lizzie win the Womens TdY and the riders signing on the stage.

Final Preparations before the flag is dropped on Stage 2:

I was a big fan of the bikes on show. They are surprisingly simple design, all carbon fibre and as light and tough as possible

The start line was incredibly busy. 30 minutes for race time and I was stuck to one side of the bridge! Never mind, I tried my best to get a shot from behind the riders as they queued up at the start line. 

Cheers Taddy, Brid, and of course Sir Gary Verity and the team at Tour de Yorkshire and ASO. Another great spectacle and successful legacy of the Tour de France with record crowds of over 1 million over the weekend.