Racing Lines
Art by Maxine Dodd
La Vuelta 2013: Stage 2 Pontevedra – Baiona
Hola! Stage 2 of La Vuelta continued exploring the Atlantic coastline of Galicia with a dramatic climb from the coast road to the finish at Alto de Monte da Groba in Baiona. The day’s racing was led most of the stage by a breakaway of three riders but the stage was eventually won in style by Nicolas Roche. I confess that my eyes were distracted…
La Vuelta 2013: Stage 1 Vilanova de Arousa – Sanxenxo
Hola! So good to be back in the saddle for the last Grand Tour of the season, which takes us round Spain. Stage 1 took place as a team time trial on the gorgeous north-west coast of Galicia. 22 teams began the race by crossing a glass pontoon at Vilanova de Arousa and riding their way by pine forests and vineyards until reaching the pretty…
Pretty in pink
My second post that ties in with the Festival of Flowers blog. A great idea and very inspiring. Find out more – and take part, on http://festivalofflowers.wordpress.com/, (or click the logo below). It was one of those perfect late summer days yesterday, so I took my pens and watercolours into the garden and made some drawings. The two I liked best were of the Japanese anemone,…
Cricket, lovely cricket!
Hello! This year’s Ashes contest between England and Australia has been a mixed bag of matches where both sides played well and badly in turn. The Little Urn was retained by England in a match stopped by rain! It all felt a bit flat. However, the 4th Test at Durham was a return to form and really showed both teams and the game at…
Little African Violet
This is a post that ties in with a blog project based around flowers. Well worth a look and taking part. Find out more on http://festivalofflowers.wordpress.com/ , or click the logo below. This is a little african violet that sits at home with us and quietly goes about its work in a charming way. Here is my drawing:
Bolero!
Hola! Music and dance are a great source of inspiration. I’m fascinated by orchestras, bands and dancers and the way they work together. There was an exciting development at the Proms, where the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra were joined on stage by the Antonio Marquez Dance Company. They worked brilliantly together. The climax of the concert was the mesmeric Bolero by Ravel, with added flamenco…
Tour de France 2013: Stage 21 – Versailles to Paris Champs-Élysées
Bonjour! Stage 21 is the celebration stage. Rolling out from the Palace of Versailles and heading for Paris in the evening for a twighlight sprint around the Champs-Élysées. Setting off in beautiful late afternoon sunshine, all the riders looked relaxed and in good mood. This year, the sprint went round the Arc du Triomphe and there was an immense battle, the win was Kittel’s. Sky…
Tour de France 2013: Stage 20 – Annecy to Annecy-Semnoz
Bonjour! Stage 20 was outstanding, from the weather and scenery to incredible racing. There were many highlights, including Jens Voigt showing the youngsters how to climb a hill and fantastic breaks between Froome, Quintana and Rodriguez, not to mention some handsome cattle suitably dressed. Most of the final places overall were resolved in this stage. Peter Sagan held on to the Green; Polkadot and…
Tour de France 2013: Stage 19 – Bourg-d’Oisans to Le Grand Bornand
Bonjour! Stage 19 was a long stage, with five climbs overall. Sky had a better day and Chris Froome held on to his lead. Pierre Rolland, showed his metal in the climbs and descents for much of the race, but eventually overtaken for the win by Rui Costa. The real winner today perhaps was the rain, which in spite of the bright start came…
Tour de France 2013: Stage 18 – Gap to Alpe d’Huez
Bonjour! Stage 18, the one with the notorious climb to Alpe d’Huez, lived up to expectations. An intense, gruelling stage, leaving riders not only battling the hill, but contending with arguably the largest crowds ever. The roads were chaotic all the way. Van Garderen led for most of the race and then with barely 2km to go, Christophe Riblon found a burst of energy…
Tour de France 2013: Stage 17 – Embrun to Chorges
Bonjour! Stage 17 was an action-packed individual time trial. The terrain was tough with climbs and descents – made all the trickier because of patchy rain. The big decision for teams was to complete the stage on one bike or to change mid-way for the fast descent. Chris Froome and Sky chose the second option and gained vital seconds to take the stage. Heartbreak…
Tour de France 2013: Stage 16 – Vaison-la-Romaine to Gap
Bonjour! Stage 16 saw the Alpine stages begin travelling through quietly dramatic scenery, through gorges and by rivers. The stage closed with a climb and hair-raising descent of the Col de Mense. A passing train briefly brought all the riders to a halt and likewise, Chris Froome was momentarily dislodged by a hurtling Contador. Rui Costa joyfully took the stage win, with the battle for yellow…
