Cycling in many nations

 One statistic I heard at the beginning of the World Championships here in Glasgow, was that of the 195 official countries around the globe, 130 are represented here.

Some just by a single individual...and bigger more affluent countries are providing technical and physical backup, either on the track, Velodrome or MTB, or on the road. With both the able bodied, para cycling junior and under 23 events all here, some team support staff haven't been able to be in more than one place at a time...so for example, a friend who is a coach, from Wales, is working with the para team from Slovenia

Quoting the UCI press release as well, about the Refugee Cycling team" The team comprises five road athletes (three women and two men) and a male mountain bike athlete. All living in European host countries, they originally come from Afghanistan, Syria and Iran.28 Jul 2023"

There are men's and women's teams from all sorts of places...the Women's team from Afghanistan are certainly to be respected..even if they aren't amongst the winners, they, like all the others, are taking part in a sport they love.

So many languages combined in one...the love for the bike... especially in the country where it was invented by Kirkpatrick MacMillan at his smithy in Keir near Thornhill in Dumfriesshire

Another day out...with bikes!

 We eventually got on the road....just in time...to post a sale, on the way to my mammogram appointment...in a trailer hiding in the corner of a supermarket car park!!..and the nurses have to use the shop toilet....

Feed the car, buy a picnic lunch and off.....heading around Glasgow, through the Clyde Tunnel and up to the foot of the Campsie Hills...and over them on the Crow Road, through Fintry to Kippen.

This was the easiest way to get to see the course of the Elite Mens' time trial in the World Championships, because of closed roads. 

We managed to park, had our lunch and found a spot to watch on the shady side of the road..as the sunshine was quite warm...after today's wet and chilly start!! The crowds gathered, lining both sides of the road, with marshalls and a few police wandering around and chatting.. everyone anticipating the arrival of the riders....with police outriders, commissaries cars, service vehicles....and the riders...who started at 80 second intervals...

We saw them at about the 27km mark, and they had 20km or so to get to the finish in Stirling.

The first rider..the slowest although still an elite rider..was from the Refugees Cycling Team...a great thing to see.

We slowly walked back to the car.....hoping that we wouldn't be in the mad rush out of the village...we did catch that a little, as the road is very narrow.

Then back over the fells,through a heavy shower ,to see a friend at his bike shop....and home.

Dumfries, afternoon of speed

 To Dumfries yesterday, to collect Pirate's phone that he dropped in friend's car on Monday...no missed calls or texts, which is strange as that phone works hard!!

Shopping first, and buying the wherewithal for a picnic lunch.

The car parks were nearly full and we were lucky to be able to use Pirate's Blue Badge to park by the river on Dock Quay. I wonder what boats came up the river to dock here?

First a picnic on a bench by the river...and this sculpture on the railings..or had there been knobs like this on other parts of the railings?

Then to the finish/start area on Whitesands, just below the river..full of bikes, riders, kit, coaches (the human kind)...we found out way to the spectating area 2, where we could see a big screen, with shots from a motorbike cameraman following riders, and from a camera on a drone, as well as results and other information on the World Championships.

The overall...and finishing..speed was impressive!! Under 28 minutes for 11.5 km..

There was more municipal art.. simple and effective in the breeze

And the river behind..with tree trunks perched on the weir

We saw all the recumbent bike handcyclists, but realised that our three hour parking limit was less than half an hour away. We saw some of the next group warming up...those without full leg length, so sort of kneeling and sitting to pedal by hand. We thought...coffee and cake....but at 3pm the café was closing!!...With plenty of people around needing refreshment...as we were turned away, half a dozen more were coming in, to be turned away...

Then past the footbridge back to the car.

Then home again on quieter roads.

Good news

 

Last Wednesday afternoon Pirate spent an hour on the boards, off and on, just steadily riding.

He feels much better about himself now.  Endorphins boosted.

The Dutch track squad were busy training and trying out the track as we arrived during the session previous to his.

A nice bunch of folk, across the board including World Champions.

Getting ready for the World Champs to be held in Glasgow later this summer.