Fun, families and fish and chips as the Tour de Yorkshire swings through Whitby

THEY came, they saw, they ate fish and chips. Such was the way of things as the opening day of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire took in the charms of its main spectator hub at Whitby.

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If you’re going to watch some of the world’s fittest sportsmen on your doorstep, you’re going to be feeling pretty inadequate anyway. So you might as well have mushy peas with your cod and chips as well as an extra slice of bread and butter.

“We thought we’d have a day out to see what it’s all about,” said John Harris, who had travelled by train from Middlesbrough with his wife, and who had eaten at Terry’s before picking out a position to watch the race. “We weren’t all that bothered about the Tour de France last year, but we watched it on the telly and it looked great.

“We had some friends who went to Harrogate and they had a good day, so when all of this was announced, we thought we’d come down. I’ve enjoyed myself, but you don’t see much of them racing do you? I wanted to see Bradley Wiggins, but I couldn’t even make out his sideburns.”

Wiggins’ presence has added some lustre to Yorkshire’s Tour, a legacy of last year’s Grand Depart that already looks like becoming a permanent fixture on the international cycling calendar.

For three days, the race will flash through parts of the county that were largely ignored when the Tour de France visited ten months ago, and judging by the response of those who watched yesterday, there remains a strong demand for cycling. Or at least for a family day out punctuated by the sight of 100-or-so riders hurtling by.

“We were going to come to the coast anyway, so it made sense to head to Whitby and let the kids see the bikes too,” said Claire Robertson, who had blue and yellow balloons tied to her daughter’s pushchair to match the colours that have been adopted for the race. “I want them to be into sport when they grow up, so hopefully they’ll remember this when they’re older.”

Inspiring the next generation is certainly one intention of the Tour de Yorkshire organisers, and this weekend’s stages, which end in York and Leeds respectively, should see even more youngsters thronging the route.

Yesterday’s opening stage, which followed a 174km route from Bridlington to Scarborough and encompassed Dalby Forest as well as Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay, was chosen partly because of its difficulty, but also to give the North York Moors a spell in the limelight.

Last year’s Tour de France revealed the beauty of the Dales to a worldwide audience, but yesterday it was the turn of villages like Egton and Grosmont to shine. Pubs were decorated, bunting was hung and fields along the route were transformed into temporary car parks.

“I bet they haven’t been this excited up that way since Heartbeat stopped,” said one observer as the race was displayed on a giant television screen opposite Whitby Station.

In Whitby itself, blue and yellow bicycles were tied to house walls – another throwback to last year’s scenes – flags displaying the white rose of Yorkshire were waving proudly along the harbour wall and the excitement grew as the peloton drew near.

Half an hour or so before the field arrived, the crowd along the seafront was sparse. By the time race leader Perrig Quemeneur headed up towards the Abbey though, a healthy number of spectators had assembled to watch.

The Dolphin Hotel’s patio area had become a viewing platform, and the staff of the John Anderson toy shop that looks directly over the Swing Bridge had clambered onto the balcony to get a better view. That’s one way of getting to the top in commerce.

A procession of more than 20 police motorbikes heralded the start of the action, and moments later, the three leaders swept by. Thirty seconds or so later, and the main field poured through in two bunches.

The biggest cheer was reserved for the final duo, who were plugging away some ten minutes behind the main pack. Clearly toiling, they were a long way off the pace. Perhaps they’d taken a detour for a chip butty...