Gearing up to welcome the Tour of Britain

by Lisa Reeves

Saturday 30^th July 2016

Sat 30^th Jul 2016

As many of you will have noticed some orange bikes have appeared around Alderley Edge.

The bikes have been sprayed by Councillor Christine Munro and placed around the village in anticipation of the arrival of the Tour of Britain next month.

Christine acquired twelve bikes, six of which she has sprayed so far. She put four out on Thursday evening, so they were in place for the RHS judges visit on Friday, 29th July, however one has already been stolen from near the Bank of Scotland.

So there should be eleven placed around the village when the Tour of Britain passes through Alderley Edge on Tuesday 6th September.

Britain's premier cycling event should reach the village about 1.30pm on Tuesday 6th September with a sprint scheduled to finish in the village centre, outside the Village Cafe.

Councillor Christine Munro said "We are doing it to welcome the Tour of Britain to the village and we are hoping the traders will join in decorating their premises too."

She added "We are expecting a lot of visitors to the village on the day so we want to make an impression."

Updated: A second of the orange bikes has also been taken from the traffic island at the bottom of Macclesfield Road so at the there are only two left on display in the village.

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Duncan Herald

Saturday 30^th July 2016 at 5:21 pm

and one of the pretty ,new 'flower/tree' tubs has been assaulted!
Mindless scum.

Jon Williams

Saturday 30^th July 2016 at 8:45 pm

Why orange ?

Christine Munro

Sunday 31^st July 2016 at 6:01 pm

I have sprayed the bikes orange because the colour theme for the Tour of Britain is orange this year. We hope the traders and businesses in the village will join with us to decorate the village to welcome the Tour.

Sunday 31^st July 2016 at 7:57 pm

The bikes are yellow in Congleton !

Alan Brough

Sunday 31^st July 2016 at 9:07 pm

Jon,

The future's bright. The future's Orange!

Well done Chrsitine - so sorry to hear that your fabulous efforts have been thwarted by bicycle thieves. Some people will stop at nothing in their efforts to achieve the coveted jersey assigned to "King of the Prats"

Police are asking members of the public to look out for complete dim-wits riding bright orange bikes

Monday 1^st August 2016 at 10:17 pm

The one outside the RBS looks like it has been fished out of a canal (if it's still there)

Tuesday 2^nd August 2016 at 8:46 am

It probably had been fished out of a canal Jon. They are all scrap bikes, you have to carry them not ride them. The RBS bike was the first one to go. Someone must have liked it!!!

Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 2^nd August 2016 at 8:49 am

I think it might have been returned Christine, there was a bike outside RBS when I drove back from the Parish Council meeting last night. Unless you've put a replacement there.

Tuesday 2^nd August 2016 at 8:57 am

How funny Lisa. They must have realised it wasn't road worthy so given it back. Thankyou to them anyway. I got awful muscle cramp from all that spraying, good to know It wasn't in vain. Now I need to get some heavy duty chains to secure it so it doesn't go walkabout again!

Verity Williams

Wednesday 10^th August 2016 at 7:55 am

It's taken me a while to look up the meaning of these orange bikes but they intrigued me. Well done Christine, what a lovely effort! It's great to see the council positively encouraging local particaption in the upcoming bike event. It's already added to the atmosphere by building some anticipation.

Wednesday 10^th August 2016 at 11:19 am

Stage Three on Tuesday 6 September sees the riders take on a tightly wound route situated entirely within Cheshire East, marking the first time that the Borough has hosted a stage of British Cycling's premier road cycling event.
Heading out from the market town of Congleton the peloton will make their way west, passing through Crewe and Nantwich, before looping back on themselves towards Sandbach. From there it is a weaving route north up towards the first passage of the finish line, which will be located in the heart of Tatton Park, where spectators will be able to see the race twice, plus watch the live coverage on a big screen.

After passing the line, riders will start a large loop taking them into Cheshire's Peak District, including the ten-kilometre climb of the Cat & Fiddle above Macclesfield, before racing back through Knutsford to the finish in Tatton Park.