Alora.
At last, after the hullabaloo of the
opening ceremony, today (Friday May 9) marks the big start. On second thoughts, perhaps the Italian phrase
resonates more lyrically – La Grande Partenza.
Having volunteered to marshal at the time trial itself,
rather than at the morning practice sessions, the early half of the day was
free to attend a spin class.
Good
preparation for the first ever international Grand Tour event in Belfast.
The Belgian team Lotto Belisol had not yet left the Ramada
Hotel. As you do, a friend and I
approached one the Belisol senior staff.
Objective: - to see if we could get a souvenir. Result:- a team hat and water bottle each and
undisguised joy.
Our delight with our new Flemish friend’s generosity was
easily trumped by his later unexpected appearance at our class when, at the
tutor’s encouragement, he received a well-earned round or warm applause from
everybody in the class for services to international relations.
A heart-warming start to 3 days of professional
cycling.
Next stop, 3 Glengall Street in the city centre at
lunchtime.
Rather than compete with the traffic and face delays, I
decided to cycle in and chain my bike to a guard rail in the car park.
We receive final instructions - and a packed lunch.
I still have to comprehend the reason for beginning
with a team event rather than an individual time trial.
In every Grand Tour race which I have
observed since 1986, the opening event is a prologue consisting of an
individual time trial.
In that
discipline, it is every man for himself, not in teams.
In cycling parlance it is contre le montre,
the race of truth.
The purpose is to
find the rider to lead out the race in the leader’s jersey on day 1 proper.
The total number of volunteers reported to be 1,200.
We have been issued with a special tee-shirt,
a white hoodie and pink high visibility bib - all emblazoned in pink letters proclaiming Giro Volunteer.
Clearly optimism reigns given the absence of a cape to keep out the
real rain.
None of this matters, however, as
the initial gathering of marshals generates an atmosphere of great
excitement. Everybody feels privileged
to be part of something extra-special.
This anticipation seems confirmed when the city’s first citizen, who has
entered into the spirit of the occasion by dying his hair pink, comes to
acknowledge the contribution of volunteers.
My position in the 21.7k stage is 1100 metres from the
finish line, on the edge of Shaftsbury Square.
This downhill approach to the city centre from Queens University is just the point where teams
will be racheting up the tempo, applying maximum effort to save valuable seconds as the finish line
nears.
I later realise that the crowds are,
unsurprisingly, much greater with each metre towards the City Hall finish line.
The Australian team Orica Greenedge win in a time just inside 25 minutes.
The Australian team Orica Greenedge win in a time just inside 25 minutes.
It is also only later that I see on the late night TV
news that Dan Martin, a contender for a podium finish and the Irish team leader
of the American squad Garmin-Sharp has had a horrific accident.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/27349546
Saxo-Tinkoff team leader Nicolas Roche sitting two places behind team -mates |
Earlier joy is replaced with a sinking feeling. Dan's Giro is now over.
The vagaries of sport.
But there is no time to dwell on misfortune, as tomorrow
sees the start of the Giro proper with a stage through areas of outstanding
scenic beauty.
That should raise spirits again.
©Michael McSorley 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment