Larry`s Tour of Britain-Stage 3 Blog

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September 14: Larry`s Tour of Britain-Stage 3 Blog,
On Twitter too: Well, there goes another day, three down, five to go! The day started well being able to just fall out of bed and step out onto the start line of stage 3. Sadly tomorrow we have at least a 30 mile drive to Blackpool in rush hour traffic and Blackpool will probably be a right bugger because of the problems caused by road closures for the Tour. I am praying it will be okay for a stage that a few riders like local Ian Wilkinson say will be a tough, and therefore an interesting stage.It was another dry day thankfully and although cold on the motorbike, the day’s weather was good. Liked it in the press conference when I think it was Reus who said he thought it rained in Scotland (like it does in Holland) but was happy when it didn’t.The stage saw a break go early, first one -- so, because there are only so many shots of a chasing peloton and a break in action that can be used, I stopped twice for the scenic shots I usually avoid. Nothing really spectacular came of them because I took a spot that I thought was great only to see a better one round the corner after I'd done the shot. A bit like choosing the wrong queue at the supermarket which I am excellent at.Going through the photos tonight was as always a pleasure as I relived the day photo by photo and saw things I didn't see when snapping the image. There is the down side of also seeing pictures that are not as I would like but that is how it is on a motorbike.I would have liked ones closer of the riders but getting to close to the riders can incur the wrath of a commisaire like I got with David Menzies today. Oops. Transfer to hotel was okay as it was straight down the motorway via a pit stop at the services so Gerry McManus could upload some pictures and I could get some drinks for when I am working tonight. The hot chocolate at the Costa was rubbish though.Meanwhile, at the Holiday Inn hotel in Lancaster, the internet (iBahn) is really awful. I can deal with slow connections as I can always do with another coffee but when the Content Management System fails because of the state of the internet connection and I lose my work of half an hour or more, it is really really annoying. It may be because of the large volume of people here but nevertheless, the systems should be in place to handle it but sadly at hotels around the world, they never are. I remember Poland and having to wait for everyone to go to bed! Hasn’t made any difference here as its now gone 10.30pm and still crap.Rapha’s Darren Lapthorne was an inspiration today. It was great to see a fellow Aussie at the front of the race doing the Aussie thing of having a go and when I saw him later outside the hotel waiting for his parents I think, he explained that it was good until he got a double puncture when caught by the peloton. I am sure we will see more of this fine rider in this year's Tour of Britain.Because the day was essentially dominated by a break and a cashing peloton, I had to look for other ways of photographing the race. Like looking for spots on the course suitable for scenic shots, one where I can get a high vantage point looking over the bunch, hedges and out to the stunning countryside and hills. I saw them but generally too late and will have to be quicker at stopping my pilot Graham from zooming past them. There was one where a bridge crossed a stream and I thought perfect until I saw the barbed wire fence. No time for that!

Also had to endure trying to get shots of an ever changing race whilst being pushed on by the commissaries as the race sped down narrow roads, twisting and turning round sharp bends and over stone bridges, riders catching up with us, and my pilot having to deal with gravel on the road as well as wet patches. To get the photos, the camera is set up with fast shutter speeds (1,000 of a second) and the shots at speed are as much about luck than skill.

Turn round on the motorbike, ass right over the side of the bike to get maximum turn of the body, lock the left foot on the bike’s crash bar to avoid sliding off, point the longish lens (200mm) at the riders from a distance, try and hold the focus point the size of a box a mm square on anything resembling a rider, shoot a burst of frames and cross fingers there is something useful to add to the story of the race. Add to that the sound of the bike stand scrapping on the ground as the bike bounces on the uneven road and the sound of car horns and the sight of the headlights of a lead car bearing down on us, and that is something like the scene for getting some of the pictures!

Not having to leave the race early was great though. After seeing the peloton charging at 4k to go, we waited at the 1 k to banner and I was thinking, the only time I ever see this action is from a helicopter on TV and today, I was able to watch and shoot a few bits in the final k's which was good and then just cruise in to the finish no pressure as Gerry McManus was doing the finish for me. And a good job he did too!

Day over, now stage 4 to look ahead to and my fifth visit to Blackpool this year for a bike race!

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