Ever wished you could roll with the pros? Luke Webber rode out with Bradley Wiggins and the Garmin Slipstream team last Friday alongside seventy other lucky competition winners as the team visited Garmin HQ in Southampton for a spin around the New Forest.
When Bradley Wiggins and the Garmin Slipstream Tour of Britain team visited their principal sponsor's HQ on Friday, there was more in store than a simple pickup of the latest GPS gadgets. The Southampton-based company had arranged a Ticket To Ride competition, where local cyclists could meet up with the team and take to the New Forest roads alongside their cycling heroes.
And as I arrived in an anonymous industrial estate two hours before the ride was due to leave, there was no doubt this once in a lifetime opportunity had captured the imagination of the active local cycling community and the local press.
Above, the Garmin HQ. Below, the Garmin Slipstream HQ. Both shot at golden hour.
As the sun rose from behind the team bus a crowd of photographers with cameras great and small waited for the first appearance of the rider who, alongside Mark Cavendish, has transformed perceptions of professional British cyclists.
The local fashion poilce judge Brad's manbag and sneeker combo.
Fourth in the Tour de France, riding alongside Contador and Armstrong was Bradley Wiggins - the rider who everyone had come to see. As Wiggins, Chris Sutton, Trent Lowe, Huub Duijn, Tom Peterson, Ricardo Van der Velde, and Sport Director Matt White decamped from the security of the mobile home and were whisked upstairs for the official breakfast and introduction, a long line of superfans and autograph hunters followed, all wanting to stand next to cycling's biggest stars; some in the hope that a little bit of talent may rub off for the weekend of road racing that's on the local calendar.
Riders asses the classic New Forest route. Locals know this one back to front.
For over an hour the meet and greet continued before a brief press conference, an extended photo call and finally the ride itself. The route would cover a classic New Forest circuit that forms part of the Heath Road Race and the start of any quality ride in the area.
A Wiggins fan clutches the free autograph card while readying the camera.
Brad loves his phone. Statistically it consumes 17.42% of his being.
Autograph hunters were spoiled at this event. Props to Garmin UK.
Battle of the Superfans. Applications invited!
"And today I met Bradley Wiggins. He came fourth in the Tour." This is one to tell the grandkids about.
There were alot of stoked riders awaiting this ride. Some described it as "the best day of their life."
Cheshire cats. All over the Garmin premises.
Brad was in high demand all day. Here is is filmed, while fans film him being filmed. Bigtime!
The riders await Britain's number one grand tour rider to turn, saddle up and push the pedals.
The Garmin Slipstream team are presented to the press and lucky riders.
Hitting Rushington roundabout there was a total single-carriageway rolling road block, such was the volume of cyclists. The status of this ride had transcended from busy club run to something a little special, the ride growing in volume as the peloton swept toward Deerleep, collecting other Friday skivers heading in the opposite direction, drawn in by the pro-team gravitas.
Passing on to Beaulieu Heath and the group was high rolling at 25mph with a sweet tailwind, before making the turn toward Beaulieu Road Station and a cutting headwind. This ripped the group apart a bit and allowed the wannabe racers to go off the front and race each other back to HQ, while the intelligent riders who actually wanted to learn something sat at the back, had a chat to the pros, got their pics, scribbles, caps and bidons.
The fans who came to see the fans. This guy got a sweet cap that'll be the envy of all the boys at the golf club.
Furthest right - Simon Knowlton from Sotonia CC. Next rider in; Bradley Wiggins. He also rides for a team.
This is what New Forest riding is all about. Leafy lanes, sun and high rolling in the 53.
After the event the consensus was absolute; everyone loved sitting on the wheel of a pro, holding their attention, getting scribbles, photos and free swag! Following in the treads of Tour riders was described by many as the greatest day of their cycling life and the popularity of the event was even hailed by Wiggins himself.
"Today went really well. To give the fans a chance to ride with us as a team and talk along the way works as an experience. I know Lance (Armstrong) has been doing a similar thing with his Twitter rides, which is a similar concept. Heading out on the road in a group, the size of which we had today, it was cool - we were a real force! It's rare as a cyclist you can have that kind of power over vehicles - to see cars slowing and stopping for you - it's good really and maybe a sign of the fightback of cycling. Having such unplanned mass rides is good, it's not closing the roads down for bikes only, so less chance of annoying every other road user."
