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Grand Piano © Caroline Jane KayeThe Grand Départ: Cyclists tow a grand piano up part of the Yorkshire Tour de France route
A team of 18 cyclists has towed a baby grand piano up the longest continuous ascent in England, Cragg Vale - part of the Yorkshire Tour de France route.
imove arts and Hebden Bridge Piano Festival staged the event as part of Yorkshire Festival 2014 to celebrate the Tour’s visit to Yorkshire in 100 days.
Using a a PianoPorté – an invention by the sculptor Andy Plant to ascend the six mile climb, the cyclists were cheered on by thousands of locals and tourists along the way, with rousing live piano concertos from 15 on board pianists to encourage their pedalling.
Onlooker and Mytholmroyd resident, Brenda Greenwood, told the Halifax Courier: “It’s been brilliant so far - it’s really getting us in the spirit for the Tour de France. It’s a great way to promote our village as a lot of people don’t know were here or even how to pronounce it - this will certainly put us on the map.”
Another, Nina Wardcock said: “This is a great opportunity for us to show the world what we do and to show people what beautiful landscape we have. It’s great to see the village so full of people.”
To see a film of the cyclists in action, click here.
Latest Comments
- BBB 3 sec ago
Inhumane system that now will be getting even worse.
- Bungle_52 3 hours 23 min ago
In case anyone missed it in yesterdays blog here are the two pevious articles. The second one contains the testimony from the driver....
- David9694 3 hours 32 min ago
The old role was appointed at the Mayor's pleasure; is in addition to the permanent staff of the Combined Authority. I'm not sure if Adam was an...
- chrisonabike 3 hours 37 min ago
Ah... but which civilisation? If arguing from precedent (or even "moral ground") - with the benefit of almost no political, historical knowledge...
- WillPage 4 hours 58 min ago
Nothing says "welcoming environment" like uniformed thugs, umm I mean "security patrols " roaming the area.
- galibiervelo 6 hours 16 min ago
That is class news. Super bikes and vision. Bet there will be no stand at the Taiwan bike show next year! Big luck to all the team
- Destroyer666 6 hours 58 min ago
Pretty clearly stated several times in the text that the issue was not related just to his son. And besides, everybody watching the races could see...
- Rendel Harris 7 hours 14 min ago
All Fizik and Selle Italia saddles (though not all their other products) are made in Italy I believe, and their 3D printed models definitely are.
- chrisonabike 7 hours 40 min ago
If you're not on the road with a car, I bet its driver is much less likely to swerve into your space *. Because you're not "in the way"! (Any...
- mdavidford 7 hours 56 min ago
The problem with this argument, though, is that it's just not true....
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9 comments
Great pics by the way, @bedethebuilder
Cragg Vale is it's not even a classified climb in the TdF. It's a big ring belter, as the avg speed of the Strava top ten shows, but nevertheless a great test of fitness.
There are regular TTs on Cragg Vale, I think there was one organised for last week on 3rd April. I heard at the piano pull at the weekend that there are plans for a TT on 21 June to get the largest number of cyclists up Cragg Vale in a 24 hour period. The largest number of cyclists on the longest continuous accent on the longest day. The Robin Hood pub half way up the climb will be open throughout the event. Arrangements are being made for camping. I'll post details when they are available.
They use to be a hill climb on this course. I once rode it. Does the event still run?
Yes but you have to provide your own piano and pianist!!
15 concertos? They were towing the orchestra too? That must've taken a while to get through them.
There are more images of this crazy event here https://www.flickr.com/photos/90321638@N02/sets/72157643462509984/
And some footage from BBC Breakfast News here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26899453
Oh, and Onlooker is a person not a place and Mytholmroyd is pronounced My-thm-royd. Can’t wait to hear the TDF commentators mangle its pronunciation.
Really miss that climb, it used to be on my training rides before I moved to the flat south
Love this. Completely bonkers but somehow very English.
And I'd certainly never heard of Onlooker and Mytholmroyd (though I still don't know how to pronounce it).