Cyclists near Peckett Well, Hebden Bridge When the Tour de France announced it was coming to Yorkshire, there was a sense of what would such a race  do for the likes of us here in this quiet corner up North? Straight away the local papers jumped on the band wagon, pushing every little angle on offer, and I guess that's helped. Now with the tour only seven weeks away, the momentum is building, most locals are getting right into le spirit of the occasion. You can hardly go near any village shop, street or pub without seeing a yellow bike proudly on display, the bike that says we're positively excited, what a heck of a party it's going to be!

Now I've been out getting into the spirit of the Tour de Yorkshire, walking the track le Tour will follow, and it's plain to see, these cyclists are going to be well impressed with the scenery. They'll probably love it so much, the race will pause as the lads roll out their picnic blankets, grab out the baguettes, fromage and the vin rouge, lean up against an old dry stone wall and soak up a bit of Yorkshire beauty, it just has to be done!

Since I've been out photographing cyclists on the trail, I really wanted to capture the beauty that surrounds us and a cyclist or two amongst it. It struck me again, A, how bloody lovely it is around here, and B, how bloody fast those cyclists can move!

I suggest in early July, when the le Tour comes through your slice of heaven, that is Yorkshire, grab out that picnic rug with all the French trimmings and dressings, enjoy the party like it was meant to be done, and hope that the cyclists will be ready for a break near you. The likely hood is, that most of us will see a yellow blur as le paleton races through, though luckily, they say the entourage of support vehicles and press etc. lasts for a good three hours and can be quite entertaining in itself. So backs up against those old stone walls, with your baguettes at the ready, raise your glasses, and show the World how them Yorkshire folk can "have great time, in great place!"

By the way, there are plenty of Tour and other pictures in the galleries. Bruce