Tour of Britain - 2.1

Great Britain, September 9-15, 2007

Photography

Stage 6 - September 15: Dumfries - Glasgow, 156.5 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

• The Police play traditional Scottish music for the riders at the start.
• The main field pass Greyfriars Church in Dumfries.
• The race passes the Robert the Bruce pub in Dumfries.
• Martijn Maaskant (Rabobank) leads the race winning break.
• The thistle - National emblem of Scotland.
• Paul Manning (Great Britain) leads the break through the beautiful Scottish countryside.
• T-Mobile and Agritubel on the front of the bunch.
• T-Mobile drive the bunch along to Glasgow in pursuit of an 11th season victory for Cavendish.
• Ian Stannard (T-Mobile) drives the bunch in pursuit of the five leaders.
• Stannard working hard for the T-Mobile team.
• Stage winner Paul Manning (Great Britain) attacks his breakaway companions to win the mountains prime.
• Paul Manning (Great Britain) time trialled his way to victory in the closing stages.
• Paul Manning (Great Britain) attacked the break to arrive alone at the finish in Glasgow Green.
• Sprint king Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile).
• Cavendish took the sprinter's jersey.
• Kisses for Cavendish.
• Cavendish in the points jersey.
• From magenta to green - Cavendish in the points jersey.
• Cavendish throws his bouquet into the crowd.
• Ben Swift (Barloworld) is the winner of the mountains competition.
• The jersey wearers (l-r): Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile, points), Romain Feillu (Agritubel, overall winner) and Ben Swift (Barloworld, mountains)
• Feillu happy in yellow.
• Fun and games with expensive champagne.
• A very happy Feillu.
• The race winning break.
• Dutch rider Martin Maaskant (Rabobank) in the break.
• Denmark's Lars Bak (Team CSC).
• Italian Salvarore Commesso (Tinkoff Credit Systems) took second place on the final stage.
• Belgian Kurt Hovelijnck (Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen) finished third on the last stage.
• Paul Manning (Great Britain) leads.

Stage 5 - September 14: Liverpool - Kendal, 170.1 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

• The Duja Tavira and Fuertevenruta - Canarias teams lead the chase just after the Grizdale climb on the way to Kendal.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) leads Alexander Serov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) as the duo leave the Forest of Bowland with a lead over five chasers heading to Kendal.
• Geraint Thomas (Barloworld) leads the five man chase group as they leave the Forest of Bowland heading for Kendal.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) leads Alexander Serov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) as the duo stay clear of five chasers.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) works hard on the climbs with Alexander Serov (Tinkoff Credit Systems).
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) wearing the sprinter's jersey.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) gets kisses from Polly and Angel.
• Alexander Serov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) wins the tough stage from Liverpool to Kendal.
• Kisses from Polly and Angel for Alexander Serov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) after he won the stage into Kendal.
• Alexander Serov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) celebrates winning the tough 170km stage from Liverpool to Kendal.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) with the trophy he received for winning the most combative rider award on the stage.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) stops for a photo on the way to signing on for the stage.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) is cheered on by the home fans in Kendal as he finishes the stage in second place.
• Britain's Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) just holds on to finish in second place.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) celebrates in style after the Spaniard retained the yellow jersey.
• Palomares prepares to be kissed.
• Romain Feillu (Agritubel) on the podium with the green jersey as points leader.
• Ben Swift (Barloworld) finds that keeping the mountains jersey has its benefits.
• Ben Swift (Barloworld) in the mountains jersey.
• Salvatore Commesso (Tinkoff Credit Systems) amuses the crowd by pulling a banana from the front of his shorts before the stage start.
• Salvatore Commesso (Tinkoff Credit Systems) offers the banana to the crowd.
• The race reaches the coast and the beach at Southport.
• The CSC team line up at the sign in.
• Palomares is interviewed before the start of the stage.
• Former pursuit world champion Hugh Porter interviews popular Briton Mark Cavendish.

Stage 4 - September 13: Rother Valley Country Park - Bradford, 163.3 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

• Joker in the pack: Ed Clancy (Great Britain) enjoys a joke with the team before the stage start.
• School kids enjoying some pre-race entertainment.
• Geraint Thomas (Barloworld) drops in on some old friends in the GB team - Alex Dowsett and Russell Hampton.
• Scotland's James McCallum (Plowman Craven – Evans Cycles) in celebratory mood after his team beat France in the football European Championships on Wednesday evening.
• Aussies on Tour: SouthAustralia.com Director Sportif with T-Mobile Director Sportif Alan Peiper.
• Britain's Geraint Thomas (Barloworld) enjoying a joke with his old Great Britain team-mates.
• Race leader Nikolai Trusov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) in the yellow jersey crosses the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation canal at over 30mph.
• Britain's Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven - Evans Cycles) leads the 15 man breakaway group at over 30mph approaching Thorne in Yorkshire.
• Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven – Evans Cycles) leads the break at speed over the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation canal.
• The Tomlinson family lead out the Tour of Britain on the stage renamed in memory of Jane Tomlinson who died recently after her long battle with cancer..
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) beats Tom Stubbe (Chocolade Jacques - Topsport) in the sprint to win the stage into Bradford.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) beats Tom Stubbe (Chocolade Jacques - Topsport) in the sprint to win the stage into Bradford and takes over the yellow jersey from Nokolai Trusov (Tinkoff).
• Ben Swift (Barloworld) from Rotherham flanked by the race leader Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) at the post-race press conference.
• Race leader Adrian Palomares wearing the yellow jersey at the press conference.
• Race leader Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) from Valencia is happy wearing the yellow jersey after he won the stage into Bradford.
• Kisses from Polly and Angel for Britain's Ben Swift (Barloworld) who retains the king of the mountains jersey going into Thursday's stage to Kendal.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) beats Tom Stubbe (Chocolade Jacques - Topsport) to win the stage into Bradford and take over the yellow jersey.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) on the winners podium clad in the yellow jersey after he won the stage and took over the race lead.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) on the podium wearing the race leader's yellow jersey after he won the stage into Bradford.
• Britain's Ben Swift (Barloworld) on the podium wearing the polka dot king of the mountains jersey after he retained the lead in the competition after the stage into Bradford.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) beats fellow Briton Ben Swift (Barloworld) in the bunch sprint for the line.

Images by Rick Wilson

• Ben Swift (Barloworld) is proud to be starting in his home town wearing the King of the Mountains jersey.
• Crowd favourite Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) chats to Hugh Porter during sign-on.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) celebrates as he takes a very exciting stage.
• An ecstatic Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) finally comes to a halt.
• Simon Holt (Recycling.co.uk) crosses the line looking tired after a very hard stage nearly four minutes down.
• Boy Van Poppel (Rabobank) and Andrew Tennant (Great Britain) lead a small group a further few seconds behind.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) cannot hide his joy on the podium.
• Tom Stubbe (Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen) receives the Madison-Shimano Combativity award for the stage from Mike Tomlinson.
• Zakkari Dempster (South Australia.com-AIS) needs little more incentive than this to keep going for the Sprints jersey!
• Romain Feillu (Agritubel) receives similar attention as the new holder of the green Points jersey.
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) now resplendent in the Yellow jersey, his lead just an amazing solitary second!
• Ever want to get rid of those pesky photographers? Here's how...
• Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias) happy to show of his Stage Trophy only his fourth career win and Bradford Bear!

Stage 3 - September 12: Worcester - Wolverhampton, 152.5 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

• Piet Rooijakkers in the sprints jersey
• David Deroo (Skil- Shimano) wired for sound
• Piet Rooijakkers (Skil - Shimano) with the team mechanic
• Tinkoff protects the lead of Trusov
• Roger Hammond (T-Mobile) leads the breakaway
• Hammond was riding well in the Malvern Hills
• Manning and Swift on the front of the break
• Goss swings off for Manning and Swift to lead up the Malvern Hills
• Savatore Commesso leads for Tnkoff
• Russell Hampton (Great Britain) on the first climb
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) safely in the bunch
• Tinkoff on the front of the bunch
• Hammond in the break
• Swift was climbing well on stage three
• Bichot, Partridge and Manning lead the break which stayed clear
• Hammond finished third
• Joy for Goss in Wolverhampton
• Goss was quite happy with his victory
• Champagne for Nikolai Trusov in yellow
• Ben Swift (Barloworld) took over the king of the mountains jersey
• Swift leads in the mountains competition
• Youthful Ben Swift happy to lead in the mountains competiton
• Kisses for Trusov - still in yellow
• Cavendish wins the bunch sprint with ease
• Cavendish finishes in ninth

Stage 2 - September 11: Yeovilton - Taunton, 169.2 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) talks to journalists at the start of stage two
• The British can't get enough of their hometown ProTour riders
• Cavendish was in demand from the media
• Cavendish and Hammond answer tough questions from the media
• Salvatore Commesso and Russell Hampton go past Burrow Mump where King Alfred burnt the cakes... as legend sayes
• Fuerteventura go on the attack at Burrow Bridge with Britain's Ed Clancy in tow
• Cavendish safely in the bunch at Burrow Mump
• Trusov wins it... just
• Trusov knows he has won the stage
• A bike throw on the line gives Trusov the win by a tyre
• Trusov and Roberts battle it out
• Trusov celebrates
• Trusov celebrates
• Trusov in yellow
• Trusov, Pauwels and Roojakkers on the podium
• Polly and Angel help Trusov get dressed in yellow
• Kisses from the podium ladies
• Cavendish finishes but loses yellow
• Pederson walks over the finish line after the crash with his shirt ripped open
• Lloyd and Oliphant at the museum at the start
• A long walk for Pederson with a broken bike
• Steven Caethoven in pain after the crash heads for the doctors car
• Caethoven needs help crossing the finish line
• Kisses for the most aggressive rider
• Injures for Caethoven to tend to
• Caethoven doubled up in agony
• Trusov in green too
• Polka dots for Pauwels
• Kisses for Pauwels too
• Rooijakkers now leads the sprints competition
• More kisses for Rooijakkers
• Chain rings for the most aggressive rider
• Cavendish comes home at the front of his group

Images by John Pierce/Photosport International

• Race leader Mark Cavendish was hoping to give more days of joy to his employer and himself.
• Alan Piper is one of those responsible to bring the T-Mobile into good conditioning and delivering results.
• The DS Piper and the rider Cavendish are a good team.
• The Brits Cavendish and Hammond are the centre of attention in their home tour.
• Cavendish shows off his sprinters' legs as he heads to the start at 11:20.
• T-Mobile at the sign-in before the start. The laughs of the rider's were about the last ones they had for the day.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) in his unusual 'magenta' outfit before the start to stage two.
• Cavendish smiles before the start as having yellow in his home country's tour is as good as it gets.
• Helmet and gloves stayed pink as the rest of Cavendish's yellow outfit rides by.
• Trusov wins the tight sprint.
• The peloton in the British country side.
• The yellow-clad Cavendish at the start.
• The T-Mobile chase was too little, too late and Cavendish lost more than ten minutes and his yellow shirt.
• The peloton needed to try to stay concentrated on the downhills despite the many great views they wanted to enjoy along the route.
• The ocean to the right but no time to hop in for a quick bath.
• Coastal roads often offer more uphills than one would think.
• Cavendish before the start to stage 2.
• The jersey wearers always get to line up in the front row. One of the benefits of being fast.
• Robert Hunter (Barloworld) was a bit banged up but mostly ok on the stage.

Stage 1 - September 10: Reading - Southampton, 138.9 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) wins the first stage.
• The Plowman Craven team helps the their founder and CEO celebrate his birthday.
• Youngsters Russell Hampton (Team GB) and Simon Richardson (Plowman Craven / Evans Cycles) ride steadily up the first prime of the race.
• Roger Hammond (T-Mobile) not quite ready to face the world before the stage start.
• Tour of Britain Eon gals were all decked out.
• T-Mobile's Frantisek Rabon attacks at the top of White Hill to take max points and the lead in the KOM competition.
• Dan Fleeman (DFL - cyclingnews.com - Litspeed) on the climb of White Hill.
• Enrico Degano (Barlowworld) sports an EON KOM hat before the start.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) looks comfortable in yellow.
• Double kisses for winner Cavendish.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) throws his arms up in celebration.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) makes it two for two.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) celebrates with champagne with mountains leader Frantisek Rabon (T-Mobile) and sprints competition leader Piet Rooijakkers (Skil Shimano-SKS)
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) sprints to the line.

Prologue - September 9: Crystal Palace Part (ITT), 2.5 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) speeds down the finishing straight
• Mark Cavendish was happy to win a stage after doubting his condition
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) showed his pedigree from track racing with a very fast time trial
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) heads down the ramp and off to victory
• Powering away from the start Cavendish demonstrates good form
• Cavendish became the first Briton to wear yellow since the race's revival
• In the start house Cavendish prepares to start his prologue
• Strong arms, strong legs a good prologue start requires every muscle
• Cavendish picked up mountain points by being fastest to the first KOM
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) is the overall leader after the prologue
• Daniel Lloyd (DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed).
• Zakkari Dempster (South Australia.com-AIS) rode well to finish 4th.
• Ed Clancy (Great Britain).
• Emilien Berges (Agritubel) come home in 10th.
• Frantisek Rabon (T- Mobile).
• Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles).
• McCauley came in 65th.
• Martin Pedersen (Team CSC).
• Nico Mattan (DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed).
• Paul Manning (Great Britain).
• One of the Recycling.co.uk riders takes off from the starthouse.
• Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles).
• An Agritubel rider gritting his teeth for ths short 2.5km prologue.
• Agritubel rider leaving the start house.
• The Danish TT champ Lars Bak deided against using aero bars.
• Evan Oliphant as he rolled out of the start house.
• Frantisek Rabon rode well to finish 6th.
• Geraint Thomas came in 7th.
• James Millard (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles).
• Rob Partridge as he crossed the finish.
• Roger Hammond.
• Russell Hampton looks focused.
• Salvatore Commesso.
• A T-mobile fan.

Images by John Pierce/Photosport International

• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile)

Images by Rick Wilson

• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) is all smiles while warming up on the famous old racing circuit at Crystal Palace.
• A tense but ready Mark Cavendish awaits his countdown.
• A picture of focus and professionalism, Britain's new hero Mark Cavendish.
• On his way to the yellow jersey. Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) leaves the start ramp.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) enjoys the winner's spoils!
• The smile says it for Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) on the podium.
• Thanks to the small climb, Mark Cavendish also takes the first climber's jersey too.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) proudly wears the yellow jersey of his home Tour.
• A very happy Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) is interviewed for national TV.
• Prologue winner Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) also won many new fans yesterday.