Bike Ping
Beware of Holme Moss
If you believe race director Thierry Gouvenou but also local experts, the second Yorkshire stage amounts to a small Liege-Bastogne-Liege. As a result, while most riders know the Ardennes hills pretty well, they will have to become familiar with the Yorkshire Moors, the bumps that inspired the Brontë sisters and nature lovers. For British pros and amateurs alike, the classic ascent in the area is the 524-metres-high Holme Moss (Km 143.5), to local cycling what Cote de la Redoute is for Liege fans. The 3rd category climb, home to a fell running race every year, has also featured in most editions of the Tour of Britain as well as the now defunct Leeds Classic. Christian Guiberteau, team director of Tour leader Marcel Kittel, insists the course is as tough as is said: “When people talk about Liege-Basotgne-Liege, it's notexaggerated. It is really tough,” he said. And if crowds are as huge as they were in stage 1, Holme Moss will look like l'Alpe d'Huez.