Tour of Britain: it's upon us!

Yay! My local race has finally started, and my initial impressions include the obvious Why Didn't Shack Come, along with a side order of "why didn't Andy come and watch, even if he can't ride?".

I did offer to let him wave my flag! I even offered to let TinkerJil wave the little flag!

Leopard came last year, we all remember poor Jensi taking a tumble on one of the first days and breaking bones: Shack don't seem to be interested in coming to Britain - huh, maybe we're just too small for them. Pfff! Yar boo sucks to Shack.

Anyway, moving on from that crushing disappointment, the start list made interesting reading: as usual, only a handful of Pro Teams, many of whom were quite open in saying that they were using this race as training for the Worlds, which start in a fortnight.

So, teams we know:

Sky: My Team! I will be waving my home-made Sky flags, both out on the road, and at home watching it on TV. Yay for Sky!

They are sending Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish, and I hereby predict that Marky Mark will be going hell for leather for every sprint going, and Bradley will be sitting up and waving at the crowds, rather in the style of Her Majesty. In fact, he will probably be stopping to sign autographs on the way. Yes, I don't think he will be seriously racing, I think he's there just to fly the flag and Be Seen, and why not, he's done more for British Cycling than anyone else.

Also riding are Bernie Eisel, of course, joined at the hip to Cav as always: plus Jeremy Hunt (last season, retiring soon), Christian K-nees (always said in a Monty Python-esque voice) and my pet, Luke Rowe. He's a little sweetie who's just joined Sky as a neo-pro this year, having mostly been riding track, or for small domestic teams. We saw him in the Revolution track events earlier this year, having his first win for Team Sky, and he was about as cute as you can get, all big eyes, big grin, and "cor, can't believe I've only just joined this big team and look, mum, I won!" Can't wait to see how he gets on, on the road.

Euskaltel are here, bizarrely: what on earth do a Basque team of climbers want, coming to cold, cold, and nearly flat Britain in September? Oh, Sammy Sanchez, wanting to prep for the Worlds. Mmm, that makes sense. Haven't heard of any of the others

Orica Greenedge *points to backside, sings "Here's my numm-bah, call me!" * are sending a small team of just five (not six like everyone else). Alas, no Stuey, or Svein Tuft, but I shall be shouting for them anyway. Go, Roos!

Liquigas are sending Basso - again, probably prepping for the Worlds.

Vacansoleil are sending a bunch I've never heard of, and Garmin Sharp are sending Tyler Farrar, (of whom I have heard, but "over-rated" is my view on him) and the left-handed Sep Vanmarcke, now an honorary Schlecklander for changing his mind about joining Shack, ha ha ha ha!

Non-Pro teams include:
Endura Racing, who I've heard of.
Node4 - Giordana Racing: nope, never heard of them.
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling: we know them, they are bringing Boy Van Poppel, son of Man Van Poppel and possibly Woman Van Poppel.
Saur Sojasun: well-known, unpronounceable.
Team IG - Sigma Sport: errr, must be a domestic team.
Team NetApp: know the team, don't know any of their riders.
Rapha Condor: one of the better-known UK teams, run by John Herety who is frequently a visitor/commentator in the Eurosport studio, so we know him quite well.
AN Post Sean Kelly: famous team! Well, we know Sean Kelly quite well, he's often commentating on the races. I can't imagine how proud-making it must be to have your own actual name on the back of the shirts. Even Mr Tinkov, for some unknown reason, spelled it Tinkoff on the backs of the jerseys. Hmmm, Team Cougar Girl? Team Auntie Coug? Leopard-Coug? Captain Coug Racing? Maybe not....
Team Raleigh - GAC: another unknown small team, but of course the name of Raleigh is immensely famous.

Team UK Youth: yay! They get a special mention, as they are my "underdog" team. I've always enjoyed Magnus Backstedt as a commentator, and I'd accepted him as a knowledgeable "former" rider, who occasionally rode a tandem for charity. Now he's racing again! And with Yanto Barker!



Yes, I quite like Yanto Barker. At last year's ToB he was commentating from the back of one of the motorcade bikes, and doing interviews with the riders and he rather endeared himself to me, so he's an honorary Schlecklander, too. Go, Yanto! Go, Yoo-Kay-Yoof!

Lastly, there is Team Great Britain - hmm, not the most inspired name for a team. I have no idea who they are or where they've come from, but they do appear to have kindly been loaned the Team GB skinsuits from the olympics, so - confusingly - they are wearing they super stripey red-white'n'blue kits with SKY all over them.

This should confuse viewers who are new to the sport!