Tour of Britain cycle race in Horsham, Sussex

Last Saturday, the Tour of Britain cycle race passed through Horsham, West Sussex.

By about 11.15am, people were already finding vantage points around the town centre. Some gathered on top of multi-storey car parks, while others lined the streets. By the time the leading group of cyclists arrived at around 12.15pm, roads had been closed and even more spectators had turned out to watch from Albion Way, the dual carriageway that normally carries heavy traffic through the middle of Horsham. The atmosphere was excellent.

When the main peloton swept along the road, people cheered, shouted and waved sponsor flags. It was all over very quickly. Around 100 professional cyclists sped through in roughly 30 seconds, and then they were gone.

Watching it was enjoyable. Plenty of people turned out to support a sport that has become hugely popular in Britain in recent years, helped by Olympic and Tour de France successes. It would be good if this led to a significant improvement in cycling infrastructure and more people taking to their bikes. That may not happen, but there is reason to be optimistic.

Not everyone likes cyclists, of course, and there are far too many tragic accidents involving cyclists on the roads. Even so, there is still something special about the feeling of freedom and excitement that comes from cycling along quiet country lanes, away from the noise and busyness of modern life.