We all turned out in force on Friday as the Tour of Britain swept through Holderness, and it was one of those occasions that showed just how much a major event can bring to communities even when the main attraction is over in a matter of seconds.
Weeks of preparation had gone into the day, with road closures, parking restrictions and plenty of advance warning for residents and businesses. Inevitably, there had been concerns about how it would all work in practice.
Arthur Street in Withernsea was one area where some – including me – had predicted chaos, but those fears proved unfounded. I felt a mixture of pride and surprise when I saw the streets completely empty.
People had played ball, motorists generally followed the restrictions and the race was able to pass through without the disruption some had expected.
And what replaced the anticipated headaches was a genuine sense of occasion.
Some residents lined the streets a fair while before the riders arrived, families found their vantage points and local organisations helped give people a reason to stay around rather than simply turning up for the few fleeting moments when the peloton came past.
The Gazette was also fortunate to be given exclusive access to the roof of the Meridian Centre, giving us a superb view as the race entered Withernsea. Our thanks go to Withernsea Town Council, and particularly mayor Cllr Kristina Richardson, for helping make that possible.
Blue Light Weekend and TownSMART were among those playing their part in decorating the route, too, adding to what became much more than simply a cycle race passing through town.
Sadly, not everybody entered into the spirit of things.
In Hornsea, one motorist chose to leave a car parked in Market Place directly on the race route despite weeks of warnings about the restrictions.
Unless there was a genuine reason for this, it did seem like a selfish decision, particularly when so many others had made the effort to move their vehicles, alter plans and accept some inconvenience for the sake of an event that was bringing thousands of eyes to the area.
As the crowds waited and the offending vehicle remained in place (as evidenced in our picture on page 14 of the Hornsea edition), frustration understandably grew and eventually turned to some boos from spectators.
Thankfully, that was very much the exception.
Hornsea Community Café at St Nicholas Church was among those helping create a welcoming atmosphere and free grub, while all along the Holderness section of the route there were examples of people simply enjoying being out together.
That was perhaps the real success of Friday.
Most of us will not remember precisely which rider passed us first or how many seconds separated one group from another. What we will remember is seeing busy streets, children waving, neighbours chatting and communities having a bit of fun together.
Events such as the Tour of Britain give us a reason to do that – and Holderness made the most of its moment in the national sporting spotlight.
And if you’ve not watched the television coverage back, I really do recommend you go to the ITV app and have a look. It’s a brilliant showcase of our beautiful region and its people, and quite relaxing to watch, too.
