Tour de France -

The Long Reign of the Woollen Cycling Jersey

May 22, 2025

As I spent my Sunday afternoon standing on the side of the road waiting for the riders in Italy’s annual long distance cycling race the Giro d’Italia to come by clad in multicoloured lycra, I was reminded of a blog post I had written some years ago on knitted cycling clothes. I had started this post with a magazine pull out which contained full instructions to knit your own cycling jacket. Back then in the … More The Long Reign of the Woollen Cycling Jersey

Stage 17 and the Museum of Pyrennean Pastoralism

July 25, 2018

Today Stage 17 of the the Tour de France will pass through some stunning mountain scenery and views as it passes Azet en route to St Lary Soulon. It will also pass the Maison Pyrénéenne Du Pastoralism. The house combines a museum /information centre and centre for the development of contemporary practice in pastoralism. It focusses not only on the Pyrenees, although this is a large part of the exhibitions, but also reflects on practice … More Stage 17 and the Museum of Pyrennean Pastoralism

Knitters on Two Wheels

July 17, 2018

Creased and kept among the owner’s knitting patterns, this magazine pull out from a 1950s edition of Good Taste magazine, provides the pattern for a zip up cycling jacket which can then be embroidered with cycling related motifs. Some of the motifs were charted in the magazine on a later page and others could be obtained by ‘sending off’ to the Magazine. This was my starting point for today’s post which looks at the history … More Knitters on Two Wheels

The Grand Départ: An Assemblage

July 7, 2018

There are many reasons to be cynical about the Tour De France but despite that it continues to capture the imagination, or mine at least. Whilst much could be said about the history of the race, the nature of the endeavour, the competitors, teams, sponsors etc. the real attraction for me is the incredible landscape through which it passes. It’s a landscape that acts as a draw for cycling enthusiasts, the people who cycle for … More The Grand Départ: An Assemblage