Tour de France Tip of the Day: Go to the time trial start

Whenever there is a time trial – make sure you go to the start.

A lot of people distribute themselves along the route, or wait at the finish. However, by far the best place to be is at the start. It is here that you will be able to go to all the team buses and watch all the cyclists warming up. They are so close that you can easily get autographs and pictures.

The day is full of equipment and cyclist spotting. Keep a look out for bike customisations, such as paint-jobs and new disc wheels.

VIP's also abound at the start. It is easy to catch up with all their friends and ex-colleagues. At the Cognac start in the 2007 tour Lance Armstrong was seen in the Disco team car supporting Alberto Contador. Pat McQuaid is also often seen visiting the ProTour teams.

Being in a city or village allows a tourist to get a good cup of coffee or walk around the centre as the day unfolds. When the maillot jaune goes down the start ramp then you can dash to the brasserie and watch the excitement on a TV screen.