Tour de France/Tour de Fleece 2022 - Ready to start

It all kicks off tomorrow and I am disappointed the British Cyclist Mark Cavendish hasn't been chosen as one of the 8 cyclists that the team he races for will be putting forward.  One of the team had to be substituted a few days ago because they tested positive for Covid-19 but they replaced him with someone else, not Mark, but apparently he is the next reserve so if anyone else tests positive for Covid-19 then he gets to race.  It's a shame that he's not in the Tour this year because if he won a stage he breaks the record for the number of stage wins in his career, currently held by a now retired Belgian cyclist, and there is talk that this is reason why his Belgian owned team have not put him forward for the Tour, they don't want a non-Belgian to break the record currently held by a Belgian man.  If that's true then that is a ridiculous reason and racist.

Anyway, on with the overall map, 4 countries in total, Denmark, Begium, France and Switszerland.

I've signed up for the Tour de Fleece 2022

So this year I have signed up to the same TdF Team that I did last year as it was relaxed and lots of fun, exactly as it should be, it shouldn't be stressful and bitchy, can't be doing with that kind of behaviour.

Last year we all got a very generous £10 voucher to use on spinning fibre just for signing up to the team run by a fibre supplier but I'm pretty sure not everyone participated, we all had to create a "post" containing a spinning log and update it regularly and there were lots of team members spinning logs that remained empty and are still empty the last time I looked.  This year the supplier has learned a lesson so that people don't sign up just for the freebies and then don't participate, this year we get a % discount, still very generous and much appreciated but we don't get stuff for free.

The organisers of the team have come up with a list of fibres that they intend to use for some of the daily challenges and it's optional whether we use that fibre or not or we could choose something from our own personal stashes.  I have bought a few braids but most of the suggested fibres I either already have or have an alternative that I can use and I also bought a couple of braids that I've wanted to try for ages as well.  The first two are what I've had my eye on for a while, the last two are what I bought for from the recommended list and I also bought two other fibres for a specific project.

Crumpet Tweed Top: 80% South American Wool, 20% Viscose Fibre

Fineapple: 50% Bamboo, 25% Merino, 25% Pineapple

Sticken Scandinavian Mountain Wool

Thistle-do: 80% Shetland Wool, 20% Himalayan Nettle
A special fibre put together for the TdF2022