The Lloyds Tour of Britain Through My Camera

As a keen cyclist and photographer, imagine my excitement when the greatest men’s cycle race this country hosts — the Tour of Britain — came not only through Central Bedfordshire, but right near where I live! I have a friend who was just as excited as I was, so we had plenty of chats and planning to do, with the bonus of having company on the day.

Preparation for the Event

This part was crucial to get right. We needed to know the planned route, check out the landscape, and find the best places for photographing, parking, and drop-off — especially as the roads would be closed on a rolling basis. And of course, we had to locate a nearby coffee-and-cake stop!

I started visualising the kinds of shots I might capture, with options to adjust on the second circuit. So, a few days before the race, we drove around the planned loop — which the riders would complete twice — taking in all the villages along the way.

We chose the hill just outside Northill. It had everything: a good café (The Cowshed), a convenient crossroads for drop-off and pick-up, a clear view of the cyclists climbing what felt like a steep hill (to me at least — maybe not to the pros!), and the promise of a lively atmosphere. The Cowshed was even running a special event to support the race, so we knew there’d be a crowd. With the practicalities sorted, it was time for photography prep back home.

Photography Preparation

First up: charging the batteries. I’ve learned the hard way how important this is — not having a spare can be disastrous. I also packed two memory cards, just in case. I’d never needed a second one before, but on the day, I did! There was a moment of panic when “memory full” popped up mid-shoot.

My rucksack was packed with my Nikon Z6ii and two lenses — a 24–70mm and a 70–120mm. I knew I’d probably only use one, as there’d be little time to swap during such a fast-paced race, but I wanted a backup in case of lens failure. I used the 70-120mm

Since I had no prior experience photographing an event like this, I researched settings. ChatGPT was my go-to — and the advice was spot on:

• AF Mode: AF-C

• AF Area Mode: L-People

• Shooting: Continuous High Extended (though this was overkill and filled the memory quickly, so I reduced it)

• Shutter Speed: 1/1000s or faster to freeze action. Panning for motion blur (1/30–1/125s) wasn’t realistic given how fast the cyclists were — around 30–40mph!

• Aperture: f/2.8–f/4 for subject isolation

• ISO: Auto ISO on, capped at 6400–8000 (the Z6ii handles noise well)

On the Day: The Atmosphere Builds

We arrived early to secure our spot. The atmosphere was already buzzing. Many cyclists were riding up the same hill the peloton would climb — a great chance for me to practice shots. Some struggled, some flew, but the best moment was a father and young son riding up to cheers from the crowd. Sadly, what could have been a perfect shot was spoiled by a spectator’s elbow in the way — a sign of things to come.

With time to kill before the main event, I wandered about capturing moments of the day, helping set the scene of a celebration for cycling fans. Then came the first signs of the race: police motorbikes clearing the route, horns blaring, sirens flashing. And then — the peloton.

The crowds roared as the riders surged up the hill, and I kept the shutter firing non-stop, hoping for one or two really good shots, knowing many would be discarded. The peloton was a blur of colour, followed by a lively parade of team cars stacked high with spare bikes and wheels. To my surprise, not one but three AA recovery vans followed behind! The sounds of cheering, shouting, and cowbells created a wall of noise that matched the speed and intensity of the riders.

Challenges Behind the Lens

The riders appeared in seconds — even on a hill — and passed by even quicker. There was no time to adjust settings. Any thought of switching to motion blur, and they were gone. Add to that the unpredictable crowd: arms, legs, flags, and mobile phones sneaking into so many frames.

A Second Chance

Thankfully, the circuit was to be done twice, giving me another opportunity. I changed vantage points and refined my approach for the next lap. The new spot gave me a longer view of the approach, but it also meant more spectators in front of me. In the end, I wasn’t as successful as I’d hoped.

Reflections

Photographing the Tour of Britain wasn’t just about catching cyclists on the road — it was about documenting the entire experience: the preparation, the atmosphere, the people, the difficulties, and those fleeting moments of success when the shutter clicked at just the right time.

Getting home and discovering a few golden shots left me eager to try more sports photography.

Although I am new to the editing process, I found there was little need to do much, just some cropping and exposure adjustments, I have kept in as much as possible, in order to keep the photos authentic to the day, rather than something that could be competition quality.

What would I do differently next time?

• Take a stool to sit on and shoot from lower down — avoiding elbows and phones while gaining a unique perspective.

• And most importantly: don’t leave a lasagne in the oven! A frantic phone call to my husband to drive home and turn it off meant he missed the race completely — and we ended up with a cremated dinner.