Emotions were high at the start of the inaugural Friends Life Womens Tour this morning. It was evident that this is a very special day for not only women’s professional cycling but also for the development of women’s cycling in general.

Dame Tanni Grey Thompson who was responsible for dropping the flag at the start line had to wipe a tear from her eye as she said she thought this might be one of the most emotional moments of her sporting career to date. A big statement from somebody who has a host of Olympic and World Championship accolades to her name.

Crowds lined the streets of Oundle, adding to the incredible atmosphere. All of the riders expressed their shock at the sheer numbers who had turned out to support with Laura Trott giggling from the sign on stage saying: “I can’t believe how many people have turned out to watch us.”

We’re so excited for the upcoming races, find out further information of today’s race and what to expect over the next few days here.

Check out some more of our updates from The Women’s Tour…

The Women’s Tour: Oundle Gets Ready for Stage 1

A Day in the Life of the Directeur Sportif for the Wiggle Honda Team

Behind the Scenes at the Women’s Tour 2014