Tour of Britain rides in and out of Wales/England border
The Tour of Britain rode back and too across the Shropshire border as it completed stage two starting and ending in Wrexham on Monday.
Spectators lined the border villages of Penley and Overton at lunchtime and roads were temporarily closed as the massive entourage drove through the countryside.
Just 24 hours before part of the route had been used by competitors in the Shropshire Triathlon.
The cyclists had to take on plenty of liquid and energy gels to cope with temperatures in the high 20s, something many would not have expected in the UK in September.
The stage was won by Dutchman Olav Kooij who became the first rider in four years to win back-to-back stages of the Tour of Britain as he took his second victory in as many days in Wrexham.
While hundreds gathered in the Welsh city to see the start and end of the tour some from Shropshire drove and cycled just a few miles across the England/Wales border to the villages.
Cyclist Alan Preston from Dudleston Heath said it was a great site to see, coming so close to his home.
"I decided to bike over," he said.
"I've been cycling about 25 years. I used to run but an injury meant I had to stop so I took up cycling."
Barry and Geraldine Woolham from St Martins took their camping chairs with them to Overton and found a shady spot to wait for the tour to pass through.
They were there with son Neil from Penley.
"I was on a day off and rang my parents to see if they would like a trip out to watch," he said
Barry said: "With all the police and other escorts it must cost a fortune to stage the Tour. It was really impressive to see all the support cars and motorbikes, let along the cyclists."
There were 95 cyclists who started the 109.9 kilometres loop, crossing into Cheshire then going along the Shropshire/Wales border back to Wrexham.
