Pelotons, pace and applause: what is it like inside a pro-cycling Tour stage?

This year's Tour of Britain was packed with top cyclists such as Bradley Wiggins, but Peter Kimpton found an alternative way of joining the race - from the passenger seat of a support car

The whir and hum of hundreds of wheels through each town brought a wind-tunnel tornado of excitement. The cheering crowds were deafening, the speed on the road brutal. I've taken part in various sponsored amateur rides and extreme sportives, but for a change of pace, I had the chance to get inside a world-class professional race - this summer's Tour of Britain, and it's a ride I'll never forget.