No, I don't think we've met, I set off via the market place shortly after you do, but in the opposite direction. That's a monster commute you have there!
I think I was a bit harsh on the tour upthread, yes it was a good turn out for the start. Hopefully next year it will be in the mainstream news, like the Giro d'Italia was. The trade assoc. had been led to believe it would bring people to the town over a longer period with, eg, TV crews from Tuesday night, the cafés were open from 05:30 but there was hardly a soul about when I went through at 06:15. Everyone turned up shortly before the start and left immediately afterwards, and the town was deserted for the rest of the day as everyone thought the roads were still closed.