Big British welcome for Olympic hero at JCB World HQ

Tour of Britain cyclists were recently given a Great British welcome as they

sprinted past JCB's World HQ in Staffordshire.


The 100 riders - including Olympic Gold Medallist Bradley Wiggins and 2011

Road Race World Champion Mark Cavendish - were competing in Stage 5 of the

Race around the county, which started at Trentham Gardens and finished in

Hanley.


JCB's World HQ was almost at the half way point of the 147 kilometre ride

today, with the third and final Yodel Sprint taking place on the road

outside the digger maker's Rocester plant.


And as they sped past the factory they were saluted by a JCB backhoe

loader painted in Union Jack colours and a fleet of other JCB diggers,

some with Union Jacks draped from their buckets and forming a roadside

guard of honour.


A JCB spokesman said: "We were delighted to welcome the Tour of Britain

cyclists to the JCB World HQ and as one of UK's biggest manufacturers it

was only fitting that they got a big British welcome from machines which

help put the country on the map."


Also greeting the cyclists were around 200 flag waving JCB employees and

children from Ryecroft Middle School in Rocester.