ROAD sides across Gwent were filled with thousands of residents and visitors as the Tour de Britain streamed through towns earlier on this afternoon.

Stage five of the UK-wide event started in Aberdare at 10.30am before streaming through Maesycwmmer, Newbridge and New Inn before a sprint time-check outside Usk primary school.

After the sprint finish at just after midday the 120 cyclists continued line astern along the A472 and then the B4235 before going through Trelleck, Brockweir and Llandogo with the riders finishing in Bath at 4pm.

Of all of the place to see Olympian riders, including Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins, the place to be was on the main high street in Usk where the pavements were lined with residents, visitors and school children to welcome the riders.

Many people said the they were impressed with the size of the moving entourage whilst the town was filled with enthusiasts and fans that had come from far and wide to see the spectacle.

Usk-born Mark Badger watched the race with wife Aimee on the corner of Bridge Street as the riders came over the bridge and said: “We have taken the day off work to come up and see it from Cardiff. We were working out whether to see it and either go to Bath or the Forest of Dean but when we saw it was coming through Usk it was a no-brainer.

“I’m really into cycling and instruct but have never actually been to see it live before as I usually just watch it on the TV but it’s great for the area that’s its coming through Usk.”

One of the positives locals spoke of was the rolling road block, rather than a permanent one.

Kevin Farthing of Parrys Estate Agents was watching it with friend Jonathan Edwards and said: “I’m not into cycling but its great seeing them come through, the TV doesn’t do it justice at how impressive it is. It’s worth coming out to see and it’s the only time I have never seen so many police in the town except on a Sunday morning.

“It’s great that they can just close off the road for an hour as they come through and then their gone, it’s not really inconvenient.”

Amateur cyclists had also come from far and wide to see the professionals in action with a noticeable entourage from Cardiff Ajax’s amongst many other clubs.

Malcolm Rae from Bath had cycled with three friends from the Severn Bridge by Chepstow to see the riders come through and said: “It’s really good, we cycled for nearly two hours to get here and then we are going to go up the hills on the way back.

“We started just on the other side of the bridge and there were lots of people going the other way, it was funny as it seemed like Welsh people wanted to watch it in England whilst we wanted to come here.”

Sandra Bailey, 60, from Abergavenny, added: “I think its brilliant, we love it and we have gone to see the Tour de France before. Quite a lot of people have come to watch it but I thought there would be even more to be honest.”