Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Racing => Topic started by: Oaky on 20 April, 2010, 04:13:08 pm
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Apologies if this has already been posted (I couldn't see it when I just had a quick scan, but it's not clear from the official site when they published this but the Beeb have just put up a pointer to it dated today)
The Tour of Britain 2010 – The Race (http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_race/)
Looks like the Bury St Edmunds to Colchester section goes very near to my neck of the woods :), although it's a bit hard to tell from their rather vague map!
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What a very Westminster definition of Britain >:(
(= England & Wales ...)
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...although it's a bit hard to tell from their rather vague map!
Vague? That's an understatement.
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Yeah, the map is pretty shit, but it does look like the yacf Essex massive will get a chance to watch without travelling too far :thumbsup:
Looking at the not-very-accurate-map, I reckon they're sending 'em up North Hill before heading to Colchester.....
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
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It looks like the Newtown/Swansea route takes in the Black Mountain before descending to Brynaman and on to Pontardawe. I think I'll be booking a day's leave for September 13th when I get to work on Monday.
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Stage 2 is my neck of the woods :thumbsup:
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
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No NE of England stage this year then ???
It would be nice, one year, if they could organise a race that didnt involve transfers every night.
I might try and get along to the London stage, esp as its on the east side of town.
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
Maybe those parts where:
- the police aren't helful
- The towns aren't helpful
- there are insufficient hotels of appropriate quality/size (we're probably talking over 1,000 beds)
etc.
It must be a nightmare planning a route with all these restrictions - remember when one plice force insisted on a race neutralisation?
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
Shocking isn't it.
Giropaul says it though. Towns don't want the hassle or can't afford it. Police won't permit it on terms that the race can adhere to.
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
Maybe those parts where:
- the police aren't helful
- The towns aren't helpful
- there are insufficient hotels of appropriate quality/size (we're probably talking over 1,000 beds)
etc.
It must be a nightmare planning a route with all these restrictions - remember when one plice force insisted on a race neutralisation?
Let me ask which half of the country has the highest climbs, the most empty roads, and, oh yes, the local authority and police co-operation to provide the UK's only closed-road sportive ?
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Would be nice if it was over three weeks so they could actually do a proper tour rather than selected bits. You would probably get two crossings of the Pennines plus the hills in the borders.
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
Maybe those parts where:
- the police aren't helful
- The towns aren't helpful
- there are insufficient hotels of appropriate quality/size (we're probably talking over 1,000 beds)
etc.
It must be a nightmare planning a route with all these restrictions - remember when one plice force insisted on a race neutralisation?
Let me ask which half of the country has the highest climbs, the most empty roads, and, oh yes, the local authority and police co-operation to provide the UK's only closed-road sportive ?
Maybe the 'tacks' incidents and negative publicity was a reason the ToB avoided it. Maybe the communities don't want to pay for the race to visit them. The Etape Caledonia is the sportive with the most bad publicity and it wasn't because of the organisation or route
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
I think that a large part of the route selection is that they rely on funding from regional bodies so that whoever pays to fund a stage gets a stage. I know there's been criticism among riders in the past over the length of transfers involved between stages, but I gather it's essentially down to funding :-\
Might also explaing why it's:-
a very Westminster definition of Britain >:(
(= England & Wales ...)
maybe Westminster wouldn't pay for Scotland in this instance? ;) :demon:
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
Maybe those parts where:
- the police aren't helful
- The towns aren't helpful
- there are insufficient hotels of appropriate quality/size (we're probably talking over 1,000 beds)
etc.
It must be a nightmare planning a route with all these restrictions - remember when one plice force insisted on a race neutralisation?
Let me ask which half of the country has the highest climbs, the most empty roads, and, oh yes, the local authority and police co-operation to provide the UK's only closed-road sportive ?
Don't you get lots of punctures though !
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more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
Maybe those parts where:
- the police aren't helful
- The towns aren't helpful
- there are insufficient hotels of appropriate quality/size (we're probably talking over 1,000 beds)
etc.
It must be a nightmare planning a route with all these restrictions - remember when one plice force insisted on a race neutralisation?
Let me ask which half of the country has the highest climbs, the most empty roads, and, oh yes, the local authority and police co-operation to provide the UK's only closed-road sportive ?
Don't you get lots of punctures though !
I was wondering if someone would take that tack..
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Fine, but call it what it is - The Tour of England. Occasional excursions into Wales or Scotland considered on payment of the requisite fee.
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The Norfolk stage can be found in full & broken down into sections here (http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=25).
Press release here (http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=NCC075670&ssSourceNodeId=&ssTargetNodeId=3018), from which:
"The financial backing to host the race has been provided by the County Council, but five of Norfolk's district councils along the route (Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Broadland District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, North Norfolk District Council, Norwich City Council) have also pledged additional financial support to help stage the event" seems to support this:
more detailed maps and routes usually become available nearer the time
I wonder if on the more detailed maps they'll discover that they've missed off half of the country ?
I think that a large part of the route selection is that they rely on funding from regional bodies so that whoever pays to fund a stage gets a stage. I know there's been criticism among riders in the past over the length of transfers involved between stages, but I gather it's essentially down to funding :-\
The Norwich section is very close to work: I think the Grapes Hill footbridge might be a good vantage point, particularly as that's where the third Sprint of the day will happen. Alternatively, Gurney Hill over Mousehold Heath is a KoM point.
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maybe Westminster wouldn't pay for Scotland in this instance? ;) :demon:
Two of the sponsors at the foot of the page last time I looked were Highland Spring and Event Scotland. Maybe a hangover from last year when it struggled north.
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maybe Westminster wouldn't pay for Scotland in this instance? ;) :demon:
Two of the sponsors at the foot of the page last time I looked were Highland Spring and Event Scotland. Maybe a hangover from last year when it struggled north.
Interesting... they also have a Newcastle/Gateshead logo down there too - did it visit Newcastle last year?
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It's the same site as used last year. Go back through the news archive to see announcements from last year. If it wasn't last year it was the year before that Gateshead hosted a stage finish.
Edit: stage 2 finished in Gateshead in 2009
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If I'm doing nowt else I'll probably go to see in on stage 1, maybe for the grand depart or the finish or somewhere in between
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It looks like the Newtown/Swansea route takes in the Black Mountain before descending to Brynaman and on to Pontardawe. I think I'll be booking a day's leave for September 13th when I get to work on Monday.
On the Real Peloton podcast they said that the finale would include a climb/some climbs of Constitution Hill (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Swansea,+UK&sll=51.27656,-0.842152&sspn=0.049934,0.117931&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Swansea,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.622306,-3.955894&spn=0.003097,0.007371&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.622435,-3.955959&panoid=ZIvuv4FiyatbmwGToPfsyg&cbp=12,4.39,,0,-11.2), used in the Kellogs Tour in 1999 1993.
The Independent's race report from 1999 1993:
THE Kellogg's Tour of Britain met cycling's equivalent of the rack yesterday. Swansea's cobbled Constitution Hill came close to rating a visit from the League against Cruel Sports but the Belgian winner Serge Baguet reckoned that it was worse coming down than going up.
There were many who would dispute that as the one-in-three slopes sapped and stopped several riders in their tracks. Some decided it was faster to walk, and coming after a day in the Brecon Beacons it was sadistic.
It spelt doom for the brave efforts of the Russian Evgeni Berzin. Four miles from the finish his solo effort ended as the third climb of the mile- long drag* exhausted his reserves.
For 48 miles he had toiled alone, to arrive in Swansea almost five minutes in the clear, an impressive lead for a man who is used to winning track races by split seconds.
Baguet and the Dutchman Maarten Den Bakker were intent on stopping Berzin. As the bell sounded for the final five-mile lap they were within 10 seconds of him with theDane Jesper Skibby closing fast at 32 seconds, and Constitution Hill looming painfully.
*actually about 300 metres
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maybe Westminster wouldn't pay for Scotland in this instance? ;) :demon:
Two of the sponsors at the foot of the page last time I looked were Highland Spring and Event Scotland. Maybe a hangover from last year when it struggled north.
Peebles hosted a stage start last year with a really good turnout, and would be happy to do so again, so I don't believe there is any lack of will here in Scotland. Nor wold there be any problem finding beds in early Sept - rural Scotland is kept afloat by tourism!
It's easy to moan about it not coming to Scotland this time, but I think that's unfair - ToB has been here for a few years now and maybe it's just not our turn - Tdf doesn't go to Brittany every year either.
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Scotland would be fantastic for a queen stage.. Something like the Snow Roads route blended with the Cairngorm Sportif. Start in Dundee, Cairn o' Mount, Cabrach, Lecht, Brig'o'Brown, and finish at the Ski Centre on Cairn Gorm.
It is a question on whether Visit Scotland and the local councils want to spend the money to promote Scotland this year as opposed to the amount htey spent getting the borders stages for the last few years.
..d
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I reckon the road from Bettyhill down the valley of Strathnaver,over the Crask,Lairg,Bonar Bridge,Struie Hill,Black Isle & Inverness would make for good tv viewing
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I reckon the road from Bettyhill down the valley of Strathnaver,over the Crask,Lairg,Bonar Bridge,Struie Hill,Black Isle & Inverness would make for good tv viewing
You'd get fuzzy pictures from all the midges though..
Thurso or Wick could be a good start/finish.
Depends how much they want the tourism promotion.
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Scotland would be fantastic for a queen stage.. Something like the Snow Roads route blended with the Cairngorm Sportif. Start in Dundee, Cairn o' Mount, Cabrach, Lecht, Brig'o'Brown, and finish at the Ski Centre on Cairn Gorm.
It is a question on whether Visit Scotland and the local councils want to spend the money to promote Scotland this year as opposed to the amount htey spent getting the borders stages for the last few years.
..d
Would be a great start - then straight down the A9, a 2 hour trip would be acceptable and get the teams well placed for a stage back to England. Why not?
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Hilly stage is a poor start. You want nice flat stages, then a hilly one as second/third to last. Then the processional final crit in Londinium (TT previous day?)
Keeps the suspense going all week.
I suppose having a hilly stage to set up the potential leader at the start then gives more scope for breakaway stages = more traffic management problems.
Tour of Scotland would be fantastic..
..d
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ToB usually seems to be won by somebody who gets a breakaway in the first stage and defends it all week - so a hilly first stage would be no different, and at least it would be an honest start!
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Nice little promo video for the Norfolk stage: here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5SAPDBfohE)
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What time of day does each stage start?
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I don't think the start times have been released yet - they'll be in the Race Manual in the Press (http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_press/) section of the official site nearer the start of the race.
Not ideal if you're looking to book trains to get you to a start/from a finish that the times aren't released sooner though...
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The Welsh stage is going over the Black Mountain road from Llangadog. If you don't know it, it's a fearsome and deathly gnarlfest, a gruesomely beautiful ribbon of tarmac designed to shatter spirits, grind bone and rend flesh.
I know where I'll be watching.
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Can you assist with a post code reference or grid reference?
I would like to try and see a ToB stage this year and don't mind riding to a decent spot and then riding back afterwards, inspired of course. ;D
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OS X (Eastings) 272820
OS Y (Northings) 219170
Nearest Post Code SA19 9PA
It's a toss-up between Constitution Hill in Swansea and the Black Mountain, but I've decided on the Mountain so will see you there Tewdric (and GruB?). I know the exact spot I intend to be - just a little up from here (http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/21988).
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OS X (Eastings) 272820
OS Y (Northings) 219170
Nearest Post Code SA19 9PA
It's a toss-up between Constitution Hill in Swansea and the Black Mountain, but I've decided on the Mountain so will see you there Tewdric (and GruB?). I know the exact spot I intend to be - just a little up from here (http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/21988).
You're on.
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No NE of England stage this year then ???
It would be nice, one year, if they could organise a race that didnt involve transfers every night.
I might try and get along to the London stage, esp as its on the east side of town.
didnt they have to neutralise the race in the north east a couple of years ago? cause some ejut forgot to get police permission ::-)
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Stage 5 goes past our house
Stage 4 goes up Monument Rd out of Wellington towards Hemyock, pretty much on my commute
So if the weather looks good get the stage 4 day off and ride up to the very steep bit at the top of Monument hill ( it's about 20% ). Otherwise if the weather is mauvais stage 5 day off and make a banner and wait just outside our house
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Ah nice its coming to Glastonbury, that's an easy cycle distance from my place ;D
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didnt they have to neutralise the race in the north east a couple of years ago? cause some ejut forgot to get police permission ::-)
That was in Yorkshire. IIRC West Yorks Police were cleared, but North Yorks not consulted :facepalm:
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KoM in Norfolk. I still can't keep a straight face around that concept.
Anyway.
Family S will be skivving taking the day off and going to cheer them on somewhere up on the coast.
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OS X (Eastings) 272820
OS Y (Northings) 219170
Nearest Post Code SA19 9PA
It's a toss-up between Constitution Hill in Swansea and the Black Mountain, but I've decided on the Mountain so will see you there Tewdric (and GruB?). I know the exact spot I intend to be - just a little up from here (http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/21988).
Mmmh, 142 miles is quite a trek to the start. What time do you reckon it will go through at that point and what time do you reckon you will need to be in place by? Road closure?
I have great friends just over the bridge so I could break it into two days. :thumbsup:
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Don't know yet I'm afraid. There's about 25 miles to the finish from there, so I'd guess it would be around 14:30-15:00. No idea about road closures. I was going to leave it nearer to the time to work out the logistics, but then I'm only about 13 miles away so it's easier for me. Not sure if Tewdric is cycling over but he's not far this side of the bridge so you may be able to arrange some company.
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I know the exact spot I intend to be - just a little up from here (http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/21988).
You're on.
I hope to be there too. Plan is ride Birmingham - Talybont-on-Usk on the Sunday, probable food stop at Shobdon airfield. Food, real ale and overnight at the White Hart. Monday morning: breakfast then ride approx 40 miles to the tea room at the Carreg Cennen Castle tea room & craft shop (http://www.carregcennencastle.com/shop.htm), eat more before riding the few miles back to the above spot. Then back to Talybont for another food, real ale & overnight stop. After breakfast on Tuesday ride back to Hereford or Ledbury and take train the rest of the way back to Brum to catch up on what's happening in the race.
Can you tell I've done a few rides with the local CAMRA CTC group recently? It'll be my first solo multi-day eating/drinking/cycling experience minitour so hopefully I'll be accepted as a fully fledged member after that.... providing I can recall the names of any real ales encountered on the optional tour ;)
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Race manual is now available. Predicted time for top of Black Mountain is 12:49 - 13:21.
Edit - think I might head straight to Black Mountain with a snack and drop down to Carreg Cennen feeding zone afterwards for post race analysis if anybody's interested.
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Quite a bit earlier than I thought then. Good. More time for a ride afterwards. Carreg Cennen tea room sounds like a good idea.
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Race manual is now available. Predicted time for top of Black Mountain is 12:49 - 13:21.
Edit - think I might head straight to Black Mountain with a snack and drop down to Carreg Cennen feeding zone afterwards for post race analysis if anybody's interested.
So it is - thanks :) (linky - 19.7 MB) (http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_pdf/race_manual_2010.zip)
I will have to start my planning for attendence at the Bury St Edmunds to Colchester stage.
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I've booked the day off of work to see it, don't know weather to watch as it comes pass my house or head to colchester and be at the finishing line? ???
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Race manual is now available. Predicted time for top of Black Mountain is 12:49 - 13:21.
Edit - think I might head straight to Black Mountain with a snack and drop down to Carreg Cennen feeding zone afterwards for post race analysis if anybody's interested.
So it is - thanks :) (linky - 19.7 MB) (http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_pdf/race_manual_2010.zip)
I will have to start my planning for attendence at the Bury St Edmunds to Colchester stage.
If you're at the finish our local French Market lady Valery will be doing a mass paella or cous-cous apparently - was asked by the local council last week to participate.
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I will have to start my planning for attendence at the Bury St Edmunds to Colchester stage.
I notice it goes right through Witham. Might have to hop on a train to watch them go through, then carry on to Colchester to see the finish :)
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Is there any appetite for a forum ride from, say, Abergavenny bus station to watch them go over the Black Mountain? It would mean a fairly early start - it's a good 4 hours ride across. It's equally doable from the final MacDonalds on the Heads of the Valley's Road and quite a bit shorter.
I haven't got the final nod to take the day of work but I should be fine.
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OS X (Eastings) 272820
OS Y (Northings) 219170
Nearest Post Code SA19 9PA
It's a toss-up between Constitution Hill in Swansea and the Black Mountain, but I've decided on the Mountain so will see you there Tewdric (and GruB?). I know the exact spot I intend to be - just a little up from here (http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/21988).
Forecast (http://www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/llandovery) for Monday looks OK, I'll be there in a white, red & green Beacon RCC jersey (hopefully not a yellow waterproof) and afterwards in the Carreg Castle Cafe.
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Have a good ride down (and across) Saturn. I'll look out for you. I'll be wearing my ACF cap, and, what the hell, my (also) white, red and green Mille Cymru jersey. Aiming to get to that spot with miniog at some time towards 12:30, from the Carreg Cennen direction. Will probably join you going back there afterwards.
I see the provisional start list has been published. It looks to me like a field full of sprinters and TTers, based on the names I recognize.
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I've been unable to get of working nights on sunday, so I won't be up and about in time to get to the Black Mountain now :-(
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The route is looped herebouts giving an opportunity to see it twice within 8km of home
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The day it goes past my house Mrs V is working
The day after it passes the next village so we are going to cycle up to the top of monument hill near Wellington 12:00-14:00 and watch it there. This is the same route that the Sportive took
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Have a good ride down (and across) Saturn. I'll look out for you. I'll be wearing my ACF cap, and, what the hell, my (also) white, red and green Mille Cymru jersey. Aiming to get to that spot with miniog at some time towards 12:30, from the Carreg Cennen direction.
Poseur! I was going to wear my Mille Cymru jersey too. It will have to be my red Aldi jersey instead
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I see that a hill I use for hill repeats is featured for "KOM" points. Its the hill out of Hemyock in the Wellington direction. And they say it is a category 1. Which seems a bit wrong
It's about 25% on the steepest bit but it's not very long
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3403291503_3e0f3618e7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36911087@N05/3403291503/)
Image326 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36911087@N05/3403291503/) by vorsprung2009 (http://www.flickr.com/people/36911087@N05/), on Flickr
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The race goes within two miles of my house at 11 am today, and loops back to within five miles of my house at 1 pm! There's a sprint at each point.
:thumbsup:
I shall attend both, en tricycle, methinks. :)
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I shall have to miss the 1130-ish passage at Fole but might get to the 1340-ish passing at Creswell
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There was quite a decent crowd, IMHO. This was the peleton about half a minute behind the leading group. I don't know who won the sprint, a Sky rider, I think.
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/gordon1314/race.jpg)
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I shall have to miss the 1130-ish passage at Fole but might get to the 1340-ish passing at Creswell
No,not going to get there either ::-)
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I see that a hill I use for hill repeats is featured for "KOM" points. Its the hill out of Hemyock in the Wellington direction. And they say it is a category 1. Which seems a bit wrong
It's about 25% on the steepest bit but it's not very long
I've blotted out of my mind where the KOM signs for that hill start, but rest assured they are quite a long way from the finish signs...
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- think I might head straight to Black Mountain with a snack and drop down to Carreg Cennen feeding zone afterwards for post race analysis if anybody's interested.
Oh dear
1325: Visibility very bad now, only ~20m because of thick fog and very heavy rain on Black Mountain. And there's a strong headwind too
Yfrog Image : yfrog.com/mrps2doj - Uploaded by teamsigmasport (http://yfrog.com/mrps2doj)
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Oops...
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Well, we didn't see Saturn. There was a good crowd on the mountain despite the weather. Visibility was not too bad on the north side so we could see them coming from a fair distance, but cycling back over the top and back down it was bad, and the rain was stinging my eyes. I noticed on tonight's highlights that Cameron Meyer was squinting into it and donned sunglasses as the lesser of two evils. Even if the visibility was not too bad, it was howling wind and rain. I was drafting miniog, and that was just to spectate.
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I was amused to see the footage of Constitution Hill - the riders seem to be OK but one of the support cars got stuck on the steep cobbled section, unable to get traction. It had to be pushed up by spectators! ;D
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I notice they went the long way round to avoid the Newbridge-Beulah rollercoaster :)
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and after the climb from Newtown they didn't turn left at Dolfor where the real climb starts.
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I cycled over to Llandovery via Tregaron and Llyn Brianne to watch them. A few people turned out. Missed a great photograph as the lead riders turned onto the A40 and a young woman with a pram was right in the road in front of them. Had a long slog back then to Cardigan along the A40
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I cycled over to Llandovery via Tregaron and Llyn Brianne to watch them. A few people turned out. Missed a great photograph as the lead riders turned onto the A40 and a young woman with a pram was right in the road in front of them. Had a long slog back then to Cardigan along the A40
That was a bit of a ride given the carp weather Charles! :thumbsup:
The traffic chaos went on a bit afterwards too in Swansea. Only the keenest of spectators were to be seen along the route though.
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Just catching up on this - our very own Nuncio and Miniog were on telly!
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Well, we didn't see Saturn. There was a good crowd on the mountain despite the weather.
I stopped on the outside of the hairpin, stuck my Beacon gilet on over my waterproof and had a couple of walks up to where I was expecting you to be in order to keep warm and hoping to be spotted. I wasn't expecting your MC jerseys to be visible though and I was too shy to approach random strangers and say "are you Nuncio or Miniog?" because for all I know they could mean anything in Welsh. I forgot about the ACF cap though.
How do I recognise you on the TV highlights?
Because of the weather I decided not to continue to Carreg Cennen afterwards and instead stopped at the red kite place in Llandeusant which was on my route back to Talybont on Usk.
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How do I recognise you on the TV highlights?
Well just before Cameron Meyer came past I my stripped off my lycra to expose my lime green mankini and ran alongside annoyingly for a few yards. miniog stares at the camera, picking his nose aggressively.
Or
There's a single shot on the straight climb up from the hairpin. We're to the left, miniog wearing glasses and in a bright yellow Gore jacket and black overtrousers. I'm in my greener shade of Montane, shorts and acf cap. There are two Swansea CTC riders with us, one in a blue jacket the other in red. We're all clapping politely as Cameron Meyer goes past.
(Well spotted MattH)
Were you in shot too? I hope you enjoyed your tour. At least the weather on Sunday was good. Wasn't it?
I was too shy to approach random strangers and say "are you Nuncio or Miniog?" because for all I know they could mean anything in Welsh.
Correct, in one case.
We didn't bother with Carreg Cennen either (we'd come up from the cafe). It was straight home for me down the other side of the mountain. In normal conditions the Llanddeusant to Trecastle road is a delight. At least you'll have had a tail wind.
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How do I recognise you on the TV highlights?
There's a single shot on the straight climb up from the hairpin. We're to the left, miniog wearing glasses and in a bright yellow Gore jacket and black overtrousers. I'm in my greener shade of Montane, shorts and acf cap. There are two Swansea CTC riders with us, one in a blue jacket the other in red. We're all clapping politely as Cameron Meyer goes past.
Here's a grab:-
(http://haigh.org/tourofbritain.jpg)
(Well spotted MattH)
Well I've had plenty of experience spotting miniog and yourself on wet Welsh mountain roads. I'd never recognise you in the street :)
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There's a single shot on the straight climb up from the hairpin. We're to the left, miniog wearing glasses and in a bright yellow Gore jacket and black overtrousers. I'm in my greener shade of Montane, shorts and acf cap. There are two Swansea CTC riders with us, one in a blue jacket the other in red. We're all clapping politely as Cameron Meyer goes past.
Ah yes I see. Damn, I didn't go up anywhere near far enough - sorry.
Were you in shot too? I hope you enjoyed your tour. At least the weather on Sunday was good. Wasn't it?
No, they cut back to the chasers before Meyer reached the hairpin and then returned to him after he'd climbed away from it.
Yes thanks - ride out on Sunday was beautiful and ride back today was fine. Monday was character building.
In normal conditions the Llanddeusant to Trecastle road is a delight. At least you'll have had a tail wind.
Yes - it sort of made up for grinding into it's teeth all the way out because I used pretty much the same route there and back.
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That was a bit of a ride given the carp weather Charles! :thumbsup:
I actually didn't mind the rain so much as the noisy traffic and the general slog along the A40. I can't say that the return was a bundle of laughs. I met a guy on an ultra galaxy in carmarthen who was heading straight up the dual carriageway to St clears and then on to pembroke for the ferry. He was well loaded up and headed straight into the wind. Not much fun I suspect.
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Stage 7 (this Friday 17th) passes the end of my road :). The route map is a little misleading as it appears to start well outside the town whereas the location on the website (http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_race/default.asp?section=stage7_route) is given as Angel Hill right in the centre of BSE ???
I'll try to get some photos.
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I notice they went the long way round to avoid the Newbridge-Beulah rollercoaster :)
Ah yes, the Flatus manoeuvre ...
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Stage 7 (this Friday 17th) passes the end of my road :). The route map is a little misleading as it appears to start well outside the town whereas the location on the website (http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_race/default.asp?section=stage7_route) is given as Angel Hill right in the centre of BSE ???
I'll try to get some photos.
The race manual has Angel Hill as the official (neutralised) start, and the start of actual racing at "Horringer (Outside Godfreys Cottages on the Right)"
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Had a lovely ride out to Glastonbury today.
Disappointed that I cant quite recognise myself on the TV coverage of the finish.
The commentry at the finish was appalling it consited of some bloke in a car giving infrequent semi-garbled mobile phone messages to Hugh Porter. Hence didn't have a real clue what was happing until about the last 200m. I'd have thought they could do a bit better in this elightened century.
Evidently the commentry on the TV highlights is added later.
Still the ride was worth it 125 hilly Km in total including three big mendip climbs (Burrington Combe, Cheddar gorge, and the Old Bristol road up from Wells).
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Stage 7 (this Friday 17th) passes the end of my road :). The route map is a little misleading as it appears to start well outside the town whereas the location on the website (http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/_ns_race/default.asp?section=stage7_route) is given as Angel Hill right in the centre of BSE ???
I'll try to get some photos.
The race manual has Angel Hill as the official (neutralised) start, and the start of actual racing at "Horringer (Outside Godfreys Cottages on the Right)"
Thanks :).
I downloaded the race manual so I see the route the riders take through the town (basically the one I was expecting past the GK brewery). Also useful to know what time the road closes ;).
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Evidently the commentry on the TV highlights is added later.
And its relevance to the pictures my be a bit muddled? Or perhaps it was me that was muddled. Anyway, watched at Butleigh, 6km from the finish, splendidly exciting, much better than the TV of course.
Just the one Mendip climb for me, Dinder.
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Just got back from watching the stage through Norwich at the sprint point on Grapes Hill. Very good crowd, good weather and, thankfully, a breakaway pair with a 5min gap to the peloton so a bit more than 15s of action to justify an hours wait.
Top comedy moment was seeing the marshalls rushing to mark out the sprint line after the first two had gone past :facepalm:
Didn't make any difference of course as the leaders weren't sprinting anyway. Apparently 'they arrived earlier than expected'.
Very impressed by the organisation of the rolling road blocks - they even allowed traffic through between the leaders & the peloton without any problems, which surprised me.
No photos 'cos I'm a plank & forgot the camera... :-[
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Just watched them go past the end of our road in Witham. Very exciting. Really impressed by how the coppers on motorbikes organised the rolling road block. There were lots of kids from the local junior school watching (including our very own Twinkle Toes). All the police bikes gave the kids a blast on their two-tones which the kids loved.
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Just watched them go past the end of our road in Witham. Very exciting. Really impressed by how the coppers on motorbikes organised the rolling road block. There were lots of kids from the local junior school watching (including our very own Twinkle Toes). All the police bikes gave the kids a blast on their two-tones which the kids loved.
I also saw it this morning at the end of my road. It was only the warm-up approaching the start a mile or so away but still very impressive to watch.
I agree, the police road block was superb. Several times a bike approached and sounded it's horn as a signal that it would replace the one it was approaching, which then moved off to the next position.
I've started a thread for photos here (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=38105.0).
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Just watched them go past the end of our road in Witham. Very exciting. Really impressed by how the coppers on motorbikes organised the rolling road block. There were lots of kids from the local junior school watching (including our very own Twinkle Toes). All the police bikes gave the kids a blast on their two-tones which the kids loved.
I also saw it this morning at the end of my road. It was only the warm-up approaching the start a mile or so away but still very impressive to watch.
I agree, the police road block was superb. Several times a bike approached and sounded it's horn as a signal that it would replace the one it was approaching, which then moved off to the next position.
I've started a thread for photos here (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=38105.0).
Exactly, this was the bit I found most impressive. It was also interesting to note the police riders were from a variety of forces, I guess a few from each force area the race has passed through.
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The thing I've been impressed by is the coverage - it's not just sufficient, it's good!
It was also interesting to note the police riders were from a variety of forces, I guess a few from each force area the race has passed through.
I guess it was the cycling fans who volunteered for the duty!
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Exactly, this was the bit I found most impressive. It was also interesting to note the police riders were from a variety of forces, I guess a few from each force area the race has passed through.
It used to be that the police riders were all volunteers who did it just because enjoyed doing it, and not because the race went throgh their "patch", and I think that they did it in their own time and so unpaid, but it could have changed by now.
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Great fun - watched the Start at BSE, the KotM at Milden and the finish in Colchester.
Lovely day out.
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It was a good day. You nearly pulled too :P
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Podium girl?
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Podium girl?
No. Two rather portly, Stella swigging chavettes ;D
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Podium girl?
No. Two rather portly, Stella swigging chavettes ;D
They did seem rather taken with my legs.
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Who could resist? ;D
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Just watched today's coverage on the telly. The podium girls looked nice!
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Just watched today's coverage on the telly. The podium girls looked nice!
Did you see Tomsk & I at the Milden KoM finish? (on the right of the road at the start of the barriers - I'm the red blur, Tomsk is the tall blur in the yellow/dark purple getup.
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Just watched today's coverage on the telly. The podium girls looked nice!
Did you see Tomsk & I at the Milden KoM finish? (on the right of the road at the start of the barriers - I'm the red blur, Tomsk is the tall blur in the yellow/dark purple getup.
I was looking closely but didn't see either of you. Strangely Witham didn't feature in the telly coverage either. We think we spotted Black Notley, then Maldon, then Tiptree ::-)
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Just watched today's coverage on the telly. The podium girls looked nice!
Did you see Tomsk & I at the Milden KoM finish? (on the right of the road at the start of the barriers - I'm the red blur, Tomsk is the tall blur in the yellow/dark purple getup.
I was looking closely but didn't see either of you. Strangely Witham didn't feature in the telly coverage either. We think we spotted Black Notley, then Maldon, then Tiptree ::-)
Yeah .. I'm going to have to re-watch in case I accidentally fast forwarded through the relevant bit of the coverage whilst skipping adverts, but they seemed to miss out the point where the two-man breakaway became a single rider.