Author Topic: Tour of Britain 2012  (Read 12873 times)

LEE

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #75 on: 14 September, 2012, 11:13:00 am »
Well following my own advice I'm pressing the OFF button on the "why watch something if it irritates you?" spin-off.

I'm still liking the TV coverage, commentary and all.

It's noticeable, to me anyway, how much time the riders spend either swerving to avoid sunken grids and manholes, or alerting those behind of their presence.

Is this because our roads are, in general, worse for this sort of thing or that The Tour de France "circus" uses roads which are manicured just for the Tour?

The Tour of Britain, I think refreshingly, uses small lanes that I can relate to, rather than just hammering down pristine A-roads.

I'm not sure some of the Pros, from warmer climes (and warmer climbs), appreciate it in the same way I do.  Maybe you just develop a taste for cold, gritty water in the face after a few years of Audaxing.  Shap in the wind and rain....what's the Spanish for "Chapped Legs" ?

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #76 on: 14 September, 2012, 12:27:57 pm »
Mrs Pingu didn't seem very impressed with me pointing out where the disabled toilet in Shap is  ???

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #77 on: 14 September, 2012, 01:19:30 pm »
Oh no!

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Toady

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #78 on: 14 September, 2012, 01:37:01 pm »
A cynical view

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Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #79 on: 14 September, 2012, 03:14:52 pm »
Mrs Pingu didn't seem very impressed with me pointing out where the disabled toilet in Shap is  ???

Admittedly, she probably doesn't have the same sentimental attachment to them.
It didn't look at all like that in the photographs

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #80 on: 14 September, 2012, 06:16:12 pm »
It's noticeable, to me anyway, how much time the riders spend either swerving to avoid sunken grids and manholes, or alerting those behind of their presence.

Is this because our roads are, in general, worse for this sort of thing or that The Tour de France "circus" uses roads which are manicured just for the Tour?

Both. Can you remember any of PBP? :) Well the Tour roads are mainly like that, but with surfaces 1/10th the age.

(Plus they get easier access to A-roads from the Authoritayz, so are less likely to use the tiny lanes the TofB seems to like.)
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #81 on: 14 September, 2012, 06:27:47 pm »
Cat's Eyes!

Major challenge for ToB riders.  Ever hit one?  Not nice at speed and the new rounded glass ones are a nightmare, even to motor bikes.

In France, you very rarely get these 'safety measures' and that is anotrher reason why cycling is so much fun in France.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #82 on: 14 September, 2012, 06:49:59 pm »
I do notice "Le Peleton" bouncing over sleeping policemen a lot more in the French and Spanish events than in the TofB. Perhaps cos, again, they get to use more main roads and town centres. They seem to have got more frequent over the years.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #83 on: 14 September, 2012, 06:58:58 pm »


Is this because our roads are, in general, worse for this sort of thing or that The Tour de France "circus" uses roads which are manicured just for the Tour?



On Monday's stage, some of the lanes around Siddington (near to where the feed zone was) had been newly patched with tar and marbles chippings. I don't know if it was TofB related or just a coincidence.
I'm not sure if pot-holes or the loose gravel would have been preferable.

I've often wondered if the TdeF roads are swept ahead of the race.
Seeing the commitment of some of the riders through bends where they can't possibly see the surface in advance, makes me think that they might be.
And yes, I am thinking of the Cancellara video.


Chris S

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #84 on: 14 September, 2012, 07:06:19 pm »
A cynical view

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Absolutely!

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Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #85 on: 14 September, 2012, 08:55:53 pm »
It was terrific fun on Caerphilly Mountain.  I was standing in Camp Rowe a couple of hundred yards short of the summit, with a big group of Luke's family and his mates.  Amongst them were a 6'10" fairy, a boxer, a caveman, a gorilla and a bloke wearing swimming trunks and a marvel comic gimp mask...  A real carnival atmosphere.

I duped Cav by telling him he was "nearly half way" when he had nearly crested the climb.  He did look a bit worried...

Shame Bradley wasn't riding, but Cav, Luke Rowe and the other local boy Magnus Beckstadt all got massive shouts and all the UK riders were cheered through well. 

Excellent day.

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #86 on: 14 September, 2012, 10:00:54 pm »
That group featured prominently on the coverage. I also spotted an Audax Cymru jersey, but not sure where in relationship to that group.  Mal Volio perhaps, Tewdric?  I didn't see miniog at the cycling but did on the coverage of the Ospreys game this evening.

Toady

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #87 on: 14 September, 2012, 10:56:49 pm »
It was terrific fun on Caerphilly Mountain.  I was standing in Camp Rowe a couple of hundred yards short of the summit, with a big group of Luke's family and his mates.  Amongst them were a 6'10" fairy, a boxer, a caveman, a gorilla and a bloke wearing swimming trunks and a marvel comic gimp mask...  A real carnival atmosphere.

According to the TV, the boxer was Luke's brother.

miniog

  • aka IanS
Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #88 on: 14 September, 2012, 11:28:21 pm »
I also spotted an Audax Cymru jersey, but not sure where in relationship to that group.  Mal Volio perhaps, Tewdric?  I didn't see miniog at the cycling but did on the coverage of the Ospreys game this evening.

It was Mal Volio. I was a couple of hundred yards further up the mountain with IanGaggiaport and (briefly) Toby

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #89 on: 14 September, 2012, 11:33:00 pm »
It was terrific fun on Caerphilly Mountain.  I was standing in Camp Rowe a couple of hundred yards short of the summit, with a big group of Luke's family and his mates.  Amongst them were a 6'10" fairy, a boxer, a caveman, a gorilla and a bloke wearing swimming trunks and a marvel comic gimp mask...  A real carnival atmosphere.

The boxer was Luke's brother Matt and the 6'10" fairy was James "Tank" Lewis from the Port Talbot Wheelers, now sponsored by Wiggle and the owner of an Elite license. I haven't worked out who Captain Marvel or Captain Caveman is yet but I have my suspicions. Fair play to those lads, they're a good bunch. Last year Matt was dressed as Santa and the others all had Geraint Thomas masks. There's a fantastic photo of Matt on facebook, I'll post it later...

We went out for a 100km spin around Nelson, Bedlinog and Cwmcarn before heading up the Mountain, ending up at the right hand turn just after the summit. Good support for the local boys (Luke, Owain Doull and Magnus) and great to see Cav in the rainbow jersey.

Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #90 on: 15 September, 2012, 09:55:56 am »
A couple of clips Mal Volio took...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/IA1x7AtanuM&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/IA1x7AtanuM&rel=1</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/JLxj_FMGzmU&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/JLxj_FMGzmU&rel=1</a>

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Tour of Britain Route 2012 Launch
« Reply #91 on: 15 September, 2012, 04:50:22 pm »
Good performance by Endura today. Just Hass to watch tomorrow and hopefully it should be JTL as the overall winner. Which is none too shabby a result. He seems to have done very well this year. Nice to bookend the year with stage race wins.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

lord hereford

  • Chapeau!
Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #92 on: 15 September, 2012, 09:19:09 pm »
What happened to Hugh Porter on the commentary? Is he locked in a cupboard somewhere? I didn't catch the Irish guy's name who did the commentary duties today but I really missed the hysteria and gibberish.....
Yesterday's favourite " They've reached the foothills of Caerphilly Mountain."
"Mister Zoot Horn Rollo, hit that long lunar note,
and let it float. " - Don Van Vliet, R.I.P.

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #93 on: 15 September, 2012, 10:32:36 pm »
What happened to Hugh Porter on the commentary? Is he locked in a cupboard somewhere? I didn't catch the Irish guy's name who did the commentary duties today but I really missed the hysteria and gibberish.....
Yesterday's favourite " They've reached the foothills of Caerphilly Mountain."

Porter's off to the Netherlands to "commentate" on the World Championships for the BBC. Thank Jebus it's also shown on Eurosport.

Great stage of the ToB today - great racing, crowds and fantastic scenery. A shame for the riders that they had such a long transfer to tomorrow's start.
a great mind thinks alike

Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #94 on: 15 September, 2012, 11:59:29 pm »
I thought that it was so much better without Hugh No Clue Porter.
Damn shame that he's commentating elsewhere.


Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #95 on: 16 September, 2012, 06:41:34 pm »
Amazing crowds out this weekend, really exciting racing and great commentary, hurrah!  :D

Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #96 on: 16 September, 2012, 07:14:40 pm »
Amazing crowds out this weekend, really exciting racing and great commentary, hurrah!  :D

Amen to that.
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #97 on: 16 September, 2012, 08:07:38 pm »
(click to show/hide)

Rest of the snaps @ clicky
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #98 on: 16 September, 2012, 11:01:54 pm »
Thanks iddu.and congrats to JTL
Good GB results all round really for this race. I've enjoyed the coverage and I've enjoyed that people at work are aware of it enough to join in the bit of chat between the 'cyclists'
Congrats to all.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Tour of Britain 2012
« Reply #99 on: 16 September, 2012, 11:36:55 pm »
Spare a thought for Wouter Sybrandy, the IG Sigma Sport rider. Apparently he had a bad crash on today's stage and required surgery.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes