Author Topic: Anyone going to the time trials? (Read 6845 times)

Ewan Houzami · « **Reply #25 on:** 01 August, 2012, 09:50:03 am »

Apparently the beeb has nabbed Cav for the day to provide commentary (He's been keeping himself busy this week, what with riding RRs and exhibition crits all over Europe and stuff.)

I'm guessing on R5Live.

citoyen · « **Reply #26 on:** 01 August, 2012, 10:07:48 am »

Cav's doing commentary on the track stuff too. Got to be better than Hugh Porter!

d.

Ewan Houzami · « **Reply #27 on:** 01 August, 2012, 11:02:25 am »

Right. I've finally decided. Leaving bike at home, I'm getting off the train at Twickers and will assess the situation from there. Might stroll down to Bushy Park if crowds not too bonkers. *slurps coffee and dashes off to station*

GothonaBrompton · « **Reply #28 on:** 01 August, 2012, 11:08:54 am »

Teddington would be closer for Bushy Park .....

clarion · « **Reply #29 on:** 01 August, 2012, 11:25:58 am »

I'm heading to Teddington (and hoping not to meet Two-Ton Ted). I'm hoping I can find a space on Hampton Court Road, then in the Park later.

clarion · « **Reply #30 on:** 01 August, 2012, 12:15:54 pm »

I decided to alight at Hampton wick instead. Other than forcing people to take the wrong way out of the station, with no clear signs, the organisation seems good. But it is now raining, so the bend by the RAB might be tricky.

alexb · « **Reply #31 on:** 01 August, 2012, 02:10:55 pm »

Coverage of the womens race on Iplayer was pretty good and lovely footage around the medal ceremony, really intimate with the athlete comments to each other and the officials all clearly audible.

drossall · « **Reply #32 on:** 01 August, 2012, 05:25:07 pm »

I was at Hampton Wick too. Wandered over bridge to see the women's race, but came back and grabbed a spot after the corner onto the High Street for the men's.

General excitement, pizza parlour invaded because it had TV. Then joined the crowd outside Sigma Sport to watch the medal ceremony and sing the National Anthem

)

Jurek · « **Reply #33 on:** 01 August, 2012, 06:57:59 pm »

What a spiffing day

Hampton Court Road and a telly in a cafe for the women's.

Bushy Park just north of the Diana Fountain, 1.5kms from the finish for the mens.

Bumped into Kat Jungnickel and a couple of other LFGSSers, so we stopped for celebratory refreshment.

Might post some pics later, if they're any good.

clarion · « **Reply #34 on:** 01 August, 2012, 07:06:42 pm »

Hah! You weren't far from me. I was balanced on the top of a slope next to the fountain, so as to get a decent angle for photos on the curve. But it would have been more fun to see people. Mobile networks seemed pretty rammed, so liaising would have been hard.

hatler · « **Reply #35 on:** 01 August, 2012, 07:09:35 pm »

What a day !

Trained to Kingston with the whole family (with bikes). The Hampton Court train was heaving. Pedalled around Kingston and over the bridge. Crossed the route onto the Kingston - HC riverside path. Along to HC. Stopped to see the screens in the Palace for a bit, then wandered up to the route to see some of the women finishing and bumped into Des of the FNRttC. Our plans to head into Bushy Park and then to Teddington were never going to happen (just too many people) so we turned back for Kingston heading for some friends who live on Kingston Road. Barbie in the garden, beers, great atmosphere, happy children and some of the world's finest athletes zinging past. Doesn't get much better. Except of course it did. Huzzah !! As soon as Spartacus had gone past (poor chap) we dashed inside to watch the closing few Km on the telly, and having timed the gap between Wiggo and Cancellara as they went past us we knew Brad had won the moment he crossed the line and relayed this to the crowds outside, to much cheering.

What a day. The man is a hero. Though he might have put his knighthood in jeopardy by referring to Hampton Court Palace as 'whatever that old castle is over there'.

Ewan Houzami · « **Reply #36 on:** 01 August, 2012, 07:43:30 pm »

Following Brompton's advice I got out at Teddington, but realising I had tons of time, strolled down past the fountain in Bushy Parkk to watch the end of the women's TT. I don't really 'get' being in a big crowd, so strolled back right to where I'd set off from (!), and stood on somebody's garden wall on Park Rd by the Adelaide pub in the midst of a shouty, boozy, carnival atmosphere to watch the competitors vrrrrrp past. To paraphrase the golf cliché, it was a good walk enhanced by an Olympic cycling event. Great day. And Bradders won. Which is nice.

drossall · « **Reply #37 on:** 01 August, 2012, 07:56:07 pm »

Probably my best shot of the racing:

and watching the ceremony afterwards:

Ewan Houzami · « **Reply #38 on:** 01 August, 2012, 08:04:07 pm »

Was he going for comedy points with the spanish waiter 'tache?

Jurek · « **Reply #39 on:** 01 August, 2012, 08:24:06 pm »

Following on from watching the women's tt onna telly in a church (which was selling burgers), onna telly inna cafe and on the course itself, I took myself off for a pootle - the objective being to try to ride as much of the course as I could, whilst maintaining my liberty.

2kms from the finish, this is the view I had in Bushy Park.

On approach to the 1km marker I could see that this was going to very shortly be 'game over'

Hereafter follow a series of shots of variable quality, the shame of them being that by the time Team GB came through I was so totally up myself with excitement and agogness that I failed miserably to capture the moment. Twice.

drossall · « **Reply #40 on:** 01 August, 2012, 08:35:42 pm »

Quote from: Goldilocks on 01 August, 2012, 08:04:07 pm

Was he going for comedy points with the spanish waiter 'tache?

Looks as though there was more space than I expected in Bushy Park.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #41 on:** 01 August, 2012, 09:30:20 pm »

I went on a whim today (a friend messaged me on Facebook at 8:30am saying he was going). Had a great day although the travelling was a bit gruelling - friend hadn't really researched the best options and we had a fiddly journey which was tiring. Still we really enjoyed the bits we saw - the roar of the crowd when Wiggo crossed the finish line was phenomenal!

clarion · « **Reply #42 on:** 01 August, 2012, 09:33:57 pm »

We heard the finish line roar back in the park.

David Martin · « **Reply #43 on:** 01 August, 2012, 11:31:32 pm »

My ears are still ringing. I somehow had managed to bag as my patch the last crossing point (on the bend at 150m) before the finish. This was between the two sides of the ticketed area so wasn't rammed. We had some very nice boys from the Royal Fusiliers helping out.

Noise. Cheering for everything that moved. I saw Graham Watson head out on his motor bike. I spoke to Marianne Vos who was a bit lost trying to find the start. Nicole Cooke came and posed for photos with the volunteers as we were heading out to the course. Then Lizzie Armitstead wandered over and got a huge round of applause and people being very respectful of her personal space (they left a 5m semicircle - maybe she hadn't had a chance for a shower after her ride..)

lizzie by davidmamartin, on Flickr

The noise was unbelievable. Every athlete got a resounding cheer and th eboard banging was superb. Every time a british rider was shown on the big screen the crowd were ecstatic. Some germans and dutch made a valiant effort but were only ever going to be in the minority. Much applause for Kristin Armstrong for a great ride.

And then Chris Froome came through. Unbelievable noise. And when Wiggo came past it was actually painful. I don't know how he could hear his radio. I'm not surprised Clarion and crew heard the roar as he crossed the line.

Then after the end of race Bradley decided to ride back down the course. Cue pitch invasion. Peopel jumped the barriers and in a manner of seconds there were 300+ people heading down towards him. Quite wisely he turned and fled back into the enclosure.

Back to the big screen where we watched the medal ceremony and sang the national anthem with what voice we had left.

Then it was all over. Stood down, signed out and headed to the queue at Hampton Court Station. Made a quick decision and led a small party to walk to Thames Ditton instead. Home, tea, train, Southampton. Curry. Bed (soon).

Jurek · « **Reply #44 on:** 01 August, 2012, 11:34:49 pm »

Quote from: David Martin on 01 August, 2012, 11:31:32 pm

My ears are still ringing. I somehow had managed to bag as my patch the last crossing point (on the bend at 150m) before the finish. This was between the two sides of the ticketed area so wasn't rammed. We had some very nice boys from the Royal Fusiliers helping out.

Noise. Cheering for everything that moved. I saw Graham Watson head out on his motor bike. I spoke to Marianne Vos who was a bit lost trying to find the start. Nicole Cooke came and posed for photos with the volunteers as we were heading out to the course. Then Lizzie Armitstead wandered over and got a huge round of applause and people being very respectful of her personal space (they left a 5m semicircle - maybe she hadn't had a chance for a shower after her ride..)

lizzie by davidmamartin, on Flickr

The noise was unbelievable. Every athlete got a resounding cheer and th eboard banging was superb. Every time a british rider was shown on the big screen the crowd were ecstatic. Some germans and dutch made a valiant effort but were only ever going to be in the minority. Much applause for Kristin Armstrong for a great ride.

And then Chris Froome came through. Unbelievable noise. And when Wiggo came past it was actually painful. I don't know how he could hear his radio. I'm not surprised Clarion and crew heard the roar as he crossed the line.

Then after the end of race Bradley decided to ride back down the course. Cue pitch invasion. Peopel jumped the barriers and in a manner of seconds there were 300+ people heading down towards him. Quite wisely he turned and fled back into the enclosure.

Back to the big screen where we watched the medal ceremony and sang the national anthem with what voice we had left.

Then it was all over. Stood down, signed out and headed to the queue at Hampton Court Station. Made a quick decision and led a small party to walk to Thames Ditton instead. Home, tea, train, Southampton. Curry. Bed (soon).

Very nicely put, David.

Ewan Houzami · « **Reply #45 on:** 02 August, 2012, 12:28:56 am »

Quote from: David Martin on 01 August, 2012, 11:31:32 pm

Then it was all over. Stood down, signed out and headed to the queue at Hampton Court Station. Made a quick decision and led a small party to walk to Thames Ditton instead. Home, tea, train, Southampton. Curry. Bed (soon).

It was only when I got to 'Southampton', I clicked that you weren't talking about Wiggins.