Looks like they have learnt from the fiasco of a couple of years ago and are missing out Yorkshire then.....
Looks like they have learnt from the fiasco of a couple of years ago and are missing out Yorkshire then.....
National Embarrassment.
Wonder if the lions will have been fed before the finish in Knowsley Safari Park? If not I'll bet no-one will go for a lone break in the last 2k.
I missed the tour coming through my home town of Hadleigh last year since I was doing a ride from Chelmsford to Portland, Dorset. Hopefully this year I'll ride over to Ipswich to see the start.
Gibbo.
Which era Paul? I'm interested in cycle-racing history.Wonder if the lions will have been fed before the finish in Knowsley Safari Park? If not I'll bet no-one will go for a lone break in the last 2k.
I recall when there were races at the West Midlands Safari Park years ago.
Races were billed as "The Meals on Wheels Kermesse"
Which era Paul? I'm interested in cycle-racing history.Wonder if the lions will have been fed before the finish in Knowsley Safari Park? If not I'll bet no-one will go for a lone break in the last 2k.
I recall when there were races at the West Midlands Safari Park years ago.
Races were billed as "The Meals on Wheels Kermesse"
It looks like I can make Caerphilly mountain this year! :D
Daniel Benson @dnlbenson
Wiggins and Cavendish confirmed for Tour of Britain, says race organiser
Scottish bit looks like Peebles to Dumfries or the other way round. Make it more fun by taking them via the 7-stanes on cyclocross bikes :)Jedburgh to Dumfries.
It passes within 5km of joglerville twice on the Stoke stage.
I'm kinda wondering about coming to the start but am not too familiar with Ipswich. I'd be coming over by car.
Me and a few friends went into Ipswich to see the start of this year's ToB. One friend on his way in caught sight of the Sky riders bus, did a quick stop and managed to get to the whole team's autograph - he was made up.
Anyone else feel that the ITV4 coverage and commentary left rather a lot of room for improvement? :facepalm:
I've just booked Thursday off work to see it on the Cat.2 climb in Cannock Chase :)
I've just booked Thursday off work to see it on the Cat.2 climb in Cannock Chase :)
I'll be there too :thumbsup: (if I can get up the hill from Brocton. Going to try a test run tomorrow morning. Despite living here for ten years, I have never been onto the Chase on a road bike).
Commentary's still pretty poor - seem to be failing to communicate useful information as opposed to information (aka noise).
Today's finish; Sky are running out of steam so Cav drops back in the wheels to avoid being left hanging out front too far out (a la Ben Swift in La Vuelta), and the commentator gets over excited appears to miss, and so fails to communicate, the tactics involved, and instead suggests that Cav's now in a poorer position.
I wonder if they're trying to inject excitement or just getting caught up in their own emotion? Either way, i think there's room for improvement.
"We watch the Saltair fluttering in the breeze "IMHO Saltair[e] is in Bradford and flutters not ???
ETA -Grey "mar "s tail. WTF is a mar?Aha, isn't it how one addresses mother when in Morningside?
Was it fluttering in Lockmabben, or perhaps on the bonny banks of the River Neeth? :facepalm:Just wait for next year's Culross to Kirkcudbright stage, via Strathaven . . .
Phew no mention of today's result are we all waiting for the fantastic ITV coverage to start too?
I've managed to get Friday off, so will pull on my waterproof and wait on the edge of the Eppynt see Cav try a Welsh 1 in 4 for size, that should slow our heros enough for a few snaps :thumbsup:
Oh to be perfect.
Let's try to remember that, in the main, commentators are presented with the same footage that we see, the same moment we see it.
They are then asked to talk for 5 hours, without a break, about the footage in an interesting way, and in the vain hope they don't offend any YACFers by mispronouncing the name of any villages they pass through.
Remember that there's an OFF button on every TV remote.
Why so prickly against criticism of shite commentators ?
3) Mostly though I really don't understand the mentality of watching a TV program if you find it frustrating or annoying.Because it's the only channel showing the bloody race! :facepalm:
Watching it once and moaning is normal. Repeatedly watching it and moaning is just odd. Dontcha think? That's masochism.
Just back from watching the Tour cross Cannock Chase on Stage 5.
I got to the KOM spot about an hour before the riders were due to arrive to find the place packed! I have seen the last five tours live and have never seem a crowd like it! Shame most of the people arrived by car instead of cycling up there: come on folks, its only a cat 2 climb and if I can get up there at 120kg using a 39/25, it shouldn't be too hard for most.
Anyway, I found a spot and watched the whole 4 seconds it took for the group to pass by! Can't say the climb taxed them in anyway: indeed, half of the riders were chatting away to each other...shows how fit they are!
Managed to get away before the roads re-opened to traffic, which was nice.
The pronunciation of Quernmore couldn't have been more wrong and I'm wondering about the Barnstaple to Dartford stage.
...out of Llanfair-ym-Muallt ..
3) Mostly though I really don't understand the mentality of watching a TV program if you find it frustrating or annoying.Because it's the only channel showing the bloody race! :facepalm:
Watching it once and moaning is normal. Repeatedly watching it and moaning is just odd. Dontcha think? That's masochism.
Mrs Pingu didn't seem very impressed with me pointing out where the disabled toilet in Shap is ???
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.Both. Can you remember any of PBP? :) Well the Tour roads are mainly like that, but with surfaces 1/10th the age.
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?
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?
A cynical view(click to show/hide)
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 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 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.
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."
Amazing crowds out this weekend, really exciting racing and great commentary, hurrah! :D
....To my surprise it was arcing my way and I reached up and grabbed it to the delight of Mrs JT who has always wanted a rider to give her his flowers (this was close enough).......
... juicy gossip about certain high profile riders.
Sounds like a great day out JT.... juicy gossip about certain high profile riders.
Not divulgeable, I suppose?
...Then they got some comms working and brought the start forward again but apparently some riders were late and the race rolled away in the neutralised section minus a full peloton.
Sounds like a great day out JT.... juicy gossip about certain high profile riders.
Not divulgeable, I suppose?
Well it might not be that shocking to some but allegedly a certan sideburned chap did not have a stomach bug and a certain team disciplined two riders who were out drinking at 4am before the start of a stage. Whether these events are connected, I cannot say.
My source is impeccable, by the way.