# Tour of Britain 2014...on my doorstep (may contain SPOILERS)



## Rooster1 (14 Jul 2014)

I didn't make it to see the TdF, but this is right on my doorstep

*The Tour of Britain 2014*
*Sunday 7 to Sunday 14 September 2014*

http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/stages/#.U8PfsPldXd4

I shall watch from Chinnor or Watlington

Happy Days

---------------------

Stage OneSunday 7th SeptemberLiverpool city centre130kmOverview Map
Stage TwoMonday 8th SeptemberKnowsley to Llandudno197kmOverview Map
Stage ThreeTuesday 9th SeptemberNewtown to The Tumble150kmOverview Map
Stage FourWednesday 10th SeptemberWorcester to Bristol182kmOverview Map
Stage FiveThursday 11th SeptemberExmouth to Exeter171kmOverview Map
Stage SixFriday 12th SeptemberBath to Hemel Hempstead203kmOverview Map
Stage SevenSaturday 13th SeptemberCamberley to Brighton220kmOverview Map
Stage Eight aSunday 14th SeptemberLondon individual time trial presented by TfL8.8kmOverview Map
Stage Eight bSunday 14th SeptemberLondon circuit race presented by TfL88.8km


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## Spinney (14 Jul 2014)

Stage Four is on my doorstep - possibly almost literally - might go along the B road I live on, although you can't tell from those toy maps on the link!


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## Hacienda71 (14 Jul 2014)

Bit of a shame they haven't included some Cumbrian or Scottish mountains to liven things up, although there are a couple of hilly looking days going through Wales.


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## summerdays (14 Jul 2014)

I want to see it when it comes to Bristol but I could do with knowing estimated times and route, I can't work out where they come into Bristol as then I could start working out the where!


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## adscrim (14 Jul 2014)

Tour of Britain? There's nothing north of London for those of us who live on the east side of the country and nothing north of Liverpool at all.


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## Spinney (14 Jul 2014)

summerdays said:


> I want to see it when it comes to Bristol but I could do with knowing estimated times and route, I can't work out where they come into Bristol as then I could start working out the where!


The website said something about full OS mapping of the route available in 'the summer'. 
So hopefully before September, then!


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## summerdays (14 Jul 2014)

Spinney said:


> The website said something about full OS mapping of the route available in 'the summer'.
> So hopefully before September, then!


Yes it's annoying that there isn't any detail. I've tried working out where they will go from Stroud and I do think it could be to the east of the A38, apart from anything it will be lumpier near the Cotswolds. And what time will they arrive in the city, and the resulting road closures to get across to the finish. (The road closures won't bother me, there is always a way through for a bike using other little routes as long as there aren't loads of people standing!)


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## jarlrmai (14 Jul 2014)

Will be in Liverpool for the start but I'd like a better map of Stage 2 to ride out to watch.


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## Spinney (14 Jul 2014)

summerdays said:


> Yes it's annoying that there isn't any detail. I've tried working out where they will go from Stroud and I do think it could be to the east of the A38, apart from anything it will be lumpier near the Cotswolds. And what time will they arrive in the city, and the resulting road closures to get across to the finish. (The road closures won't bother me, there is always a way through for a bike using other little routes as long as there aren't loads of people standing!)


I'm pretty sure it will be along the Cotswold Edge somewhere.
This is a guess based on trying to match the wiggles on the ToB map. I gave up at Winterbourne


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## summerdays (14 Jul 2014)

I had tried to do similar but didn't take too long on it, I think your route looks better:






It was done very quickly but some bits look similar! The Bristol bit was just a guess - couldn't work it out at all! It will be interesting to see how close we come to the actual route


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## Spinney (14 Jul 2014)

Down Park Street to finish? 
I wonder if they could go UP Park Street to finish by the Uni! But it would be mean to have a hill finish on something that has been pretty flat since Wotton.


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## the_mikey (14 Jul 2014)

The ride is alleged to go up Bridge Valley Road and finish on the Clifton Downs on the Worcester to Bristol stage. I will try to ride out of to one of the Cotswold hills to watch the ride pass, then I can enjoy the ride home after.


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## Spinney (14 Jul 2014)

Bridge Valley Road - that would sort the sprinters out!

But that would make sense - lots of space for spectators, team buses etc on the Downs.


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## summerdays (14 Jul 2014)

I knew they went up Bridge Valley, it's working out how they get across town, maybe come in somewhere near Bradley, and then head across to join the Portway at Seamills?


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## Ganymede (14 Jul 2014)

Rooster1 said:


> I didn't make it to see the TdF, but this is right on my doorstep
> 
> *The Tour of Britain 2014*
> *Sunday 7 to Sunday 14 September 2014*
> ...


Ooh, ooh, ooh, my sister lives near Watlington!


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## montage (14 Jul 2014)

adscrim said:


> Tour of Britain? There's nothing north of London for those of us who live on the east side of the country and nothing north of Liverpool at all.



If only there had been a big bike race in the North East this year to balance things out


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## Berties (14 Jul 2014)

I'm feeling a day out to dartmoor on day 5 ,what a course!


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## jowwy (14 Jul 2014)

It will be around 3 miles from me on the finish of the tumble, tough climb to finish an 150km stage on. I will be there


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## srw (14 Jul 2014)

It will be about 4 miles from us once its gone through Chinnor, and there's a hill for them to get over. I won't be there as I've already got meetings booked.


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## rvw (15 Jul 2014)

srw said:


> It will be about 4 miles from us once its gone through Chinnor, and there's a hill for them to get over. I won't be there as I've already got meetings booked.


...but Friday is my normal day off, so I'll be out watching.


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## BrumJim (15 Jul 2014)

Definitely going up Fish Hill then (Broadway). So tempting to take the day off and see it from there.


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## w00hoo_kent (15 Jul 2014)

Stage 7 comes close enough to me and is a Saturday so I might give it a look,


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## Shadow (15 Jul 2014)

Had originally planned to watch in a couple of places nearby and then ride like the wind to see them go to the top of Ditchling Beacon on the saturday. Looked in the diary and noticed someone had booked a holiday - we leave for La Belle France that day, avec le vélo j'espère - great planning!!


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## jagman.2003 (15 Jul 2014)

summerdays said:


> Yes it's annoying that there isn't any detail. I've tried working out where they will go from Stroud and I do think it could be to the east of the A38, apart from anything it will be lumpier near the Cotswolds. And what time will they arrive in the city, and the resulting road closures to get across to the finish. (The road closures won't bother me, there is always a way through for a bike using other little routes as long as there aren't loads of people standing!)



Website now says more details at the end of July. I've already booked the day off for stage 4. I've got a few ideas where some of the potential routes might be. I live bang in the middle. Simple walk to watch hopefully.
I got overtaken by two sponsored Skodas on Saturday near Birdlip...! Very exciting.

Ofcourse I could ride my BSA Tour of Britain to watch!


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## PaulBrdmn (15 Jul 2014)

jarlrmai said:


> Will be in Liverpool for the start but I'd like a better map of Stage 2 to ride out to watch.



Whereabouts are you thinking?

It goes Safari Park-Cronton-Widnes (via Kingsway)-Runcorn (expressways mostly except Halton Lea)-Dutton-Acton Bridge-Crowton-Manley-Wrexham-Llay-Mold-KoM B5381-Melin-Conwy-Llanfair-Kom2 (tbc)-Llanwrst-Conwy-Llandudno!


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## jarlrmai (15 Jul 2014)

PaulBrdmn said:


> Whereabouts are you thinking?
> 
> It goes Safari Park-Cronton-Widnes (via Kingsway)-Runcorn (expressways mostly except Halton Lea)-Dutton-Acton Bridge-Crowton-Manley-Wrexham-Llay-Mold-KoM B5381-Melin-Conwy-Llanfair-Kom2 (tbc)-Llanwrst-Conwy-Llandudno!



I'm north Liverpool so its likely to be somewhere near the start (Wales is a bit far but I bet it will be better scenery), if anyone's up for it.


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## deptfordmarmoset (15 Jul 2014)

An 8.8km pan-flat time trial? Weird!


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## jarlrmai (15 Jul 2014)

That's barely one revolution on the big cog.


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## PaulBrdmn (15 Jul 2014)

jarlrmai said:


> I'm north Liverpool so its likely to be somewhere near the start (Wales is a bit far but I bet it will be better scenery), if anyone's up for it.



I was thinking about Wales myself for the same reasons but it's doing a fair chunk of my commute and Sunday loop so tempted to hang around near Water Lane (maybe top of the bit that goes over the Knowsley Expressway) to see them on the roads I ride everyday!


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## Cold (29 Jul 2014)

You can zoom into the maps just looking at stage 4 and it goes past a few of the routes I regularly cycle.
Will be heading up to see them 

http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/stages/stage4/index.php#.U9e1KORJMZQ


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## summerdays (29 Jul 2014)

@Spinney are you setting up your deck chair!


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## GlasgowGaryH (29 Jul 2014)

Tour of Wales and Southern England more like


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## Spinney (29 Jul 2014)

summerdays said:


> @Spinney are you setting up your deck chair!


They'll whizz past my house - tempting though it is to just watch from the garden, it might be better to go to somewhere like Nailsworth to watch them going uphill. 
Might depend on the weather.
Where are you planning on watching from? (Bring your deckchair here if you like!)


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## Spinney (29 Jul 2014)

Might also be worth a ride out to Monmouth somewhere the day before...


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## the_mikey (29 Jul 2014)

Spinney said:


> They'll whizz past my house - tempting though it is to just watch from the garden, it might be better to go to somewhere like Nailsworth to watch them going uphill.
> Might depend on the weather.
> Where are you planning on watching from? (Bring your deckchair here if you like!)



Or wait just on the bend on the descent into Wotton-under-edge, just beware of flying cyclists


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## summerdays (29 Jul 2014)

So far I've not planned anything, though I'm wondering about cycling parts of it to see where the best bit will be.

Edit to correct Ipad autocorrect!


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## Spinney (29 Jul 2014)

the_mikey said:


> Or wait just on the bend on the descent into Wotton-under-edge, just beware of flying cyclists


I wouldn't dare stand on the outside of that bend!


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## BrumJim (10 Aug 2014)

BrumJim said:


> Definitely going up Fish Hill then (Broadway). So tempting to take the day off and see it from there.



Definitely NOT going up Fish Hill. Oh!

Choice between Broadway up to Snowshill, and Malvern.


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## jasonmccullum (10 Aug 2014)

Happy Days. the Camberley to Brighton stage on 13th Sept. starts 50 meters from my house

woo hoo


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## LarryDuff (10 Aug 2014)

Is this the tour of roman Britain? I see Caledonia has been left out totally.


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## BigAl68 (10 Aug 2014)

I can't wait. Still not sure where to watch the Worcester to Bristol leg, probably somewhere around Bridge Valley Road. The on the Friday it's leaving Bath so that will be less than a few miles from the front door.


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## srw (17 Aug 2014)

Hacienda71 said:


> Bit of a shame they haven't included some Cumbrian or Scottish mountains to liven things up,





adscrim said:


> Tour of Britain? There's nothing north of London for those of us who live on the east side of the country and nothing north of Liverpool at all.





GlasgowGaryH said:


> Tour of Wales and Southern England more like





LarryDuff said:


> Is this the tour of roman Britain? I see Caledonia has been left out totally.



Four times inside 2 pages - impressive consistency; unimpressive reading. Where's @Marmion when you need him, to claim that it's an English conspiracy to support the Better Together campaign?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (17 Aug 2014)

srw said:


> Four times inside 2 pages - impressive consistency; unimpressive reading. Where's @Marmion when you need him, to claim that it's an English conspiracy to support the Better Together campaign?



Nah, as always, I only call a conspiracy when there is one.
If it was a Better Together campaign they'd have held all the stages in Scotland and told us how good we do from being part of the Union.


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## Hacienda71 (17 Aug 2014)

srw said:


> Four times inside 2 pages - impressive consistency; unimpressive reading. Where's @Marmion when you need him, to claim that it's an English conspiracy to support the Better Together campaign?


My O level geography must be out if Cumbria is in Scotland. I just want to see proper hills not short pimples.


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## LarryDuff (17 Aug 2014)

srw said:


> Four times inside 2 pages - impressive consistency; unimpressive reading. Where's @Marmion when you need him, to claim that it's an English conspiracy to support the Better Together campaign?


I'm glad it wasn't just me who noticed.

So do you think it's okay for the Tour of "Britain" to miss out a huge part of the country again?


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## themosquitoking (17 Aug 2014)

Yes, it lasts for seven days. Could you ride around Britain in that time?
Maybe not you specifically but anyone.


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## HF2300 (18 Aug 2014)

LarryDuff said:


> So do you think it's okay for the Tour of "Britain" to miss out a huge part of the country again?



The organisers probably don't either, but as I understand it they're limited by UCI regs and the race category to a week length, stages of a certain length and stage starts within a certain distance / travel time of the previous day's finish. They also have to arrange stage starts and finishes in places that are willing to host the race, co-operative and suitable, organise a parcours that they think will deliver the race they want, go to where they feel they can ensure a good number of spectators while keeping an eye on safety, keep an eye on the pennies and ensure maximum income, etc. etc. Within those restrictions they're never going to be able to cover the whole of Britain in one race - even the TdF, Giro and Vuelta don't cover the whole of their respective countries in three weeks with air transfers at times.


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## srw (19 Aug 2014)

LarryDuff said:


> So do you think it's okay for the Tour of "Britain" to miss out a huge part of the country again?


_ Again? _There were Scottish stages in both 2012 and 2013.

I think it's entirely reasonable to focus on sections of what is, after all, quite a large country.


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## Hacienda71 (19 Aug 2014)

I wonder what would happen if the Tour de France organisers decided to leave out the Alps and Pyrenees because they did them last year and only had stages to the North of Lyon.......


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## Longshot (19 Aug 2014)

For the last two years it's gone past my house. Not this year so I may actually need to put in some minor effort to see it.


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## srw (19 Aug 2014)

If the TdF were a six-day tour instead of a 21-day tour I'm sure they would.


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## Hacienda71 (19 Aug 2014)

The point I am making is, it is missing some of the most challenging roads in the UK with the exception of Wales. Some of these could be incorporated into a week long tour as per previous years and they could still vary routes and locations across Britain. Not just Britain South of Liverpool/Manchester.


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## T4tomo (19 Aug 2014)

Stage 6 finishes just up the road from me on friday afternoon, which would be perfect, except I'll be landing at heathrow about the time it finishes in Hemel. Pants


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## oldroadman (19 Aug 2014)

montage said:


> If only there had been a big bike race in the North East this year to balance things out


With a couple of elite series races (one a two day) NE is doing OK compared to some other areas. Try SW if you think NE is a bit thin!


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## oldroadman (19 Aug 2014)

Hacienda71 said:


> The point I am making is, it is missing some of the most challenging roads in the UK with the exception of Wales. Some of these could be incorporated into a week long tour as per previous years and they could still vary routes and locations across Britain. Not just Britain South of Liverpool/Manchester.


HF2300 has already given a logical answer. This is a professional race run by a professional company, not a bunch of amateurs looking to try and please everyone. They have to go, as mentioned, where towns and cities will pay the money required to host the starts and finishes, which is part of how big races get funded. The UCI hammer organisers who have massive transfers (time rather than distance) and quite rightly. So an eight day race has to fit in with all these restrictions. The old Milk Race was 14 days and could not get round everywhere. It was also at times stupidly hard and that's no spectacle for the public.
Guys, just stop moaning because for a few years there was no ToB, before that a 5 day effort, and before that a Milk Race which was nowhere near the standard of today and got minimal TV. Make the comparisons and feel good. Alternatively, there's always room for another commercial promoter, looking at the race today I guess all you need is a lot of skilled and experienced people, offices, support staff, shedloads of contractors, and about 3 million quid. Easy, isn't it?


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## rvw (19 Aug 2014)

I was visiting my elderly mother last week, and on the way back from Ludlow, up the A4117, thought how great that would be for a TOB stage (it's on Strava as Angel Bank Climb - though this doesn't show the fact that there's another climb about 5 miles later, in Hopton Bank). Mum's comment was that Shropshire tends to get overlooked quite a lot. In fact, at one point the Grauniad did a piece on "overlooked counties" - but managed to leave Shropshire out...

I'll be heading out to Frith Hill for stage 6 - only 20 mins by bike for me, and a good climb to watch on.


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## the_mikey (20 Aug 2014)

oldroadman said:


> With a couple of elite series races (one a two day) NE is doing OK compared to some other areas. Try SW if you think NE is a bit thin!



This year's ToB is the first time in my memory that a professional bike race has passed through a large part of Gloucestershire.


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## oldroadman (20 Aug 2014)

the_mikey said:


> This year's ToB is the first time in my memory that a professional bike race has passed through a large part of Gloucestershire.


Milk Race used to go through, Kellogg's Tour and Pru Tour have been through, now ToB. It's all about which towns/cities are the start and finish points, how far between, what the routing wants to achieve, and working out the best way. Plus they can't just go anywhere, there are always constraints involving major road time and safety concerns. I think the current routing manager/team do a pretty good job of getting a balanced route. I recall past times when a Milk Race organiser, long gone, had the ambition to go up every single climb between any tow points. This simply made for negative racing, and dangerous descents in the days when the police escort was about 4 motos and a few marshals. Nostalgia will say different, but some who were there might feel differently with regular problems with traffic incursions.


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## Nick Stone (25 Aug 2014)

For once its local, liverpool on the Sunday, think it needs to be done and then the hometown on the Monday round the corn on the way through and then the parents for a spot of lunch. It shifts and changes, give and take. It's all good in the end except for the weather!!!!!!!


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## jowwy (26 Aug 2014)

Oh booohoooo tour of britain not coming to my country, house, garden, back yard..........how will i cope

Oh i forgot its only 2miles up the road to the top of the tumble for me, so thats stage 3 sorted


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## oldroadman (26 Aug 2014)

jowwy said:


> Oh booohoooo tour of britain not coming to my country, house, garden, back yard..........how will i cope
> 
> Oh i forgot its only 2miles up the road to the top of the tumble for me, so thats stage 3 sorted


Is the Tumble the 6-10km of steady torture I think it is, if that's the one it will make a classic mountain finish. All that open ground when you get into the last 2km, it will be manic up there. All presuming I have the right climb in mind, of course!


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## Monsieur Remings (27 Aug 2014)

Fantastic that I'll be working on the day it comes to Bristol, thanks for that.

Why not have all the weekend stages in London for a change?


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## jowwy (27 Aug 2014)

oldroadman said:


> Is the Tumble the 6-10km of steady torture I think it is, if that's the one it will make a classic mountain finish. All that open ground when you get into the last 2km, it will be manic up there. All presuming I have the right climb in mind, of course!


Thats the baby - its not a nice climb


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## the_mikey (27 Aug 2014)

Monsieur Remings said:


> Fantastic that I'll be working on the day it comes to Bristol, thanks for that.
> 
> Why not have all the weekend stages in London for a change?



They seem to fail to make a feature of the weekend stages, think of all of the great destinations they could draw a weekend crowd to, why does it have to be London every time?


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## Monsieur Remings (27 Aug 2014)

the_mikey said:


> They seem to fail to make a feature of the weekend stages, think of all of the great destinations they could draw a weekend crowd to, why does it have to be London every time?



London Olympics 2012, the yearly RideLondon Classic, 2013 TofB, the 2014 TofB, two Guildford stages in the TofB in 12 and 13. Probably a lot more. Yorkshire I can understand, or maybe they should have forgotten Yorkshire for a Grand Depart and had London/SE instead? As we all know, Box Hill is the only climb in the country...

I don't think I have the patience for another ceremonial bore-fest around central London streets.


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## jowwy (27 Aug 2014)

Monsieur Remings said:


> London Olympics 2012, the yearly RideLondon Classic, 2013 TofB, the 2014 TofB, two Guildford stages in the TofB in 12 and 13. Probably a lot more. Yorkshire I can understand, or maybe they should have forgotten Yorkshire for a Grand Depart and had London/SE instead? As we all know, Box Hill is the only climb in the country...
> 
> I don't think I have the patience for another ceremonial bore-fest around central London streets.


and were does the tour de france finish every year??? oh thats right, its right in the capital of france, a placed called PARIS......do they complain about NO, do the embrace it YES

typical brits moaning about nothing.....when it becomes a grand tour, which i doubt it will, i'm pretty sure they will try and cover more areas of britain. Until then, places are hand picked based on whether the local authorities can afford to put the race on or not


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## Monsieur Remings (27 Aug 2014)

Thanks Jowwy, I didn't know that...I thought the Champs Eleysee was in Birmingham.


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## jowwy (27 Aug 2014)

Monsieur Remings said:


> Thanks Jowwy, I didn't know that...I thought the Champs Eleysee was in Birmingham.


no problems Monsiuer- i just get fed up of all the complaining, we lost the tour of britain for 5yrs due to no sponsorship etc etc. Now we got it back all people want to do is complain cause its not going past their back gate or its not stopping at my house for a coffee brigade............just enjoy it


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## BrumJim (27 Aug 2014)

I quite fancy a coffee brigade too. Any idea where I can get one?


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## MisterStan (27 Aug 2014)

BrumJim said:


> I quite fancy a coffee brigade too. Any idea where I can get one?


Are they similar to the Fire Brigade?


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## oldroadman (27 Aug 2014)

jowwy said:


> no problems Monsiuer- i just get fed up of all the complaining, we lost the tour of britain for 5yrs due to no sponsorship etc etc. Now we got it back all people want to do is complain cause its not going past their back gate or its not stopping at my house for a coffee brigade............just enjoy it


Couldn't agree more. 10 years ago there was not much. Then some brave and far sighted people put their money on the line and ACHIEVED. Which is more than "glass half empty" moaners ever did. Get a grip! Years ago riders ached for a race of this quality in GB, but had to go abroad to be ignored by the media!


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## CharlieB (1 Sep 2014)

Right past the end of my road, on its way up the Nashleigh Hill KoM. Let's just hope they resurface the stretch from Ashley Green to Berko. There are potholes the size of tabletops down there.


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## Spinney (1 Sep 2014)

Advance notices of road closures went up at the weekend. 

Local village hall has notices up 'come and watch here'

(Last year I was extremely grateful for the village folks at Crook, who were serving tea and cakes in their village hall, and hence also providing a place to wait out of the p***ing rain.



'pouring', obviously


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## summerdays (1 Sep 2014)

Spinney said:


> Advance notices of road closures went up at the weekend.
> 
> Local village hall has notices up 'come and watch here'
> 
> ...


Does it say how long the roads are closed? Still dithering on where to watch and so far it looks as though I can have the day off!


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## Spinney (1 Sep 2014)

summerdays said:


> Does it say how long the roads are closed? Still dithering on where to watch and so far it looks as though I can have the day off!


The ones in Charfield (and up on the top, near Nympsfield) say 1 pm to 2.30 pm, I think (from memory!). If it's critical I'll wander down the road later and check. We cycled up to Nympsfield from Nailsworth yesterday, and saw no signs on that bit of road, so I assume they're taking the B4066 from Stroud?

Last year they published timings, but they ran a little late (understandable in that case as they had cycled through the Lake District in torrential rain!).

I'm still debating too, but I'm a bit behind with work and want to take a day off to go and see the tall ships in London this weekend/next week as well! (it would help if I stopped logging on to CycleChat!). Hoping I might get a few bidons chucked in my garden!


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## summerdays (1 Sep 2014)

Spinney said:


> The ones in Charfield (and up on the top, near Nympsfield) say 1 pm to 2.30 pm, I think (from memory!). If it's critical I'll wander down the road later and check. We cycled up to Nympsfield from Nailsworth yesterday, and saw no signs on that bit of road, so I assume they're taking the B4066 from Stroud?
> 
> Last year they published timings, but they ran a little late (understandable in that case as they had cycled through the Lake District in torrential rain!).
> 
> I'm still debating too, but I'm a bit behind with work and want to take a day off to go and see the tall ships in London this weekend/next week as well! (it would help if I stopped logging on to CycleChat!). Hoping I might get a few bidons chucked in my garden!


No that's good enough, so basically early afternoon. I keep meaning to ride a bit of the route to then see how much after they can beat me over that bit - a lot I suspect, luckily all of my QOM's aren't under threat as they are in more obscure places!


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## Idoru (1 Sep 2014)

Looks like i'll be popping to Llandudno to wath ToB this year, about 30 mins from home, very handy!


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## Spinney (1 Sep 2014)

summerdays said:


> No that's good enough, so basically early afternoon. I keep meaning to ride a bit of the route to then see how much after they can beat me over that bit - a lot I suspect, luckily all of my QOM's aren't under threat as they are in more obscure places!


Well if you try the route as far as Charfield, pop in for a cuppa!


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## jifdave (1 Sep 2014)

kittel and cav both riding, yey


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## themosquitoking (1 Sep 2014)

I bet Cave's not going yey.


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## Bollo (2 Sep 2014)

This is about the only time I'm sorry not to be going to Guildford - the uphill cobbled sprint to the finish would be an interesting battle between Cav (if genuinely fully-fit) and Kittel.

This year the closest the ride gets to me is Camberley (gah!) so I'm pedaling to the start to act the fanboy. At least the ride there is pleasant enough.


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## Spartak (3 Sep 2014)

summerdays said:


> Does it say how long the roads are closed? Still dithering on where to watch and so far it looks as though I can have the day off!


 
Some signs on Southmead Road, Bristol say road will be closed for a time between 1430 & 1530.

I'm going to head for the top of Bridge Valley Road ( just as they turn left onto the Downs ).


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## Peteaud (3 Sep 2014)

I will watch it at the same place i did last year, Haldon Forest nr Exeter.

About 40min drive for me.


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## Supersuperleeds (3 Sep 2014)

ITV have live coverage on Sunday for this, not sure about the other days


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## srw (3 Sep 2014)

I've just checked for Friday 12th (Bath to Hemel) - yes, ITV4 has live coverage. Highlights seem to be a 9pm.


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## Rooster1 (3 Sep 2014)

Sign for next week, Nettlebed Henley Road, Oxfordshire!

I will be watching


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## EltonFrog (3 Sep 2014)

We shall be watching it in Upton, it's going past within 50 feet of the front door of our new house, 'cept we wont have moved in by then. Still, we'll go over and watch it anyway.


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## Adam4868 (3 Sep 2014)

Anyone going to Liverpool on sunday ? What time will be best to get there ?


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## Arjimlad (4 Sep 2014)

I'll be watching them blaze along the Bristol Road/High Street in Winterbourne on Wednesday afternoon.


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## bianchi1 (4 Sep 2014)

CarlP said:


> We shall be watching it in Upton, it's going past within 50 feet of the front door of our new house, 'cept we wont have moved in by then. Still, we'll go over and watch it anyway.



Upton upon Severn?


----------



## carling (4 Sep 2014)

Adam4868 said:


> Anyone going to Liverpool on sunday ? What time will be best to get there ?



I'm going to watch it around sefton park, and I'll probably get there around 25mins before they start, can't imagine it being hugely busy


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2014)

carling said:


> I'm going to watch it around sefton park, and I'll probably get there around 25mins before they start, can't imagine it being hugely busy


Thanks mate,think I will do same.


----------



## uphillstruggler (5 Sep 2014)

closest to me is Berko/Hemel although I may head over to chinnor.

some nice cafes on my route too, even better


----------



## sleaver (5 Sep 2014)

I've been thinking of going to watch the London stages. I probably won't attempt to stand at the start/finish as it will probably be packed so does anyone else know a decent place to watch from?

If anyone else is going to London, are you going for both stages or just one? I would like to watch both but that will be a lot of standing around and there is two hours between the end of the TT and start of the last stage.


----------



## BrumJim (5 Sep 2014)

Not going to make it now. Work want me to work on Thursday. They didn't make that clear when I started with them.


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## suzeworld (5 Sep 2014)

Adam4868 said:


> Anyone going to Liverpool on sunday ? What time will be best to get there ?


I think it _will_ be busy, based on the crowds at Harrogate etc. this year, there is a lot of enthusiasm.
I am going up the night before, maybe go see the team presentations on Sat.

I will wander round on Sunday till I find where the team buses etc are and gawp about in a groupy-ish fashion then when the race is due to start I'll find the podium and park myself on a corner near that. I was there when they did this circuit in L'pool a few years ago and the pace, even on corners, was eye- watering.


----------



## suzeworld (5 Sep 2014)

BTW, why is the official site so awful? It always has been. The new sponsors needed to think of buying in someone who could design websites that work, not rehash the old tat.


----------



## summerdays (5 Sep 2014)

My Dad is sweet, he rang me up to tell me that there was a bike race happening nearby me, as he had read it in a Telegraph pull out section in today's paper! For a minute I wondered if he was going to come down to see it himself, but no it was just to let me know


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## montage (6 Sep 2014)

what time is it looking to finish in liverpool? Last minute change of plans means I might be able to go have a ganders!!


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## HF2300 (6 Sep 2014)

montage said:


> what time is it looking to finish in liverpool? Last minute change of plans means I might be able to go have a ganders!!



4.30 - 4.45, on Strand St near the Pier Head & the 3 Graces.


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## montage (6 Sep 2014)

HF2300 said:


> 4.30 - 4.45, on Strand St near the Pier Head & the 3 Graces.


Thanks! The hard part is getting there early enough, but not so early that my gf who has little interest in cycling gets bored and put off future events!


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## bpsmith (6 Sep 2014)

@jowwy Looking to get part of Stage 3 covered, but not sure where yet. Will be part driving, part cycling as 3 of us all have to get back to Swansea quicker than we could cycle after it's over.

Any ideas on where we can park and catch the end of the race near the Tumble? We are planning to arrive early morning, park close to the end and then cycle away for a bit before the race. The point being that we can then get away quickly with a bit of luck.

Any ideas @jowwy from local insider information?


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## jowwy (6 Sep 2014)

The best would be to park in the town of abergavenny, then ride up the tumble itself. The road closed for vehicular traffic from 6am. I'm working in ponty til 12 then i'll be riding up from the blaenavon side to the top were the finish line is


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## RedRider (7 Sep 2014)

Liverpool looks great in the sun. Feeling homesick, gutted to be here not there


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## Crackle (7 Sep 2014)

Went down to the start today and wondered around the technical area where the team buses were parked. Not an auspicious start as I stepped out in front of Tinkoff-Saxo heading out for a warm-up, who thankfully flowed around me.

The Sky bus was just surrounded, as was OPQS, so no prizes for guessing why. Any other bus you could virtually have climbed in. Huge variations between teams, from the behemoths of the world pro teams to a GB bloke on a turbo outside the mechanics van.

Then wandered over to the start, watched a few riders going up and down for a warm up, watched the start then came home to watch the rest on TV.

Cool 







A few more pics below but I wasn't really concentrating on the pics, just drinking in the atmoshpere

https://picasaweb.google.com/crackle10/Tob?authkey=Gv1sRgCIuFhNmhwuSigAE


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## Pro Tour Punditry (7 Sep 2014)

Am I imagining things or did I just hear Hugh Porter say that "Team SKY's Thomas Lovkvist..." was on the front of the bunch?


----------



## Crackle (7 Sep 2014)

Marmion said:


> Am I imagining things or did I just hear Hugh Porter say that "Team SKY's Thomas Lovkvist..." was on the front of the bunch?


He might have been. He didn't say which bunch.

Chaotic finish that.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (7 Sep 2014)

Crackle said:


> He might have been. He didn't say which bunch.
> 
> Chaotic finish that.



Apart from Lovkvist left SKY at the end of 2012 and he's not riding the TOB for IAM, which is his current team.
I also think he due to retire this year which will be sad, he never did reach his true potential at SKY (one of many...)


----------



## Crackle (7 Sep 2014)

Marmion said:


> Apart from Lovkvist left SKY at the end of 2012 and he's not riding the TOB for IAM, which is his current team.
> I also think he due to retire this year which will be sad, he never did reach his true potential at SKY (one of many...)


Yeah but somewhere in the world is Lovkist, maybe at the front of a bunch. Unless you can say definitively where he is, old Hugh might be right.

It's just pointless listening to him now. I respect what he's done but he never remembers riders name and never calls the race right.


----------



## Louch (7 Sep 2014)

Cav has been taken to hospital after getting in the team car caused by crash I have heard on twitter


----------



## Crackle (7 Sep 2014)

Louch said:


> Cav has been taken to hospital after getting in the team car caused by crash I have heard on twitter


? He wasn't in the crash. Finished 3rd.

Maybe some lout not paying attention in the technical area walked in front of him


----------



## Louch (7 Sep 2014)

Apparently in a crash earlier on, complained of stomach pains after


----------



## john59 (7 Sep 2014)

A few shots from today. Oops, sorry I moved the files.

http://s2.photobucket.com/user/johnhem/slideshow/Tour of Britain

John


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## suzeworld (7 Sep 2014)

Great weekend. Enjoyed the team presentations and got a good spot near the finish line / big screen/ podium. Kittel is a giant.


----------



## Nick Stone (7 Sep 2014)

I agree was a great day, think a lot of people left after a couple of laps as the crowds did dwindle a but, but loved it


----------



## suzeworld (8 Sep 2014)

It is only an i-phone photo, but still. 
The crowds where we were got bigger, so at least some folk moved around to be nearer the podium.
I would have loved to have seen Cav here in this position, but respect this guy's achievements this year.


----------



## The Couch (8 Sep 2014)

montage said:


> Thanks! The hard part is getting there early enough, but not so early that my gf who has little interest in cycling gets bored and put off future events!


Chances are anyway much higher she'll get bored with you before she gets bored with the cycling


----------



## carling (9 Sep 2014)

Great ride by Zardini for the stage


----------



## Basil.B (9 Sep 2014)

I agree, Zardini what an inspired ride!
Didn't look like there was a very large crowd at the finish this year.


----------



## HF2300 (9 Sep 2014)

Can we get a Spoilers tag on this, for some of us idiots who forget and click on the thread before we know Zardini's won?!!


----------



## suzeworld (9 Sep 2014)

HF2300 said:


> Can we get a Spoilers tag on this, for some of us idiots who forget and click on the thread before we know Zardini's won?!!



Just caught me out too. Ah well ....


----------



## Spartak (9 Sep 2014)

Looking forward to tomorrows stage into Bristol 8-)
If I get up early enough may try to ride the stage route from Winterbourne to The Downs before the Pros !

http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/stages/stage4/index.php


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## suzeworld (10 Sep 2014)

Basil.B said:


> I agree, Zardini what an inspired ride!
> Didn't look like there was a very large crowd at the finish this year.



I agree with both points .. caught up on the highlights programme ... 

I was surprised at the thin crowds ... the railings were empty at a couple of km from the top .... perhaps they've all got jobs round there?


----------



## suzeworld (10 Sep 2014)

So --- Brad is about 25 seconds down.
Is that an easy time for him to make up in the short time trial? If so, bang on target for the strategy he talked about the day before the Tour started .. or does he have to get a few seconds back on something else before the last stage?


----------



## Crackle (10 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> So --- Brad is about 25 seconds down.
> Is that an easy time for him to make up in the short time trial? If so, bang on target for the strategy he talked about the day before the Tour started .. or does he have to get a few seconds back on something else before the last stage?


8.8k tt so it's approaching the limit I would say. He won't want to be losing more time.


----------



## Arjimlad (10 Sep 2014)

Spartak said:


> Looking forward to tomorrows stage into Bristol 8-)
> If I get up early enough may try to ride the stage route from Winterbourne to The Downs before the Pros !
> 
> http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/stages/stage4/index.php



Do you live in Winterbourne, like me ?


----------



## KennaughKickIt (10 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> So --- Brad is about 25 seconds down.
> Is that an easy time for him to make up in the short time trial? If so, bang on target for the strategy he talked about the day before the Tour started .. or does he have to get a few seconds back on something else before the last stage?



Not sure what Zardini's like at TT but I'd have thought Brad should be looking at Kwiatkowski and Konig who are 11 seconds ahead and 2 seconds behind respectively. Both are good TTers when they want to be but I like Kwiatkowski's chances. Should be a good contest, especially with the bonus seconds available.


----------



## jifdave (10 Sep 2014)

Looks like it's now kwit's to lose


----------



## summerdays (10 Sep 2014)

Just home after meeting up with @Spinney to watch them go by. Photos to follow later when I've had a chance to look and see if there are any nice ones, and maybe the one who had a few problems getting his drink bottle from the car .... On the hill


----------



## Spinney (10 Sep 2014)

summerdays said:


> Just home after meeting up with @Spinney to watch them go by. Photos to follow later when I've had a chance to look and see if there are any nice ones, and maybe the one who had a few problems getting his drink bottle from the car .... On the hill


It was a very, very sticky bottle!
And after Dowsett wasn't seemingly allowed any help, not even a bit of drafting the team car, after his double puncture!

(lets herself get distracted from work yet again, after watching the race go by then going indoors to watch it finish on TV!)


----------



## MisterStan (10 Sep 2014)

That's a lovely looking road surface there!


----------



## Spartak (10 Sep 2014)

Great afternoon rode the route from Winterbourne to the finish on The Downs.


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## Spartak (10 Sep 2014)

Arjimlad said:


> Do you live in Winterbourne, like me ?



On the outskirts of Downend by the Willy Wicket pub.


----------



## Spinney (10 Sep 2014)

MisterStan said:


> That's a lovely looking road surface there!


Yup - and that's the side of the road it would be nice to bomb down at 30 mph, except for the lovely road surface...


----------



## summerdays (10 Sep 2014)

Spartak said:


> On the outskirts of Downend by the Willy Wicket pub.


I go past the Willy Wicket on my commute and I used to know someone who worked there, she was very vertically challenged!!


----------



## summerdays (10 Sep 2014)

Spinney said:


> Yup - and that's the side of the road it would be nice to bomb down at 30 mph, except for the lovely road surface...


Let's put it this way I went up it a lot slower than I went down it! And I was going slowish downhill enjoying the kids cheering every cyclist that went by.


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## jarlrmai (10 Sep 2014)

Another well supported cracking stage!


----------



## suzeworld (11 Sep 2014)

Crackle said:


> 8.8k tt so it's approaching the limit I would say. He won't want to be losing more time.





KennaughKickIt said:


> Not sure what Zardini's like at TT but I'd have thought Brad should be looking at Kwiatkowski and Konig who are 11 seconds ahead and 2 seconds behind respectively. Both are good TTers when they want to be but I like Kwiatkowski's chances. Should be a good contest, especially with the bonus seconds available.



Thanks guys.
Fascinating contest.
Have really enjoyed watching each stage this year.
Edit to add Wiggo agrees with you, almost admitting defeat here:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...ain-defense-almost_344976#hZelP92eSkBgR41k.99


----------



## Arjimlad (11 Sep 2014)

Spartak said:


> On the outskirts of Downend by the Willy Wicket pub.



With all of us so local I am wondering about a forum ride one Saturday morning ? @summerdays @Spinney etc...


----------



## Spinney (11 Sep 2014)

Arjimlad said:


> With all of us so local I am wondering about a forum ride one Saturday morning ? @summerdays @Spinney etc...


Sounds good to me! 
Might have to be flat though - Summerdays tells me she doesn't do hills! But there must be lots of scope on the Severn flood plain...
(Best to start a separate thread in the CycleChat and Informal Rides forum if you want to try to organise one)


----------



## Arjimlad (11 Sep 2014)

Will do. Shortly ish... !


----------



## summerdays (11 Sep 2014)

Spinney said:


> Sounds good to me!
> Might have to be flat though - Summerdays tells me she doesn't do hills! But there must be lots of scope on the Severn flood plain...
> (Best to start a separate thread in the CycleChat and Informal Rides forum if you want to try to organise one)


I do do small hills but at a TOP speed of 4mph and I have been known to get off and walk. By the way the flood plain still has hills. .... Cow Hill and other such bumps ....


----------



## 400bhp (11 Sep 2014)

I dont understand why sky bother with wiggins. Ffs at least try and bl00dy attack.


----------



## jarlrmai (11 Sep 2014)

TT and circuit race on the same day..


----------



## rich p (12 Sep 2014)

Great breakaway today. Dowsett and yesterday's winner plus Stewart. 2.30 with 5 km to go


----------



## jifdave (12 Sep 2014)

omega pharma in pieces kwit having to drive the peloton.


----------



## rich p (12 Sep 2014)

Go Dowsett!


----------



## jifdave (12 Sep 2014)

if dowsett has a solid tt its his jersey. well ridden


----------



## smutchin (12 Sep 2014)

Blimey, Dowsett takes the yellow jersey! Chapeau.


----------



## Speicher (12 Sep 2014)




----------



## suzeworld (12 Sep 2014)

400bhp said:


> I dont understand why sky bother with wiggins.



Really? Like, really you don't know?
Short memory, is it?


----------



## Flying_Monkey (12 Sep 2014)

Well, well, well. With Dowsett's TTing prowess, if he doesn't mess up, he's got this in the bag. Really excellent riding by him, and really poor tactical thinking by Kwat, Wiggins and the peloton.


----------



## MisterStan (12 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> Really? Like, really you don't know?
> Short memory, is it?


Care to elaborate on that?


----------



## Brightski (12 Sep 2014)

Enjoyed that


----------



## 400bhp (12 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> Really? Like, really you don't know?
> Short memory, is it?



You think Sky should continue to pay him at possibly the highest salary on the team for his past successes which are over 2 years ago? The are a business not a charity. I think they are being made fools of.


----------



## uphillstruggler (12 Sep 2014)

cracking support through Berkhampstead - wish I had taken my camera. this is from my phone

good on Dowsett for chancing his arm and getting the win.


----------



## Crackle (12 Sep 2014)

Excellent move from Dowsett, he's surely got this now.


----------



## rich p (12 Sep 2014)

There are two hills that could possibly upset Dowsett tomorrow.
Ditchling Beacon is a mile at 10% followed by a fast downhill and flat for 4miles, before another mile or so at 10%, then a dash down and flat to the finish.
It's not inconceivable that a good climber like Kwiat could take back the time from Dowsett.


----------



## jarlrmai (12 Sep 2014)

What a finish to this race!


----------



## jarlrmai (12 Sep 2014)

Movistar team are going to have a hard day tomorrow.


----------



## themosquitoking (12 Sep 2014)

That was brilliant, full marks to Dowsett and Kwiat, can't remember the last time i saw the race leader dragging along the peloton like that.


----------



## jifdave (12 Sep 2014)

400bhp said:


> You think Sky should continue to pay him at possibly the highest salary on the team for his past successes which are over 2 years ago? The are a business not a charity. I think they are being made fools of.


but wiggins is the biggest marketable star in British cycling, knowing that sky is a machine and doesn't really carry anyone im sure they are very happy with what they get from him or they wouldnt keep paying him or give him a new contract


----------



## NorvernRob (12 Sep 2014)

jifdave said:


> but wiggins is the biggest marketable star in British cycling, knowing that sky is a machine and doesn't really carry anyone im sure they are very happy with what they get from him or they wouldnt keep paying him or give him a new contract



Exactly, he pays his own wages just by being Bradley Wiggins, the cool cycling Mod. He must still sell more Sky kit than the rest of the team put together. 

To many people it doesn't matter that he doesn't seem to give a toss about any race he enters these days, he's a hero and that's it.


----------



## suzeworld (12 Sep 2014)

Haters gotta hate and knockers gonna knock, but it is not a minor achievement to be the first Brit to win the Tour de France and that WHY Sky bother with him.


----------



## 400bhp (12 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> Haters gotta hate and knockers gonna knock, but it is not a minor achievement to be the first Brit to win the Tour de France and that WHY Sky bother with him.



Yeah they are in the business of being nostalgic


----------



## 400bhp (12 Sep 2014)

jifdave said:


> but wiggins is the biggest marketable star in British cycling, knowing that sky is a machine and doesn't really carry anyone im sure they are very happy with what they get from him or they wouldnt keep paying him or give him a new contract



You might be right. Or they may feel trapped by the potential backlash if they "sacked" him.

Now, if only they could let him go to another team for next season that might play to the crowd better.


----------



## Bollo (13 Sep 2014)

Setting off to Camberley in about half an hour. It's still bloody dark! This is not how a gentleman rises.


----------



## MisterStan (13 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> Haters gotta hate and knockers gonna knock, but it is not a minor achievement to be the first Brit to win the Tour de France and that WHY Sky bother with him.


No one is saying that is a minor achievement, is just that he's achieved bugger all since 2012, last years ToB wasn't even classified as high as this years and the Tour of California?


----------



## HF2300 (13 Sep 2014)

I've written two replies about Wiggins this morning and to be honest I can't be bothered with it.

Great work by Dowsett, Brandle and Stewart yesterday, should set up some serious competition today. It'd be good to see Dowsett win GC but Kwiatkowski's got to put in a serious attack today, surely?


----------



## smutchin (13 Sep 2014)

Oh great, I'm so pleased this is turning into yet another Wiggins/Sky thread.


----------



## HF2300 (13 Sep 2014)

HF2300 said:


> I've written two replies about Wiggins this morning and to be honest I can't be bothered with it.





smutchin said:


> Oh great, I'm so pleased this is turning into yet another Wiggins/Sky thread.



'Nuff said.


----------



## BigonaBianchi (13 Sep 2014)

I'm of on a ride and will end it on top of ditchling beacon with any luck about 1pm in good time for the tour to show me how i should have done it


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2014)

I've just been up the Beacon and someone has repainted the Pantani road graffiti that had been there since the 1994 TDF.
I know he was a drug cheat but I missed the nostalgic reminder when they re-tarmaced it a couple of years ago.


----------



## 400bhp (13 Sep 2014)

What a thoroughly nice chap Dowsett is - thanking the other two breakway "companions"by saying he couldn't have done it without them.

Really like the Austrian fella.Looks the biz.


----------



## tug benson (13 Sep 2014)

Offt young GB rider took that corner to fast


----------



## smutchin (13 Sep 2014)

tug benson said:


> Offt young GB rider took that corner to fast



What a plonker! Everyone else was easing up for the bend and he decides that's a good time to go on the attack.


----------



## Hacienda71 (13 Sep 2014)

tug benson said:


> Offt young GB rider took that corner to fast


Can't believe the commentary team missed that. He seemed to roll over the line though so no too badly injured.


----------



## tug benson (13 Sep 2014)

Sebastian Henao done the same the other day

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiLx4nYr7j4


----------



## smutchin (13 Sep 2014)

Hacienda71 said:


> Can't believe the commentary team missed that.



You watching on ITV? When the commentary team is Hugh Porter and Brian Smith, I can easily believe they missed it. The Eurosport commentators didn't.


----------



## Hacienda71 (13 Sep 2014)

smutchin said:


> You watching on ITV? When the commentary team is Hugh Porter and Brian Smith, I can easily believe they missed it. The Eurosport commentators didn't.


Yep. They just clocked it now reviewing the finish. They did see him try to sprint away but missed him go into the barrier two seconds later.


----------



## Flying_Monkey (13 Sep 2014)

I've been really unimpressed with the team riding in this Tour of Britain. On Stage 6, Sky and OPQS are unable to control the stage and let a rider take yellow from the breakaway. Today, Dowsett has the lead, yet Movistar are completely unable to control the stage and keep him in yellow instead letting another breakaway rider take yellow. It's exciting, no doubt, but it's like amateur racing.


----------



## jarlrmai (13 Sep 2014)

To be honest what the hell happened to Movistar? I saw one other teammate on the front of Dowsetts group but otherwise Dowsett was doing all the work..


----------



## HovR (13 Sep 2014)

Hacienda71 said:


> Can't believe the commentary team missed that. He seemed to roll over the line though so no too badly injured.



Thought I was seeing things when they didn't mention it!


----------



## suzeworld (13 Sep 2014)

Sky and OPQS didn't seem to try yesterday, well OPQS did a bit near the end .. but I was wondering myself why the other teams wiht men in the top ten were leaving it all to CAV to try and reel in the breakaway! 

Hats off to Dowsett .. not seen all of today's stage so dunno where he got unseated today, but what a shame he couldn't find the legs to stay with the chase and keep his jersey ... he has done so well this week 
x


----------



## suzeworld (13 Sep 2014)

jarlrmai said:


> To be honest what the hell happened to Movistar? I saw one other teammate on the front of Dowsetts group but otherwise Dowsett was doing all the work..



Did his team let him down then? Last night we were thinking they'd all be fresh to support Dowsett today as he had workers from the breakaway looking after him to put him in yellow in the first place. His team should have been raring to go today ...


----------



## NorvernRob (13 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> Did his team let him down then? Last night we were thinking they'd all be fresh to support Dowsett today as he had workers from the breakaway looking after him to put him in yellow in the first place. His team should have been raring to go today ...



There was only Visconti left with him when he got dropped, he turned himself inside out to help Dowsett but Dowsett had to do plenty of pulls on the front himself. For obvious reasons none of the other riders in the groups they caught were interested in doing any work.


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2014)

Flying_Monkey said:


> I've been really unimpressed with the team riding in this Tour of Britain. On Stage 6, Sky and OPQS are unable to control the stage and let a rider take yellow from the breakaway. Today, Dowsett has the lead, yet Movistar are completely unable to control the stage and keep him in yellow instead letting another breakaway rider take yellow. It's exciting, no doubt, but it's like amateur racing.


This^
I wondered if it had something to do with lack of radios but it smacks of sheer incompetence. Even allowing that Vermote won the stage today OPQS should have ensured that Kwiatowski got into yellow.
Sky seemingly did nothing to protect Swift's jersey or promote Wiggins' chances.
Why was BMC in the shape of Cummings and Zabel doing all the legwork after Eastbourne?
It was almost as if they didn't realise that time gaps of 10 minutes are tough to pull back.
They assumed that Movistar would do it all but it was clear to anyone with some local knowledge that AD wouldn't cope with the last 2 climbs.


----------



## Bollo (13 Sep 2014)

Agree with all the points above but I also wonder, looking beyond the decent crowds, there's end end-of-term feel about the ToB. Quite a few of the established riders seem happy to tool around the relatively gentle countryside, while the young'ns on the protour teams don't get enough trust or support from the big names to step up.


----------



## Fnaar (13 Sep 2014)

Do ToB riders think "I wish I was actually in the Vuelta"? i.e. is it seen as second rate?


----------



## 400bhp (13 Sep 2014)

Bollo said:


> Agree with all the points above but I also wonder, looking beyond the decent crowds, there's end end-of-term feel about the ToB. Quite a few of the established riders seem happy to tool around the relatively gentle countryside, while the young'ns on the protour teams don't get enough trust or support from the big names to step up.


+1end of season procession for some.

Are there uci points at stake?


----------



## Bollo (13 Sep 2014)

Fnaar said:


> Do ToB riders think "I wish I was actually in the Vuelta"? i.e. is it seen as second rate?


I wondered about that a little, but the ToB has been 'promoted' this year to 2.HC status. Ok - not a grand tour, but only one down. I suspect it's got just as much to do with it's date in the calendar after all the Grand Tours have effectively been and gone.


----------



## BigonaBianchi (13 Sep 2014)

http://summeronabianchi.blogspot.co.uk/

Pics of what i saw on top of ditchling beacon today


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2014)

Wiggins and some of the rest were probably using this as a platform for the Worlds TT and road race


----------



## Bollo (13 Sep 2014)

Just uploaded photos from the start of today's stage. Most are head shots of riders, And apologies, because I got within 6 feet of Michael Gove in the hospitality area and yet failed to punch him.

Selection here...




















Linky to all pics here if you're interested.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsk3xBpdF
Warning - contains Gove.


----------



## srw (13 Sep 2014)

400bhp said:


> You think Sky should continue to pay him at possibly the highest salary on the team for his past successes which are over 2 years ago? The are a business not a charity. I think they are being made fools of.


He's the most famous member of the team by a very long way, and is still basically synonymous with the brand. Professional sportsmen and sportswomen aren't paid by results, they're paid for exposure. I'd expect Kristian House to command a better salary now because he's been on telly with a nice Rapha logo twice a day for the last week (and, incidentally, is being very engaging).


----------



## Fnaar (13 Sep 2014)

Oof! Tao Geoghegan Hart


----------



## srw (13 Sep 2014)

Hacienda71 said:


> Yep. They just clocked it now reviewing the finish. They did see him try to sprint away but missed him go into the barrier two seconds later.


They certainly noticed it in the highlights commentary, which I believe is taken straight from the live show.


----------



## 400bhp (13 Sep 2014)

srw said:


> He's the most famous member of the team by a very long way, and is still basically synonymous with the brand. Professional sportsmen and sportswomen aren't paid by results, they're paid for exposure. I'd expect Kristian House to command a better salary now because he's been on telly with a nice Rapha logo twice a day for the last week (and, incidentally, is being very engaging).



You are getting confused with brand advertising and a cycle team. Yes there is a crossover of course, but a top cycling team stays in the top echelons because of the rider results.


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## srw (13 Sep 2014)

400bhp said:


> You are getting confused with brand advertising and a cycle team. Yes there is a crossover of course, but a top cycling team stays in the top echelons because of the rider results.


That's Chris Froome's job. (And the Murdochs' - they've got the money to buy whoever they want to get the results).

Sky are a sophisticated marketing outfit - they wouldn't have got into the cycling game without focussing on brand exposure.


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## 400bhp (13 Sep 2014)

srw said:


> That's Chris Froome's job. (And the Murdochs' - they've got the money to buy whoever they want to get the results).
> 
> Sky are a sophisticated marketing outfit - they wouldn't have got into the cycling game without focussing on brand exposure.


Lets see how long "god" lasts at sky shall we.

I think its exceptionally niaive to expect a pro cycling team to carry a member. It makes no sense in this instance because he would have been in the tdf to show off sky.


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## themosquitoking (13 Sep 2014)

Bollo said:


> And apologies, because I got within 6 feet of Michael Gove in the hospitality area and yet failed to punch him.



So you didn't think of the children then?


2 Months ago that would have been a very good joke, technically.


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## Ganymede (13 Sep 2014)

Bollo said:


> And apologies, because I got within 6 feet of Michael Gove in the hospitality area and yet failed to punch him.
> .


*wistful face*


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## summerdays (13 Sep 2014)

Fnaar said:


> Oof! Tao Geoghegan Hart



When I saw it on TV it all looked to go wrong as he hit the piece of newTarmac where presumably they took out a traffic island.


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## dellzeqq (13 Sep 2014)

Bollo said:


> Agree with all the points above but I also wonder, looking beyond the decent crowds, there's end end-of-term feel about the ToB. Quite a few of the established riders seem happy to tool around the relatively gentle countryside, while the young'ns on the protour teams don't get enough trust or support from the big names to step up.


I thought the crowd at the finish was.......slight. Compared to the crowds drawn to the Tour de France in Yorkshire and London they were very slight. We were 200 yards or so from the finish and there wasn't even a continuous line of spectators.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (14 Sep 2014)

dellzeqq said:


> I thought the crowd at the finish was.......slight. Compared to the crowds drawn to the Tour de France in Yorkshire and London they were very slight. We were 200 yards or so from the finish and there wasn't even a continuous line of spectators.



It's a minor attraction tho in the cycling world compared to The Tour de France.


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## suzeworld (14 Sep 2014)

The crowds are splendid if you compare Tof B on previous years to this year's turnout. You can't really compare it to the TdF here.
TdF organisation spent months raising community awareness and involvement in Yorkshire which made the locals very involved in all sorts of related activities. Plus it's a much more high status event to drag crowds out, and it was mainly over the weekend here too. 
I have been to small town finishes in France in the working week and seen barrier at 150 metres from the finish


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## Hacienda71 (14 Sep 2014)

srw said:


> They certainly noticed it in the highlights commentary, which I believe is taken straight from the live show.


No they totally missed it live. Only commented on it in the rerun of the finish ten minutes later.


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## Adam4868 (14 Sep 2014)

Its good that the crowds are smaller,went to liverpool last sunday and it was the best I've took the kids too.Very relaxed,easy to get a viewing point ,even at the finish.The kids also got to meet quite a few riders,had their photo taken with a few.On another note the crowd at the team sky bus was a scrum.All for a few sky paper calendars and they actually gave ONE water bottle to some lucky individual…….


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## Fnaar (14 Sep 2014)

summerdays said:


> When I saw it on TV it all looked to go wrong as he hit the piece of brew Tarmac where presumably they took out a traffic island.


I see what you mean, but I think he just took the bend too fast anyway :-)


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## jarlrmai (14 Sep 2014)

Are ITV not covering the TT then?


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

jarlrmai said:


> Are ITV not covering the TT then?


Doesn't look like it.


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## Crackle (14 Sep 2014)

Adam4868 said:


> Its good that the crowds are smaller,went to liverpool last sunday and it was the best I've took the kids too.Very relaxed,easy to get a viewing point ,even at the finish.The kids also got to meet quite a few riders,had their photo taken with a few.On another note the crowd at the team sky bus was a scrum.All for a few sky paper calendars and they actually gave ONE water bottle to some lucky individual…….



This is as close as I got to the Sky bus and as close as I wanted to get. In there are three camera crews. mad considering you could get to any other bus with no crowds whatsoever, the one exception was OPQS which was busy but nothing like Sky.


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

jarlrmai said:


> Are ITV not covering the TT then?


'Live' on Twitter
https://twitter.com/TourofBritain


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## srw (14 Sep 2014)

dellzeqq said:


> I thought the crowd at the finish was.......slight. Compared to the crowds drawn to the Tour de France in Yorkshire and London they were very slight. We were 200 yards or so from the finish and there wasn't even a continuous line of spectators.


On the other hand, judging by the TV pictures the top of Ditchling was packed, and there look to have been decent turnouts in all the towns and villages en route. Mrs W was towards the top of one of the uncategorised climbs among a fair throng.

I think people are learning that unless there's something to shake up the race being at the finish is not necessarily the best place to spectate.


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## srw (14 Sep 2014)

The number of people who can do that is very limited!

We had a similar idea in Guildford a couple of years ago, but (a) it was the last stage, (b) the route went up the High Street twice, and (c) the pavements are narrow - so the (very large) crowds meant an early start.


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

Wiggins wins the ITT and Van Baarle keeps the jersey. barring crashes that should see him home and dry.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (14 Sep 2014)

rich p said:


> Wiggins wins the ITT.


Is he in Spain or Britain?


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## Dogtrousers (14 Sep 2014)

rich p said:


> Wiggins wins the ITT and Van Baarle keeps the jersey. barring crashes that should see him home and dry.


nooo! Kwiatkowski didn't put enough time into DvB?


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## Dogtrousers (14 Sep 2014)

suzeworld said:


> Haters gotta hate and knockers gonna knock, but it is not a minor achievement to be the first Brit to win the Tour de France and that WHY Sky bother with him.


second Brit, after Nicole Cooke


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## smutchin (14 Sep 2014)

Dogtrousers said:


> nooo! Kwiatkowski didn't put enough time into DvB?



It was a very respectable time by Kwiatkowski but it was also a great ride by Van Baarle who looks like a huge talent in the making.

As mentioned upthread, Kwiatkowski can hold his team largely responsible for his failure to win this.

Wiggo, on the other hand, can blame a total lack of giving a shoot.


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## smutchin (14 Sep 2014)

Yet another example of non-existent teamwork on display right now - with a jersey to defend, where on earth are the rest of BMC?


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## jarlrmai (14 Sep 2014)

Ouch, wheel clip....


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

Here's a video taken by a spectator of Geoghagen Hart's crash yesterday.
at 2m 20s
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1147...nocks_down_spectators_during_crash/?ref=var_0


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

I wonder if OPQS are riding for Renshaw or Cav


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

rich p said:


> I wonder if OPQS are riding for Renshaw or Cav


...or Kwiat !!!


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

Kittel from Cav


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## smutchin (14 Sep 2014)

rich p said:


> I wonder if OPQS are riding for Renshaw or Cav



Looked almost like Renshaw was riding for Kittel.


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## rich p (14 Sep 2014)

smutchin said:


> Looked almost like Renshaw was riding for Kittel.


Yep, a bit of an odd lead out all round. Giant wasn't as slick as normal.


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## suzeworld (14 Sep 2014)

So all in all I thought is was really great week, very entertaining every day, great parcourse.

Sad that Cav couldn't pull off the sprint, but what a performance from the three of them on the line.

Enjoyed Brad's interview. Thought he shed some light on why it is hard to teams to control the stages on British roads and with smaller teams. It made for a very open race which was more fun to watch anyway ..


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## Bollo (15 Sep 2014)

dellzeqq said:


> I thought the crowd at the finish was.......slight. .....





srw said:


> I think people are learning that unless there's something to shake up the race being at the finish is not necessarily the best place to spectate.



The crowd at Camberley was good without being spectacular, but it was still better than either of the French TdF stages I watched this year. The Yorkshire TdF was a one-off - the marketing people played a blinder and it happened close enough to the Team Sky/Wiggins/Olympics afterglow from 2012 to create one of those 'I was there' moments. Sweetspot have certainly done an excellent job of promoting the ToB, but it may have reached maturity in terms of the crowds it can draw and the profile it can command.

I think the biggest problem the ToB faces over the next few years is the huge (WADA approved) dose of reality coming Team Sky/British Cycling/ Dave Brailsford's way. For all the talk of marginal gains, the recent high profile of competitive cycling in the UK has been built on a generation of exceptional _and marketable _talent. When we hit a period of fewer gold medals at the Olympics and no-one in sight of the maillot jaune, I suspect the casual support may drift away. That's not a problem in itself and I think there's now sufficient base support to sustain the ToB, but I doubt it will maintain the frenzy of recent years.


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## blimpnoddle (15 Sep 2014)

User13710 said:


> The TV is the best viewing-point overall.



If only that were true. ITV4's coverage was deplorable. For instance, Saturday's 'live' coverage' of the crucial Camberley-Brighton stage begins with 20 odd minutes of inane chit chat with Ned Boulting. When they eventually decide to cut to the race we've already missed the first 130km! Things got even worse. ITV also missed the decisive break up Ditching when they decide a commercial break is more important, and their coverage of the finish was a total fiasco, completely missing the 2nd and 3rd riders, particularly bad because Van Baarle was the guy who finished third, thus taking the yellow jersey and holding on to win the Tour on Sunday, and the dismal Hugh 'no preparation' Porter and co had no idea this had happened until a considerable time later. In fact things were so bad that the commentary had to be completely re-done and the finishing pictures re-edited for the evening's highlights show.

Sunday's coverage was just as bad. There was never going to be any change to the podium places in the final 88km parade through London, thus the morning's Individual Time Trial was the last opportunity for this, yet the whole ITT was summarized in about 5 minutes of highlights in the afternoon show. Without question the worst cycling coverage I've ever seen from ITV.


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## smutchin (15 Sep 2014)

blimpnoddle said:


> inane chit chat with Ned Boulting



Those are my favourite bits!

The first 130km of a 225km stage are never going to be all that interesting.


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## srw (15 Sep 2014)

I've barely seen any of the live coverage - it's normally not desperately interesting except to dip into. I thought the ITV4 highlights packages this summer have been extremely good for the casual or semi-casual viewer (which is who they're aimed at). In particular the ToB highlights did a great job of contextualising the race - although the segments when Ned Boulting solemnly read out the host cities/regions PR cack were a waste of space.


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## suzeworld (15 Sep 2014)

I'm sure the solemn reading of tourist cack is part of the sponsorship deal.
I like the Itv4 summary programmes on general, but did think the choice of timing on the live stuff yesterday was back to front.


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## HF2300 (16 Sep 2014)

srw said:


> I've barely seen any of the live coverage - it's normally not desperately interesting except to dip into. I thought the ITV4 highlights packages this summer have been extremely good for the casual or semi-casual viewer (which is who they're aimed at). In particular the ToB highlights did a great job of contextualising the race - although the segments when Ned Boulting solemnly read out the host cities/regions PR cack were a waste of space.



 I was just about to say I thought the ITV4 ToB highlights were really poor - in fact there, I've said it. It can't be easy to edit a race for quick consumption the same day, but it seemed to me too many of the stage highlights tended to have large chunks of not a lot happening, show the early developments in the final, say, 40 km, then jump straight to 6 km without explanation. Often I was left thinking _'how did that happen? How did they get there, and what happened to X?_' Oddly it seemed to be the opposite in the TdF, where the highlights were often the last 20 km as raced.

The point of the highlights seems to me to be to tell the story of the race, and should be edited accordingly. It's not really going to help bring the semi-casual viewer or the enthusiast in if it's not easy to follow.


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## srw (16 Sep 2014)

I think you've just summarised the story of the race on just about every day - an early breakaway which had a large lead at 40km, was still there at 6km and then either got caught or (just about) didn't in the final couple of miles. Which is why the race was won by someone no-one's ever heard of but had spotted that there were useful seconds available on one day.

For whatever reason (more testing terrain, a bigger spread of quality for the terrain) the TdF and the other grand tours have a longer lead-in to the finish.


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## Bollo (16 Sep 2014)

If we're having a go at the meejaa, then my prize goes to the BBC news. Ok, they don't do the cycling, but their nightly one sentence report on how Sir Brad didn't win began to grate at about Stage 5.


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## HF2300 (17 Sep 2014)

srw said:


> I think you've just summarised the story of the race on just about every day - an early breakaway which had a large lead at 40km, was still there at 6km and then either got caught or (just about) didn't in the final couple of miles.



I take your point, but at the same time I think that misses the point, which is not what actually happened but how well the TV coverage showed us what happened. Take for example the Llandudno stage, where early on in the highlights we were shown not a lot happening; then at the end, the coverage jumped from the descent into town with the break over a minute ahead, to halfway round the Orme with Lastras and Chavanel jumping off the front; or the last stage, where one minute we were shown one breakaway, the next minute a completely different breakaway five laps later. OK, you could work out what happened if you stopped to think about it for a minute, but it still seemed poorly cobbled together.


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## the_mikey (17 Sep 2014)

HF2300 said:


> OK, you could work out what happened if you stopped to think about it for a minute, but it still seemed poorly cobbled together.



The Tour of Britain highlights have always been this way, it's not often clear what part of the race you're watching and why, when watching the highlights of stage 4 it jumped from just outside of Cheltenham to 35 miles down the road in Winterbourne and then another unexplained jump of 13 miles, and the riders have changed position inexplicably and they're attacking on the final climb before the finish line, but it was all edited to look continuous. I realise they're trying to cover everything, but the continuous jump cuts without explanation creates some confusion.


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## Hont (18 Sep 2014)

Nifty dismount from Ben Swift...

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/tour-of-britain/avoid-crashing-ben-swift-way-136891


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## rich p (20 Sep 2014)

Here's another angle of Geoghegen Hart's crash - how he survived is astonishing. Look at the dent in the barrier!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRkoM6YFsko


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## Hacienda71 (20 Sep 2014)

rich p said:


> Here's another angle of Geoghegen Hart's crash - how he survived is astonishing. Look at the dent in the barrier!
> 
> View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRkoM6YFsko



Must have been his helmet.


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## MisterStan (20 Sep 2014)

rich p said:


> Here's another angle of Geoghegen Hart's crash - how he survived is astonishing. Look at the dent in the barrier!
> 
> View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRkoM6YFsko



He should have taken a bow.


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