# Tour of Britain 2015 the Racing (may contain **SPOILERS**)



## the_craig (28 Jul 2015)

*MOD NOTE:
This post has been Copied from the ToB thread in Road Cycling and General Discussions.

Use this one for the Racing aspects and the other for route/ viewing etc discussions. 
*

The teams taking part in this year's ToB have been announced.

*UCI WorldTeams*
• BMC Racing (USA)
• Etixx Quick-Step (Belgium)
• IAM Cycling (Switzerland)
• Lotto Soudal (Belgium)
• Movistar Team (Spain)
• Team Cannondale - Garmin (USA)
• Team Lotto NL Jumbo (Netherlands)
• Team Sky (Great Britain)
• Tinkoff - Saxo (Russia)

*UCI Pro Continental teams*
• Cult Energy Pro Cycling (Denmark)
• MTN Qhubeka (South Africa)
• Team Novo Nordisk (USA)

*UCI Continental teams*
• An Post Chain Reaction (Ireland)
• JLT Condor presented by Mavic (Great Britain)
• Madison Genesis (Great Britain)
• NFTO (Great Britain)
• ONE Pro Cycling (Great Britain)
• Team Raleigh GAC (Great Britain)
• Team WIGGINS (Great Britain)

*National Teams*
• Great Britain Cycling Team


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## Apollonius (29 Jul 2015)

Impressed with the line-up of teams. The only team I will miss will be Orica Greenedge, as I would have liked to see the twins given a run out.


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## deptfordmarmoset (6 Sep 2015)

It's bumpy that there Wales!


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## rich p (6 Sep 2015)

I'll be interested to see how Geoghan-Hart, Carthy and Alex Peters in the GB team perform. Tao G-H has opted out of Sky to stay at Axeon for another year. Good decision I think.
Carthy is at Caja Rural also m=taking an alternative route, while Peters is signing for Sky.

Cavendish against his young team-mate Gaviria who beat him twice in T de San Luis is interesting too, although there aren't too many obvious sprints.


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## Crandoggler (6 Sep 2015)

Stark contrast on the roads in Britain, versus the roads on the continent. Poor bastards!


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## deptfordmarmoset (6 Sep 2015)

rich p said:


> I'll be interested to see how Geoghan-Hart, Carthy and Alex Peters in the GB team perform. Tao G-H has opted out of Sky to stay at Axeon for another year. Good decision I think.
> Carthy is at Caja Rural also m=taking an alternative route, while Peters is signing for Sky.
> 
> Cavendish against his young team-mate Gaviria who beat him twice in T de San Luis is interesting too, although there aren't too many obvious sprints.


I caught the end of a Cavendish interview before the live coverage began and it sounded like he wasn't expecting much for himself. Kennaugh, though, sounded like he was keen.


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## subaqua (6 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> It's bumpy that there Wales!


I used to ride them roads every weekend as a teenager on my gas pipe Raleigh phantom . They are indeed bumpy ! 

Is good watching them and shortly they go through my home town.


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## Supersuperleeds (6 Sep 2015)

On ITV now if people want to watch it. Is it his jersey or is Wiggins a bit chubby? (For a pro rider I should add.)


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## Crandoggler (6 Sep 2015)

I thought that!


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## deptfordmarmoset (6 Sep 2015)

Yep, that's some bidon he's got there, and I'm not talking about water bottles.


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## Big Dave laaa (6 Sep 2015)

Fantastic turn out in my town of Mold for the TOB. Sprint stage right outside my house. Was a bit gutted that the breakaway hadn't been pulled back before they came through. Looking forward to watching the rest of the weeks riding now


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## jarlrmai (6 Sep 2015)

the ToB always has loads of interest, people want the jerseys and intermediates, the racing is fun and you can see they are riding on the same roads we do so you get a better idea of the conditions.

Loved the break really trying until the final K's


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## Rallybiker (6 Sep 2015)

Where I was at the top of Penmynydd hill outside of Llangefni, Anglesey, the break away gap was way more that 9 min. Very impressive margin to pull out in 20 odd miles!


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## SWSteve (6 Sep 2015)

I think Wiggo was in a baggy Jersey, thus making him look a bit tubby.


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## SWSteve (6 Sep 2015)

rich p said:


> I'll be interested to see how Geoghan-Hart, Carthy and Alex Peters in the GB team perform. Tao G-H has opted out of Sky to stay at Axeon for another year. Good decision I think.
> Carthy is at Caja Rural also m=taking an alternative route, while Peters is signing for Sky.
> 
> Cavendish against his young team-mate Gaviria who beat him twice in T de San Luis is interesting too, although there aren't too many obvious sprints.




Wasn't TGH signed on as a stagiare for SKY?

Edit: I know this doesn't mean he will continue as a pro after, but I thought we would give seen more of him in their kit, not the axeon one (even though when his stagiareness was announced it was also said he would race for GB at ToB)


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## rich p (6 Sep 2015)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Wasn't TGH signed on as a stagiare for SKY?
> 
> Edit: I know this doesn't mean he will continue as a pro after, but I thought we would give seen more of him in their kit, not the axeon one (even though when his stagiareness was announced it was also said he would race for GB at ToB)


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pro-ranks-can-wait-as-geoghegan-hart-aims-to-develop-at-u23-level/


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## HF2300 (7 Sep 2015)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> I think Wiggo was in a baggy Jersey, thus making him look a bit tubby.



He's also put on a bunch of weight for the track.

Great win for Viviani, top work to sneak through like that.

Can't help wondering why Kristian House felt the need to dash off and grab those last sprint points. I don't suppose having that bit extra in his legs would have made a difference at the finish, but it seemed an odd thing to do.


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## mjr (7 Sep 2015)

Supersuperleeds said:


> On ITV now if people want to watch it.


ITV's Porter+Smith commentary makes P&P sound good and Boulting+Millar sound like a dream team  Is Ant McCrossan doing something else?

And are we loving the exhortations to watch Froome try to win La Vuelta?


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## Fnaar (7 Sep 2015)

User3094 said:


> Home race for Wiggo today innit, is it Colne hes from?


Ghent/Kilburn


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## Fnaar (7 Sep 2015)

Crandoggler said:


> Stark contrast on the roads in Britain, versus the roads on the continent. Poor bastards!


Yes, British 'road furniture' seems a lot more intrusive. With the Vuelta, I like the way yer Spaniards use BIG WIDE roads for long sections. UK too full of nimby's for that to happen.


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## Fnaar (7 Sep 2015)

No 'lovelies' at the presentation either. Just a geography teacher-lookalike and a supermarket checkout gal.


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## mjr (7 Sep 2015)

Awwww. For the Tour Series this year, they used Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sGOwFVUU0I

but now they seem to be back to some cover of Bowie's Heroes that I didn't find on YouTube and crikey there are some bizarre covers of it!


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## Hacienda71 (7 Sep 2015)

Cracking end to todays stage.


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## Flying_Monkey (7 Sep 2015)

I think EBH really wants this. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him attacking in the next few days...


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## SWSteve (7 Sep 2015)

mjray said:


> Awwww. For the Tour Series this year, they used Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes
> 
> View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sGOwFVUU0I
> 
> but now they seem to be back to some cover of Bowie's Heroes that I didn't find on YouTube and crikey there are some bizarre covers of it!




Cycling bloody lives Eurovision, with this and the Spanish entry from this year wing used at The Vuelta...


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## SpaCyclist (8 Sep 2015)

It was a really gutsy ride by Petr Vakoc to hold off the pelloton all the way to the finish. There were a lot of people out in Colne to see him come in.
This is him powering up the finishing straight with about 70m to go;


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## Hacienda71 (8 Sep 2015)

https://www.strava.com/activities/387285384

Yesterdays winning ride.


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## martint235 (8 Sep 2015)

I was amazed that the peloton got past the Zoo in Nelson without having the customary bottles thrown at them.

It was a good finish by Vakoc but I'm not convinced the road up from the railway bridge in Colne averages at 6% as they kept stating on ITV


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## mjr (8 Sep 2015)

martint235 said:


> It was a good finish by Vakoc but I'm not convinced the road up from the railway bridge in Colne averages at 6% as they kept stating on ITV


What's a good website for measuring road gradients? I can do maths on the elevation chart on www.cycle.travel/map but it's tedious.


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## martint235 (8 Sep 2015)

mjray said:


> What's a good website for measuring road gradients? I can do maths on the elevation chart on www.cycle.travel/map but it's tedious.


There was one mentioned on CC a couple of years ago but can't for the life of me remember what it was. Ride with GPS will do it I suppose but I can't get to that from work.


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## jarlrmai (8 Sep 2015)

Just find the strava segment for the climb.


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## Hacienda71 (8 Sep 2015)

Strava is saying 3% for the last .8 of a mile and 6% for a little bit.


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## HF2300 (8 Sep 2015)

mjray said:


> ITV's Porter+Smith commentary makes P&P sound good and Boulting+Millar sound like a dream team  Is Ant McCrossan doing something else?
> 
> And are we loving the exhortations to watch Froome try to win La Vuelta?



Porter: "And that's an attack by Lotto Soudal"

Smith "I think that's the Swiss national champion riding for BMC"

Porter "Yes Brian, for a moment there that red and white jersey looked like the BMC colours"

I'm already getting relay bored with 'tapping out the rythm', 'being attentive', 'dancing on the pedals' and 'that's the style of the man'.

I'm finding it difficult to follow what's going on in the highlights, as well; think it's a combination of few time gaps displayed, poor coverage, poor commentary and poor editing. I'm obviously not the only one, given Matt Barbet had to do a voiceover at one point.

The trailers for Froome in the Vuelta made me life - has no-one realised? They were even showing them during the Vuelta highlights!


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## HF2300 (8 Sep 2015)

SpaCyclist said:


> It was a really gutsy ride by Petr Vakoc to hold off the pelloton all the way to the finish. There were a lot of people out in Colne to see him come in.
> This is him powering up the finishing straight with about 70m to go;
> View attachment 103073



Great photo


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## HF2300 (8 Sep 2015)

And great ride by Vakoc


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## SWSteve (8 Sep 2015)

[QUOTE 3895251, member: 9609"]I was nearby so I went to take a look - never seen as many police motorbikes, plus lots of other motorbikes, I wasn't sure I had arrived at the right event, but then all of a sudden woosh and they all whizzed by followed by an astonishing melee of cars all jockeying for position and blowing their horns at each other. 

so anyway here they are pedalling through the borders.




[/QUOTE]


Loving how we one of the Novo-Nordisc (sp?) riders is in plain shot in this.


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## deptfordmarmoset (8 Sep 2015)

HF2300 said:


> Porter: "And that's an attack by Lotto Soudal"
> 
> Smith "I think that's the Swiss national champion riding for BMC"
> 
> ...


I spotted my first ''race face'' of the summer today. I was disappointed, though, that he failed to use ''egress'' today. He used it yesterday when they were leaving a town. I expected them to egress England.

Meanwhile, this Viviani - is he the same person as the track cyclist in the endurance events who everybody feared? Or another Viviani? I missed his signing to Sky. There was real power in his finishing sprint today.


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## mjr (8 Sep 2015)

Once again, a crash changes the race lead when it wouldn't have if it had been 500m later. If they're going to keep the crash-neutralisation rule, to stop all the GC teams getting up front in the finish, shouldn't there be some sort of tapering introduction? So if you're held up 3-5k out, you get your group's time plus a small percentage, then increasing percentage up to 15k or so, then outside that you're on your own. The sprint teams are pushing to be up front well before 3k on most races.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (8 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Meanwhile, this Viviani - is he the same person as the track cyclist in the endurance events who everybody feared?


Yes


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## SWSteve (8 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I spotted my first ''race face'' of the summer today. I was disappointed, though, that he failed to use ''egress'' today. He used it yesterday when they were leaving a town. I expected them to egress England.
> 
> Meanwhile, this Viviani - is he the same person as the track cyclist in the endurance events who everybody feared? Or another Viviani? I missed his signing to Sky. There was real power in his finishing sprint today.



The very one. He is tremendous


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## ColinJ (8 Sep 2015)

A day late because I didn't want to come into this thread until I had finished watching the coverage of yesterday's stage ...

I rode out to watch the second KoM at Bleara Moor above Earby and then rode down into the town/village(?) afterwards so I could ride back up the climb to get a taste for how tough it was. Answer:_ damn hard_!

Most of the pros made it look pretty easy, but it was reassuring to see a few of them busting a gut to stay up near the front. Wiggo looked very relaxed as he cruised by. Cav wasn't far behind but seemed to be trying a bit harder. Some of the stragglers looked pretty wasted!

The Forest of Bowland/Pendle district roads of stage 2 are some of my favourites and I know how hard they are so it was impressive to watch how hard the pros raced yesterday. [PS I am organising THIS FORUM RIDE to take place out there on September 19th, so if you liked the look of yesterday's scenery and fancy a relaxed tour round there, check out 'Recreational rides' later! ]

I think the ToB is getting better year by year. I didn't think much of it the first couple of years.

Here are a few photos that I took yesterday ...

Brad: "_Just a nice little training ride ..._"





Cav (a few yards further back): "_Brad, Brad, wait for me, Brad!_"





Unknown straggler: "_Dropped *again* ... So much for those bloody gym sessions to make my legs stronger!_"


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## HF2300 (9 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Meanwhile, this Viviani - is he the same person as the track cyclist in the endurance events who everybody feared? Or another Viviani? I missed his signing to Sky. There was real power in his finishing sprint today.



Yes, as @Marmion and @ItsSteveLovell have already said, same guy. Signed to Sky late last year for this season, having been with various incarnations of Cannondale - ISTR he won a TOB stage or two with them as well. He won stage 2 of the Giro this year, and he's had other Giro and Vuelta top 3 stage placings.

He used to split road and track work but I guess that might stop now he's with Sky. I think he's really good - seen him do some great stuff on the track. As with many, though (Cav), I wonder if he'll get a bit stifled at Sky as his aims won't fit with their GT / GC ambitions, leaving him hunting stages on more minor races.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (9 Sep 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Unknown straggler: "_Dropped *again* ... So much for those bloody gym sessions to make my legs stronger!_"



Paulius Šiškevičius, Champion of Lithuania, riding for An Post ChainReaction


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## rich p (9 Sep 2015)

Stannard does an extraordinary amount of work on the front


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## youngoldbloke (9 Sep 2015)

Finally couldn't take it any more - I pressed the MUTE button


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## Flying_Monkey (9 Sep 2015)

Interesting to see Cav setting up Gaviria... I'm not sure he'll want that role on a longer-term basis, but he did it very well. 

Tomorrow is my old stomping grounds... I've ridden all the route at one time or another, and the final climb up to Hartside will be tasty.


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## Aperitif (10 Sep 2015)

One second in it. A beautiful stage to see from the helicopter's eye view.


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## Flying_Monkey (10 Sep 2015)

Certainly was tasty - and I was right about EBH really wanting this one. Can he hold on against his old team? Tomorrow is also a tough up-and-downer...


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## HF2300 (11 Sep 2015)

So what happened between Cav and Gorka Izaguirre? Maybe he was just shouting for a team car, but it looked as though Izaguirre was having a right old go at Cav.

I thought Poels had run out of legs by 1km to go, as it seems did EBH. Storming effort.


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## HF2300 (11 Sep 2015)

youngoldbloke said:


> Finally couldn't take it any more - I pressed the MUTE button



"And Cavendish taking advice from his team car..." - No Hugh, that's an NFTO car, Cav is on QuickStep.


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## beastie (11 Sep 2015)

Coming into Penrith.


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## beastie (11 Sep 2015)




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## beastie (11 Sep 2015)




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## beastie (11 Sep 2015)

Cracking Finish up Hartside. Kreuswick has the Strava KOM . 4.7 miles, 5% ave gradient, 18.3mph. Into a headwind. 

That's faster than some people go down it.


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## smutchin (11 Sep 2015)

HF2300 said:


> "And Cavendish taking advice from his team car..." - No Hugh, that's an NFTO car, Cav is on QuickStep.



Maybe Hugh knows something we don't about Cav's contract negotiations?

No, hang on, I was forgetting - Hugh Porter knows absolutely nothing.


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## mjr (11 Sep 2015)

HF2300 said:


> "And Cavendish taking advice from his team car..." - No Hugh, that's an NFTO car, Cav is on QuickStep.


To be fair, I think he said "the team car" rather than his, but I'm still not sure that was correct.

The comedy commentary did add to the excitement of the last 500m, as did the inappropriately tight helicopter shot concealing the chase.


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## deptfordmarmoset (11 Sep 2015)

I was just thinking that ITV4 had really improved their coverage of cycling. And then HP started wittering on about his sunflowers that hadn't grown this year and I noted the exception. That said, I spotted another egress yesterday....


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## HF2300 (11 Sep 2015)

mjray said:


> To be fair, I think he said "the team car" rather than his, but I'm still not sure that was correct.



You may be right, but I still don't imagine he was taking advice from some other team car unless he was very confused after the crash - or @smutchin is right about the contract.




smutchin said:


> No, hang on, I was forgetting - Hugh Porter knows absolutely nothing.



I think he probably knows (or knew) a lot, but somehow it gets lost between his brain and his mouth, leaving only the style of the men to tap out the rhythm while being attentive to the interests of the style of other men at the egress of the stage.


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## Bobby Mhor (11 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I was just thinking that ITV4 had really improved their coverage of cycling. And then HP started wittering on about his sunflowers that hadn't grown this year and I noted the exception. That said, I spotted another egress yesterday....


He's right about sunflowers, mine have been disastrous this season.





He does prattle some crap though..


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## deptfordmarmoset (11 Sep 2015)

Things I associate with racing in the UK: cats' eyes, narrow roads, hedges, and primary school children in uniforms, who, as the only ones not preoccupied with taking photos, manage to triple the spectator noise. But one thing that's missing is the rain. Still, London might get its chance....


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## martint235 (11 Sep 2015)

Bobby Mhor said:


> He's right about sunflowers, mine have been disastrous this season.
> He does prattle some crap though..


But......but..... it's one of the joys of the first week of the TdF when bugger all happens until the final 100 metres. You'd get Liggett prattling on about the breakaway and then he'd suddenly be "Ooh look at those pretty flowers in that garden, my mother in law has exactly the same ones" and before you knew it we'd be in the sprint finish


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## Bobby Mhor (11 Sep 2015)

martint235 said:


> But......but..... it's one of the joys of the first week of the TdF when bugger all happens until the final 100 metres. You'd get Liggett prattling on about the breakaway and then he'd suddenly be "Ooh look at those pretty flowers in that garden, my mother in law has exactly the same ones" and before you knew it we'd be in the sprint finish


I just uploaded proof (see above)

You must be able to prattle on to do the job..
I even put up with Carlton K and have warmed to his rotten patter..
Smithy does help ITVs cause


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## mjr (11 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> But one thing that's missing is the rain. Still, London might get its chance....


Would anyone like to say where they hope to stand on the London circuit and what colours/flag/whatever to watch out for on the TV coverage? This year's circuit is basically out and back from Trafalgar Square along each of Regent Street/Haymarket (turn at Conduit Street), Whitehall (turn before Parliament Square) and the Strand (turn at Aldwych). Is it better to see the racers come past Trafalgar Square three times a lap or be within sight of the finish on Regent Street?


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## deptfordmarmoset (11 Sep 2015)

mjray said:


> Would anyone like to say where they hope to stand on the London circuit and what colours/flag/whatever to watch out for on the TV coverage? This year's circuit is basically out and back from Trafalgar Square along each of Regent Street/Haymarket (turn at Conduit Street), Whitehall (turn before Parliament Square) and the Strand (turn at Aldwych). Is it better to see the racers come past Trafalgar Square three times a lap or be within sight of the finish on Regent Street?


I haven't seen anything about a CC meeting point but I'd be interested in joining up. As for where to watch, they're doing 14 laps so there'll be plenty of time for pictures and wandering around till you find a good vantage point.


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## suzeworld (11 Sep 2015)

Great stage and tactics today -- anyone going to bet against EBH for the GC? He did brilliantly today ...


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## rdfcyclist (12 Sep 2015)

Currently drizzling here in Norwich but the clouds are passing. Big hubbub and tents ready which should make things fun. Sadly working today so will miss all the action as they pass through


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## hopless500 (12 Sep 2015)

Stopped raining by the time they reached Wymondham


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## roadrash (12 Sep 2015)

That has to be the closest sprint finish i have seen , from the photos shown on eurosport it looks like viviani got it but judges gave it to griepel ,


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## deptfordmarmoset (12 Sep 2015)

roadrash said:


> That has to be the closest sprint finish i have seen , from the photos shown on eurosport it looks like viviani got it but judges gave it to griepel ,


It does like Viviani took it by a whisker, doesn't it?


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## fimm (12 Sep 2015)

The highlights have been really poor, IMHO. You get an ad break and come back and everything has changed with no explanation, and instead of showing the change you get lots of shots of people cycling along with no action.

How did Cav manage to cycle in to a parked car? I thought there would be people along to make sure there weren't any hazards like that. (Mind you, on the run in to Nottingham it looked like there were some parked cars with tickets on them!)


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## Fnaar (12 Sep 2015)

Cav's crash: video on this link:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/raci...-191319?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social


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## Bobby Mhor (12 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> It does like Viviani took it by a whisker, doesn't it?


I thought so after seeing it..


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## Fnaar (12 Sep 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> It does like Viviani took it by a whisker, doesn't it?


It certainly looks like that to me!


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## deptfordmarmoset (13 Sep 2015)

Naughty Greipel!


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## roadrash (13 Sep 2015)

right decision given , i think...


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## sleaver (13 Sep 2015)

Greipel's interview was quite funny:

I didn't see him
I did see him
I have to get past the invisible person in front of me
He should review the footage showing that there was nothing wrong with me changing directions multiple times.


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