# Aviva Women's Tour **Spoiler alert**



## cardiac case (5 Jun 2015)

The signs are all going up through my village so I'd best charge my camera batteries.
I'll see if I can snap them as they pass my local. (Hic)


Paul G


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## HF2300 (5 Jun 2015)

http://www.womenstour.co.uk/


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## Supersuperleeds (8 Jun 2015)

Itv4 have highlights for this


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## PeteXXX (14 Jun 2015)

*Women's Tour 2015...
*
Will anyone else get the chance to watch the race 'live'? Last year the ladies were on my local roads, (wrecking my Strava times!) and several of us rode or drove over to watch them.
This year, ~Stage 3~ on Friday is just up the road from me so I intend riding to Oundle for the start then heading towards the finish in Kettering, to see them cross the line. My route will be shorter, slower, and avoid Rockingham Hill!

Great to see the Tour in Northamptonshire again


~~Womens Tour 2015~~


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## TheDoctor (14 Jun 2015)

It's going past my house on the 20th!


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## Crackle (14 Jun 2015)

When did Joanna Rowsell move to Pearl Izumi. I thought she rode for Wiggle Honda?


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## 13 rider (14 Jun 2015)

Sorry wrong thread .looking for urban food myths


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## 13 rider (14 Jun 2015)

If I was working I'd pop down to watch.


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## mjr (14 Jun 2015)

Any live coverage?


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## Diggs (14 Jun 2015)

I'm heading to Clacton for the finish on Thursday


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## Tin Pot (14 Jun 2015)

Cycling is one of the many sports I do not like to watch on TV.

But I do like unearthing myths about food.


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## Rooster1 (15 Jun 2015)

I am fortunate enough to be in one of the support cars for one of the stages - I cannot wait.


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## biggs682 (15 Jun 2015)

We are of to Scaldwell to watch it go through.

Be a shame not to watch women in Lycra and a bike or two thrown in for good measure


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## mjr (15 Jun 2015)

biggs682 said:


> Be a shame not to watch women in Lycra and a bike or two thrown in for good measure


Ah but the public are in danger at the Women's Tour and the reasons why/how are "confidential" http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=97383


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## Rooster1 (15 Jun 2015)

They're announcing the team riders tomorrow, apparently


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## biggs682 (15 Jun 2015)

mjray said:


> Ah but the public are in danger at the Women's Tour and the reasons why/how are "confidential" http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=97383


its a risk i will take and enjoy


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## oldroadman (15 Jun 2015)

Rooster1 said:


> They're announcing the team riders tomorrow, apparently


Usual thing, each team signs on the riders the day before, the list of engagements will be out later. Sign on for teams is usually in the afternoon before stage one. Then the organisation publish it, although they may have a good idea of who is coming, until the licences are presented to the commissaires anything can change.


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## Ian193 (16 Jun 2015)

Going to Clacton tomorrow ready for the finish on Thursday taking our bikes and going for a spin both days looking forward to seeing the finishing sprint


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## User169 (17 Jun 2015)

Lizzie Armistead wins today, but crashed just after the line. Looks like it could have been nasty.


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## rich p (17 Jun 2015)

Delftse Post said:


> Lizzie Armistead wins today, but crashed just after the line. Looks like it could have been nasty.


Ouch
http://velonews.competitor.com/2015...d-after-winning-stage-1-at-womens-tour_374186


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## User169 (17 Jun 2015)

rich p said:


> Ouch
> http://velonews.competitor.com/2015...d-after-winning-stage-1-at-womens-tour_374186



30 mins on the floor doesn't sound very promising. Can't really see what happened from the footage in your link.


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## simo105 (17 Jun 2015)

Tried to freeze a shot looks like she veered of course when celebrating and hit someone


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## Rustybucket (17 Jun 2015)

simo105 said:


> Tried to freeze a shot looks like she veered of course when celebrating and hit someone


 
Why is there someone standing there? How stupid!
I hope she is ok


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## simo105 (17 Jun 2015)

Rustybucket said:


> Why is there someone standing there? How stupid!
> I hope she is ok


If you watch the footage further on theres another guy about 2m further standing the wrong side of the barrier!


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## Crackle (17 Jun 2015)

It's the usual press huddle isn't it. I always thought it was a bit dangerous them being there to get the finish line shot.


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## Rustybucket (17 Jun 2015)

Also covered here:
http://road.cc/content/news/154577-...y-hurt-after-winning-aviva-womens-tour-opener

Should the title now have spoiler alert in it?


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## Buddfox (17 Jun 2015)

I think the person she hit was the race organiser who was standing there to prevent the encroachment of photographers. Why even he was there is beyond me, but it's clear Armitstead veers unexpectedly to the left. I hope she is OK.


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## deptfordmarmoset (17 Jun 2015)

I gather Lizzie Armitstead had a very nasty fall just over the finishing line today. Whether it was her victory celebrations or just photographers in her way - or both - I don't know but it appears that she was taken to hospital in a neck brace.


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## mcshroom (17 Jun 2015)

Radio says she was discharged from hospital half an hour ago. No news yet on injuries.

The photographers are stating that they were being kept in position by the race director and that she lost control of the bike, veering left. 

Fingers crossed


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## mcshroom (17 Jun 2015)

Video here - http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/v...ospital-after-crash-during-race-31310326.html

looks like the bike veered left while she was riding no-handed. Quite a big fall, and she didn't move much after hitting the deck


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## PeteXXX (17 Jun 2015)

I haven't seen it.. Was it a case of Look mum, no hands!! Look mum, no teeth!?


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## mcshroom (17 Jun 2015)

PeteXXX said:


> I haven't seen it.. Was it a case of Look mum, no hands!! Look mum, no teeth!?


Sort of. I think it was a gust of wind. Not good news



> Britain's Lizzie Armitstead is out of the Women's Tour following a crash seconds after she won the first stage in Suffolk.
> Armitstead celebrated by raising her arms as she crossed the line, before putting her hands back on her bike.
> The 26-year-old then collided with a group of photographers and race director Mick Bennett.
> "I remember winning with the help of my team-mates and then not much else", she said. "Nothing broken just very sore."
> Her Boels Dolmans team said Armitstead had wanted to race on but, after a conversation with team management, will now rest ahead of the National Road Championships in Lincolnshire on 28 June.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/33170616



Btw, Just noticed this thread is in Road Cycling not racing, should it be moved?


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## Broadside (17 Jun 2015)

PeteXXX said:


> I haven't seen it.. Was it a case of Look mum, no hands!! Look mum, no teeth!?


Just watched the highlights on ITV4, it looked a lot like a photographer standing pretty much in the middle of the course just after the finish where the cyclists would obviously be going very fast. It seems obvious that these areas should be kept clear and it is ridiculous to put the riders at such risk allowing these people to be wandering about getting in the way.


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## mjr (17 Jun 2015)

On the itv4 coverage (recorded and slow-mo'd), it looked like Mick Bennett started to shove the photographers back the instant Armitstead started to wobble, but she still clipped the photographer in front of him. The finish road narrowed from the left (in the direction of race) after the line, placing the photographer huddle in what would otherwise have been the middle of the road, as you may be able to see at https://goo.gl/maps/pXD2t



Tom Cary said:


> Now it's official. Armitstead: "I remember winning with help of my team mates then not much else, but I am ok, nothing broken just v sore...thank you for kind messages and to the NHS staff. I won't start tomorrow in the hope of recovering properly for the Nationals." ( https://twitter.com/tomcary_tel/status/611255860887597056 and https://twitter.com/tomcary_tel/status/611256045076389888 )


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## redflightuk (17 Jun 2015)

I shall ride over to Hertford for the first Qom and then to Stevenage for the finish. On Sunday I may go to Hemel Hempstead.


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## cardiac case (18 Jun 2015)

Thanks to the mods for the added warning to the thread tittle. Cheers, and sorry for not thinking of that.
As for the photographers, lets hope their next project is Eddie Stobart lorries, middle lane of the M1.

I will set a good example to all by taking my photo's from the top of the telephone box.
Should be safe up there.  

Paul G

p.s.
I know they can't show the whole course but as our village is the most attractive in the area I'm hoping 
they will show it on the telly tonight. Let's face it, ten million flies can't all be wrong.


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## martint235 (18 Jun 2015)

Having watched it this morning, I'm not sure you can totally blame the photographers. She took her hands off the bars and visibly veered to the left. It's a strange place to put photographers but if she kept her racing line she would have missed them.

I hope she recovers quickly and it's a shame she's out.


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## martinclive (18 Jun 2015)

Went to see the start in Bury St Edmunds with @MisterStan yesterday - shame not more people there but that meant we got very close to the riders - great day out


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## Danny (18 Jun 2015)

martint235 said:


> Having watched it this morning, I'm not sure you can totally blame the photographers. She took her hands off the bars and visibly veered to the left. It's a strange place to put photographers but if she kept her racing line she would have missed them.
> 
> I hope she recovers quickly and it's a shame she's out.


It was hard to tell from the TV pictures but it look to me as if the finish line was a lot narrower than usual. Lizzie did veer into the photographers but she had precious little room in which to recover.


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## cardiac case (18 Jun 2015)

From my vantage point on top of the phone box……..


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## zizou (18 Jun 2015)

Really like the look of that Cervelo, is that the Bigla team?

I dont think you can blame the photographers for the accident, they were where roughly where they are for every pro race - Armitstead lost control with her hands off the bars, perhaps something on the road or a gust of wind - an accident rather than something to apportion blame for.


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## zacklaws (18 Jun 2015)

In my opinion, there should be no one on the circuit after the finishing line, What if it was a bigger sprint for the line covering most of the road, or even Lizzie or other sprinters hard on the left hand side of the barriers with more riders to her right, where would she go then, plough into the photographers or veer to the right into the other riders. What if someone had been on Lizzies back wheel, head down drafting and at the last moment pulled out to go round her left inside, all of a sudden they would have had a group of people in front of them.Having photographers there in the past may not have been a safety issue, but one day a situation may arise when it does become a safety issue, like yesterday.


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## deptfordmarmoset (18 Jun 2015)

cardiac case said:


> From my vantage point on top of the phone box……..
> 
> View attachment 92346
> 
> ...


Were you using a telephono lens?

Nice pics, by the way.


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## cardiac case (18 Jun 2015)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Were you using a telephono lens?
> 
> Nice pics, by the way.




Photography is just a matter of dialling in the right numbers.

I'll get my coat.


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## MikeonaBike (18 Jun 2015)

I watched it on TV and I could not believe that the photographers were allowed to be half way across the road so close to the finish line, especially with a bunch sprint approaching. Blame for that crash lies fully with the race officials; amateurish and unacceptable.

On Friday, I will be out in Northamptonshire to see a couple of sections of the race; so much better to see it live, if for no other reason than not having to listen to Hugh Porter's commentary, he is truly dreadful. It just proves that having been good at a particular sport does not make someone a good commentator. Hugh Porter must be the worst commentator on cycling. Other sports' dreadfuls include Brendan (state the blindingly obvious) Foster in athletics and Nasser Boring Hussain in cricket.


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## zacklaws (18 Jun 2015)

MikeonaBike said:


> Hugh Porter's commentary, he is truly dreadful



Your absolutley right, it gets quiet repetitive.

"Oh there's been a crash"

"Ooooooh Look at that for a crash"

"We'll be right back, Don't go away, plenty more action to come"

"Oh look at all the schoolchildren, their loving it"

"Oh look at the crowds, their in their thousands"

Sometimes on club rides, I call out his quotes, especcially "Oh look at the crowds, their in their thousands" if I see two or three people waiting at the roadside for a bus or to cross the road in front of us.

But there again, I find him better than the Australian who was commentating a couple of years ago, he was so irratating, by the time he had named the rider in full, along with the team he rides for in full, all in slow motion with pauses between the words the camera had panned away to someone else who he would then do exactly the same again but then the camera goes back to the original rider, it became frustrating. And he had no humour, the day a rider the camera was focussed on in full shot went for a drink out of his bottle and had the misfortune of the bottle top falling off pouring the contents onto his chin, he made no comment about it, I would have made a field day of it with gags.

But at the end of the day, I could not do better myself when it comes to it.


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## Apollonius (18 Jun 2015)

I noticed that the photographers were a bit less conspicuous on the finish line today. Good news is that Lizzie is feeling better and even wanted to start today. She was persuaded to recover for next week's nationals it seems.


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## deptfordmarmoset (18 Jun 2015)

Apollonius said:


> She was persuaded to recover for next week's nationals it seems.


Good advice too. But it's not often that someone wins yellow and never gets a chance to wear it. Shame for a great British rider to be out of the ToB.


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## cardiac case (19 Jun 2015)

Apollonius said:


> I noticed that the photographers were a bit less conspicuous on the finish line today. Good news is that Lizzie is feeling better and even wanted to start today. She was persuaded to recover for next week's nationals it seems.





I thought the same.

I try to be inconspicuous when out with the camera.  

Paul G


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## HF2300 (19 Jun 2015)

mjray said:


> On the itv4 coverage (recorded and slow-mo'd), it looked like Mick Bennett started to shove the photographers back the instant Armitstead started to wobble, but she still clipped the photographer in front of him. The finish road narrowed from the left (in the direction of race) after the line, placing the photographer huddle in what would otherwise have been the middle of the road, as you may be able to see at https://goo.gl/maps/pXD2t



I think she did more than clipped him!

It seemed to me there were a number of issues. The road narrowed abruptly shortly after the finish line, which was poor course design on the part of the organisers. If there had been a tight sprint on that side of the finish, a number of riders travelling at speed would have run out of road. There was a large group of photographers standing in the narrow part of the road and spread quite a way across the road, causing a significant obstruction. I appreciate the press want to get their photo of the winner, but I've never really understood why the area immediately after the finish line is always so full of people. It can't be beyond the organisers to arrange a safe unobstructed finish area and let photographers get their shot. Lizzie veered left as she was celebrating - wind? surface? a wobble? and immediately went to the bars but had run out of space to correct it - but really, there should be space enough for that sort of incident to happen without issue. No-one's mentioned that Lizzie's bike flew across the road and skittled a number of other riders, which could have been quite serious; fortunately wasn't.

I think organisers need to look at these issues seriously. Some hazards are inevitable, gratuitous hazards aren't.

As others have said, there was noticeably a smaller group of photographers, tighter to the railings the next day...

...and as for the coverage, 'nuff said. It's great that womens' racing is getting more coverage, and I wouldn't like to say it's a sexist thing as we've seen equally poor coverage of some mens' races below GT level, but really the techniques are well developed enough by now; surely it can't be beyond them to have some indication of time gaps, edit the coverage so it doesn't jump about in a confusing way, and have commentators that can give us some idea what's going on...


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## Glow worm (19 Jun 2015)

Just a quick heads up- there'll be a piece on the Women's Tour shortly now on Woman's Hour (R4)
Link Here
Should be on 'Listen Again' too later if you miss it.


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## biggs682 (19 Jun 2015)

Just got back from watching today, last year the motorcycle riders that come in front of the race told you about the time before the ladies arrived, not the case today.
So missed the breakaway trio


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## PeteXXX (19 Jun 2015)

cardiac case said:


> I thought the same.
> 
> I try to be inconspicuous when out with the camera.
> 
> ...


That's a very long selfie stick!!


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## PeteXXX (19 Jun 2015)

biggs682 said:


> Just got back from watching today, last year the motorcycle riders that come in front of the race told you about the time before the ladies arrived, not the case today.
> So missed the breakaway trio
> View attachment 92506
> View attachment 92507
> ...


At the finish line, the commentator gave updates so we knew exactly when to expect them.
I'll post some pics once I get them developed


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## PeteXXX (19 Jun 2015)

In Oundle, after the 20 minute circuit of the town, a flying start..











And there they go..

At the finish in Kettering 






Winning Stage 3.






And not far behind.. 

A mate and I had met in Brigstock to ride to the start and got there in good time to get a decent spot for the initial lap of the town, but had to move up the street a bit for the start 'proper'. 
Once the ladies had sped off, we rode through the lanes to Kettering, grabbig a cuppa on the way. Plenty of time to find a decent place to watch the finish..

Great way to spend a day, even though it was hardly June weather! Dry, but not particulary warm when standing around for a while.


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## TheDoctor (20 Jun 2015)

They're going past my house in about 45 minutes


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## cardiac case (20 Jun 2015)

TheDoctor said:


> They're going past my house in about 45 minutes





Quick! Find a phone box.


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## HLaB (20 Jun 2015)

Good shots @PeteXXX I was almost directly below the Woman about to jump out of her window at Oundle and just at the finishing turn at top of the hill just before the finish in Ketering. My videos were lost though leaving these stills. Saw @totallyfixed too, he walked right past but in his own wee world :-D The rest of my pics are here (https://www.cyclechat.net/media/albums/womens-tour-stage3.929/ ), including the compulsory bike selfie ;-)


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## PeteXXX (20 Jun 2015)

I got loads of pics but only posted a few of them. It's a great experience going to such an event, isn't it..

I was about 35 yards from the line on the right looking up the road in your last pic (sort of level with the car, next to the hospitality area.)


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## totallyfixed (20 Jun 2015)

HLaB said:


> Good shots @PeteXXX I was almost directly below the Woman about to jump out of her window at Oundle and just at the finishing turn at top of the hill just before the finish in Ketering. My videos were lost though leaving these stills. Saw @totallyfixed too, he walked right past but in his own wee world :-D The rest of my pics are here (https://www.cyclechat.net/media/albums/womens-tour-stage3.929/ ), including the compulsory bike selfie ;-)


I certainly was, but my day got a whole lot stranger, I will write that up tomorrow in your ride today. Part clue, if anyone was watching on Rockingham Hill for the QOM they would have seen me.


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## MisterStan (24 Jun 2015)

@cardiac case - is this you on the phone box? Scroll down to stage two - you'll see the pic i mean....

ETA link! http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/06/photo-gallery-aviva-womens-tour/


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## cardiac case (24 Jun 2015)

MisterStan said:


> @cardiac case - is this you on the phone box? Scroll down to stage two - you'll see the pic i mean....




Sorry, but you've lost me mate.


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## MisterStan (24 Jun 2015)

cardiac case said:


> I will set a good example to all by taking my photo's from the top of the telephone box.
> Should be safe up there.



Doh! Forgot the link! http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/06/photo-gallery-aviva-womens-tour/


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## cardiac case (24 Jun 2015)

MisterStan said:


> @cardiac case - is this you on the phone box? Scroll down to stage two - you'll see the pic i mean....
> 
> ETA link! http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/06/photo-gallery-aviva-womens-tour/





Guilty as charged M'lud


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## cardiac case (24 Jun 2015)

OK, I've be out done.
Look two pics before the telephone box and is that children on the roof tops?


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