London-Surrey Cycle Classic
- Thread starter siadwell
- Start date
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mangaman
Guest
Hand that man a cigar...
Cool. I thought so.
If you're riding the Martlett's ride you can hand me a real cigar. (I'll be the geezer on the Coldean Lane Junction at the bottom of the Beacon)
Cuban would be nice.
Cool. I thought so.
If you're riding the Martlett's ride you can hand me a real cigar. (I'll be the geezer on the Coldean Lane Junction at the bottom of the Beacon)
Cuban would be nice.
Afraid not dear sir... you will have to make do with a virtual one....
mangaman
Guest
Afraid not dear sir... you will have to make do with a virtual one....
I'll think of you Ian.
As a massive Norwich fan (there's a secret CC Naaaarwich posse on here - me /Citybabe/ Glowworm are the main ones, but there are a few more - at the end of last year we had "real time" updates on games (Citybabe was there I think - she usually is.)
We're playing your lot on the weekend the Martlett's Ride, before, at the Bridge - so I'm a bit nervous. Although I don't know about Villas-Boas and Torres. I'm not convinced.
If we lose horribly I will refuse your cigar - sorry but football trumps all for me.
If we win I'll send you the most expensive cigar possible
PoweredByVeg
Über Member
- Location
- Lingwood/Norwich
I managed to tick off Box Hill on my list of climbs to do yesterday morning.
We were staying with the sis/bro-in-law in Bromley and I managed to sneak out for a few hours
Drove to the area and managed to find a carpark a couple of miles away which meant a little warm-up before attempting the climb.
There were some flickin' big hills on the drive there, so I thought I'd better go easy. The initial bit was steepish (remember I am from Narfuk!), so I was spinning it with 34 on the front and 24 on the back.
After the first bend I was expecting it to kick up but it still stayed the same gradient, so I thought perhaps it kicked up after the next bend.
So I kept it nice and slow, saving my energy for a final push, but alas, when I reached that National Trust cafe I had to ask another cyclist if it was the top
So I had a fast blast thro' the village to the next junction, blasted back to the NT cafe, then s**t myself trying to descend Zig Zag Rd in drizzle, with wet brakes, wet road and that awful broken road surface
So at the bottom I turned round and did it again with a bit more effort!
It was such a gorgeous area, we don't get that sort of thing in Norfolk, and I'm now planning sneaking off to Ditchling when we're next down in Bromley.
Ayone know when the race is on telly, I couldn't actually swing it with the missus to escape two days running to see it!
We were staying with the sis/bro-in-law in Bromley and I managed to sneak out for a few hours
Drove to the area and managed to find a carpark a couple of miles away which meant a little warm-up before attempting the climb.
There were some flickin' big hills on the drive there, so I thought I'd better go easy. The initial bit was steepish (remember I am from Narfuk!), so I was spinning it with 34 on the front and 24 on the back.
After the first bend I was expecting it to kick up but it still stayed the same gradient, so I thought perhaps it kicked up after the next bend.
So I kept it nice and slow, saving my energy for a final push, but alas, when I reached that National Trust cafe I had to ask another cyclist if it was the top
So I had a fast blast thro' the village to the next junction, blasted back to the NT cafe, then s**t myself trying to descend Zig Zag Rd in drizzle, with wet brakes, wet road and that awful broken road surface
So at the bottom I turned round and did it again with a bit more effort!
It was such a gorgeous area, we don't get that sort of thing in Norfolk, and I'm now planning sneaking off to Ditchling when we're next down in Bromley.
Ayone know when the race is on telly, I couldn't actually swing it with the missus to escape two days running to see it!
I was at the A24, on the corner as the route turned left onto Old London Road before going up the zigzags. It was really good, as you can't get close to that spot by car so as a result it was nice and quiet - only about 50 people where we were.
After they went past we zipped up to the Texaco roundabout to see them come past again, and it was rammed - easily 300 people there. It will be very very busy there next year, so I'm planning to go to our first location and get a good spot early.
It was really good, seemed to be fairly well organised, except for the marshals controlling the road closures - none of them seemed aware that we were allowed to cycle onto the route until 9:30 (in practice people were still coming through later than that) so tried to stop us. We explained that the info said we were allowed, and they just said "Oh, OK, go on then" so they were a bit crap.
I got some decent pictures, will put links here when I've gone through them.
After they went past we zipped up to the Texaco roundabout to see them come past again, and it was rammed - easily 300 people there. It will be very very busy there next year, so I'm planning to go to our first location and get a good spot early.
It was really good, seemed to be fairly well organised, except for the marshals controlling the road closures - none of them seemed aware that we were allowed to cycle onto the route until 9:30 (in practice people were still coming through later than that) so tried to stop us. We explained that the info said we were allowed, and they just said "Oh, OK, go on then" so they were a bit crap.
I got some decent pictures, will put links here when I've gone through them.
I rode out to Box Hill, with the intention of riding up it, and then continuing with my ride around Surrey Hills, and maybe watching the race somewhere on my route. When I got to the base of Box Hill, cca 7am, I was stopped by marshalls who wanted to see my wristband. I explained that I didn't have one, as I only wanted to ride up the hill and back down again, and ''would only take 10 minutes, honest guv'.'' They equally politely explained that there was no access without wristbands, and as I was turning away, a lovely lass wearing organiser kit ran up to me, slapped a wristband around my wrist, and said ''here, have this one.''
I was gobsmacked, and thought it would be rude not to stay to watch the race after that. Rode up the hill in 8:01 minutes, and then spent the morning wallowing around and spectating. Brill. Aside from the commentator in the spectator area, whose commentary was dismal beyond belief.
I am a bit down on my miles ridden for the week though
I was gobsmacked, and thought it would be rude not to stay to watch the race after that. Rode up the hill in 8:01 minutes, and then spent the morning wallowing around and spectating. Brill. Aside from the commentator in the spectator area, whose commentary was dismal beyond belief.
I am a bit down on my miles ridden for the week though
1464217 said:
Hahaha! Perfect.
Did you keep safe, or did the uneven ground get you?
I remember Box Beetle, and 26 species of bats... FAIL on the rest. Oh wait, when 'race bubble' was 20 minutes away, they were actually 35 minutes away, and when they were ''with us in the next few minutes'' they were past the first Zig. And everything was FANTASTIC!
I am not sure how long you were in the spectator area, but I came cycling past about two hours before the peloton, and the spectating area was already quite full, and I got this massive cheer from the crowd, so I waved, and the cheer got louder, and I hoiked, and it got louder still! Was great fun
some wag shouted I could slow down, as I had a two hour lead on the rest of the race Was wearing a Team Bianchi kit a la Jan Ulrich TdF 2003.
Adrian_K
Über Member
- Location
- Sunny Surbiton
From half way up Staple Lane: The breakaway.
and the pack
One thing that puts it the pro's into perspective. Staple lane is a bit of a drag ~6-8% and I took some ground level shots (that didn't come out too well) but they clearly show some of the racers on their big ring (53t no doubt).
then I sprinted back to Kingston.
Going out to Clandon I had to go through many road blocks and the marshall were fine and cheery but when I got back to Kingston they were just a bunch jobsworths - I think they were 'professionals' rather than volunteers.
The crowds were smaller than I expected...but enthusiastic.
Adrian
and the pack
One thing that puts it the pro's into perspective. Staple lane is a bit of a drag ~6-8% and I took some ground level shots (that didn't come out too well) but they clearly show some of the racers on their big ring (53t no doubt).
then I sprinted back to Kingston.
Going out to Clandon I had to go through many road blocks and the marshall were fine and cheery but when I got back to Kingston they were just a bunch jobsworths - I think they were 'professionals' rather than volunteers.
The crowds were smaller than I expected...but enthusiastic.
Adrian
The best place to be in 2012 would be Mickleham - but you'll have to start out from central London at midnight to get a spot. The problem with that is there are no toilets other than the squalid jobbies at Rykas, and they don't open until seven in the morning...........
I'm glad I live in Epsom.
Finally did my photos from the event. Got a great one of Cav.
Mark Cavendish, in the peloton by Ben Bawden, on Flickr
The peloton by Ben Bawden, on Flickr
Mark Cavendish, in the peloton by Ben Bawden, on Flickr
The peloton by Ben Bawden, on Flickr
