Tour of Britain *****spolier***** (possibly)

[Fiona N]

I've just been looking in detail at today's route in the ToB and it's a bit odd - the 1st King of the Mountain prize isn't on the steep(-ish) winding ascent from Traquair but the climb above Mary Loch over to Tweedsmuir which, in my memory from April, is not as steep apart from a ramp at the start. Then there's a truly evil descent - if you thought anything in the Tour (de France) or the Giro was bad, this is steeper and narrower and unless they've resurfaced it since April when I was there, badly potholed. I descended it on a dry day and it's one of those descents I really wouldn't want to do in the wet - at least not on a road bike - and I'm not exactly fainthearted about descending. The second KoM is fairly shortly after at the top of the long gentle slog up the Devil's Beeftub on the Moffat road. It's so gentle, I'd be surprised if the peleton notices it unless there's a screaming headwind (admittedly likely today) but they'll have had that all the way from Tweedsmuir so it's less of a King of the Mountains than King of the Headwinds Still, should be a testing day and hopefully some good racing


I'm at Kendal's start tomorrow, marshalling - anyone else be there?

 

[DTD]

No but I'll be at the finish in Blackpool

 

[raindog]

Cav got it, Tennant 2nd. Look forward to seeing the vid.

 

[Mista Preston]

Cav got it, Tennant 2nd. Look forward to seeing the vid.

is this being shown on TV at all?

 

[martint235]

Highlights are on ITV4

 

[Rob500]

is this being shown on TV at all?

ITV4 @ 19:00 tonight.

 

[Telemark]

We were milling around the start area, will post some photos later.

As a bonus, we met HLaB - good to see you, it's been ages & sorry we had to run off!

T

 

[HLaB]

We were milling around the start area, will post some photos later.

As a bonus, we met HLaB - good to see you, it's been ages & sorry we had to run off!

T

Nice to see you again I sticking away from the above posts till I've saw the highlights

 

[mr Mag00]

will be the first year since it re-launced i have not been able to get to a stage

 

[rich p]

I'm going to be in London for the finale hopefully.

 

[oldfatfool]

Just watching the highlights, is it just me who thinks 'how bloody embarrasing?'

I have driven over various mountain sections of both the giro and TdF and in every case the road service is better than our main roads. We haven't even bothered to fill in the bloody pot holes let alone resurfaced I'm surprised they aren't riding MTB's

 

[mr Mag00]

yh yh we are shoot

 

[HLaB]

Oh the thread wasn't really a spoiler

I've never done the Talla reservoir climb but it appears to be from the flatter side. I have done the Devil's Beeftub and I was surprised that it was classified a climb, I did it last year and I can't recall any serious climbing. There are so many good climbs in that area and they seemed to have missed them all.

And I agree with Oldfatfool above, the roads looked very poor

 

[Strathlubnaig]

I went up to the Meggethead 'summit' this morning, there were a fair few folk to cheer them on, and the wind was a definite Gale 8 with frequent squally showers, straight down the hill, not the best conditions. Those minor roads are probably in better shape than the main roads tbh, but that descent down Talla hill has some broken edges and is very narrow. Would be a really good stage route in sunny and calm weather.

 

[Willo]

Looked a tough day in that weather on those roads. Good to see strong teams put out for this which will make for some good racing hopefully, if not a bit nervy in the treacherous conditions.with world c'ship next up! Particularly nice to see Htc in action for one last time.