Tour Of Britain Start

[Svendo]

As I was riding through the centre of Rochdale this morning on my way home from a sleep in at work, saw the police escort riders for the tour at the start outside the townhall. There's bloody loads of them! I'm getting all excited for tomorrow!

My plan is to ride out to Deerplay Moor on Crown Point Road to watch them over the first KOM summit. I was considering going to the Trough of Bowland, but my inconsiderate sister insists on celebrating her birthday so I don't have time to do that.

Incidentally, they've been repairing the curbs at the townhall, and filling pot holes on the route through Rochdale all week. This pleases me as quite a bit of it is also my short commute to work!

 

[ammwhite]

I'll have to settle for watching it on TV ... just checked and ITV4 has highlights on 7-8pm

 

[Stephen-D]

aw and i wish i was watching it live as well, would be awesome to see live and in the flesh the bikes the crew the atmosphere, yur very lucky

and yeh i will have to settle for some tv instead, cheers for posting channel and time ammwhite, will set up the planner.

 

[PaulB]

I'm just leaving the house, well, I SAY house, I of course am referring to my palatial mansion even too grand for the Queen, in the next few minutes to go and watch this. I hope the blinkinflip rain stops.

 

[Svendo]

Just back, great fun albeit wet and chilly. First time for me that Metcheck has underestimated the amount of rain! Had a nice chat with a chap called Phil from Halifax while waiting. Then watched the 3 or 4 man breakaway come through a good 4-5 minutes ahead of the peloton. Saw Bradley go right past me.

Just as I was leaving saw bromptonfb, who'd watched a bit further down and was riding up.

Then pootled down but unfortunately had a spill at about 25 mph nearing waterfoot. No idea what happened, wobble and over. Bloke behind me in a car was a cycl;ist and said I just seemed to go over, wonder if there was a patch of oil or was just slippy tarmac and a bump or something.
Some road rash, wrecked lightweight waterproof, some tears in my brand new New Mexico jersey my Dad had just sent (grr), and chips and scrapes on the left shifter (Grr, new dura ace) and bar tape. Wheels still true and frame seems OK.

 

[ColinJ]

Just back, great fun albeit wet and chilly. First time for me that Metcheck has underestimated the amount of rain! Had a nice chat with a chap called Phil from Halifax while waiting. Then watched the 3 or 4 man breakaway come through a good 4-5 minutes ahead of the peloton. Saw Bradley go right past me.

Oh, I thought it was tomorrow! I was thinking of riding over to take some pictures of the riders going past.   

Then pootled down but unfortunately had a spill at about 25 mph nearing waterfoot. No idea what happened, wobble and over. Bloke behind me in a car was a cycl;ist and said I just seemed to go over, wonder if there was a patch of oil or was just slippy tarmac and a bump or something.
Some road rash, wrecked lightweight waterproof, some tears in my brand new New Mexico jersey my Dad had just sent (grr), and chips and scrapes on the left shifter (Grr, new dura ace) and bar tape. Wheels still true and frame seems OK.

Yikes - bad luck, and on your nice new bike too! I'm glad that you haven't done yourself or the bike serious damage though. 

 

[moggsy100]

Just back myself... Drove up from north wales and parked in waterfoot then rode the stage upto deerplay to watch them come past on the hill just after where the kom finish was... Totally pissed down whilst waiting for them all too arrive and was blowing a gale... was impressed with the amount of motorcycle Marshall's and police out riders... very well organized indeed...
gotta say on the decent down towards padiham was bit treacherous with the side wind.. very nearly came off myself a few times with a few wobbles....
but all in all a great day...

 

[moggsy100]

oops sorry for the double post.. don't know whats happened there.. won't let me delete one.. can a mod plz delete one if they read the thread plz...

 

[PaulB]

was impressed with the amount of motorcycle Marshall's and police out riders

I know, there were so many, I assumed an invasion was imminent.

We watched it on the second KOM stage above Dunsop Bridge but I have to say it wasn't THE most exciting thing I've ever seen in my life. I remembered watching the Milk Race there in the 80s and that didn't tempt me away from running and into cycling, I have to confess. Is it me, or is it a bit, you know, dull? Standing there for ages and watching a short procession of colourful riders and then......back to normal. Was a bit, meh.

 

[Globalti]

Drove in the rain with the family up to the Trough. They were running about 15 minutes slower than scheduled but.... I've got news for you.... the entire race is ASIAN! Either that or all the riders are extremely tanned after a summer on the road. Anyway they came up in a 3 then a massive group then 2 who were suffering then one sorry looking sod about 10 minutes later, he must have punctured or crashed. The atmosphere was great, did anybody see the bloke who rode up the Trough towing a kiddie trailer? He got a round of applause.

We jumped in the car and headed to Blackpool but by the time we'd passed several groups then bought sandwiches, we arrived at the end of the M55 just as they closed the roundabout! Ah well, we'll be watching the highlights in a few minutes.

 

[potsy]

Just back, great fun albeit wet and chilly. First time for me that Metcheck has underestimated the amount of rain! Had a nice chat with a chap called Phil from Halifax while waiting. Then watched the 3 or 4 man breakaway come through a good 4-5 minutes ahead of the peloton. Saw Bradley go right past me.

Just as I was leaving saw bromptonfb, who'd watched a bit further down and was riding up.

Then pootled down but unfortunately had a spill at about 25 mph nearing waterfoot. No idea what happened, wobble and over. Bloke behind me in a car was a cycl;ist and said I just seemed to go over, wonder if there was a patch of oil or was just slippy tarmac and a bump or something.
Some road rash, wrecked lightweight waterproof, some tears in my brand new New Mexico jersey my Dad had just sent (grr), and chips and scrapes on the left shifter (Grr, new dura ace) and bar tape. Wheels still true and frame seems OK.

Take it he wasn't part of the breakaway

 

[Globalti]

Jeeze that TV coverage was terrible! Ten minutes of waffle then an ad break before they even turned a wheel and then they edited out massive chunks of the riding! Garbage. And the spectators? Hardly any! Mind you I can't blame them for not wanting to go to Blackpool. How much do places like that pay to have the race?

We saw ourselves though!

 

[moggsy100]

Jeeze that TV coverage was terrible! Ten minutes of waffle then an ad break before they even turned a wheel and then they edited out massive chunks of the riding! Garbage. And the spectators? Hardly any! Mind you I can't blame them for not wanting to go to Blackpool. How much do places like that pay to have the race?

We saw ourselves though!

i'll 2nd that... how many ad breaks and for how long did they wanna squeeze in.... was a shame so much of the route was edited out of the coverage... maybe a little less chat in the coffee shop at the start and we'd of got to see more...

 

[Sysagent]

Man it was lashing it down up there on KoM1 wasn't it...

I managed to grab a few shots again, but I don't think they will be as good as last years due to the weather, the sheer amount of people there and of course that crap weather.

Also managed to sneak onto TV again, crouched just after the KoM1 line with camera stuck to the fizog.

Contemplating Congleton tomorrow yet, it's only an hour & half from here.

 

[jamesxyz]

see my other post (tour of britain stage 1). Will try to post pics tomorrow