2012 Tour of Britain (9th - 16th September)

[Geraint Too Fast]

Wiggins lap of honour. Cav, Samu, Basso & JTL also participating.

Start List

Live coverage this year -details here


Stage 1: Ipswich → Norwich

Stage 2: Nottingham → Knowsley

Stage 3: Jedburgh → Dumfries

Stage 4: Carlisle → Blackpool

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Stage 5: Stoke-on-Trent → Stoke-on-Trent

Stage 6: Welshpool → Caerphilly

Stage 7: Barnstaple → Dartmouth

Stage 8: Reigate → Guildford

 

[Afrank]

How hard are the climbs in those profiles?

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

How hard are the climbs in those profiles?

Hard enough for JTL.

 

[Parrulo]

ahahahahahahahaha

the scale of those profiles lololol

also only thing interesting in this race:

THE RETURN OF THE AWESOME ONE

 

[jens_attacks]

JTL will kill.


.big time.

 

[hoerpi]

Are the decents on stage 6 and 7 anything for Samu? He will probably be off form but one could always hope!

 

[jsem94]

Well, the profiles at least aren't as bad as the Tour of Turkey profiles.

 

[robert_c]

No Rabbobank and Lars Boom to defend his title? Why? So Wiggins can wear jersey #1?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Are the decents on stage 6 and 7 anything for Samu? He will probably be off form but one could always hope!

The descent on stage 6 to caerphilly will be quite tricky not sure about stage 7. No massive climbs obviously (it is Britain ffs) but a decent looking parcours.

Wiggins has already said he will be there to support his teammates, they should have just put in a nice 40km TT just for him

 

[bpickford]

No Rabbobank and Lars Boom to defend his title? Why? So Wiggins can wear jersey #1?

Yes that's almost certainly the reason.

 

[Mellow Velo]

The descent on stage 6 to caerphilly will be quite tricky not sure about stage 7. No massive climbs obviously (it is Britain ffs) but a decent looking parcours.

Wiggins has already said he will be there to support his teammates, they should have just put in a nice 40km TT just for him

But they don't even try.
The ToB is like the TDF.
Money dictates profiles.
Half the stages would be much better if ridden in reverse.

As for stage 6, it could easily have been made really testing.
Instead, they opt for a soft route, then twice up the Muur de Caerphilly.
That is the one climb that will make the bunch grovel.

 

[Descender]

Is that a stage profile or the evolution of oil prices?

 

[Pricey_sky]

But they don't even try.
The ToB is like the TDF.
Money dictates profiles.
Half the stages would be much better if ridden in reverse.

As for stage 6, it could easily have been made really testing.
Instead, they opt for a soft route, then twice up the Muur de Caerphilly.
That is the one climb that will make the bunch grovel.

Very true there are harder climbs around Britain however we don't have a massive stack of them to use unlike other countries and the organisrs have to try and get as much out of it (££££) as they can to keep the ToB going.

 

[Arnout]

I wouldn't bet a penny on Samu going for a downhill attack at this point though.

 

[will10]

I wouldn't bet a penny that we'll even know Samu is in the race apart from the startlist.

 

[Wilba60]

Orica GreenEdge have entered a very interesting and fast team. Besides Goss and Impey, they have the next quickest at the team with Kroupis, Howard, Lancaster and Vaitkus.....most likely working for Kroupis who has had some nice wins this year against some of the top sprinters. Can't recall him racing Cavendish, so that will be a great test for him.

Hepburn and Bobridge join those 4 and it will be really interesting to see how they go post the Olympics. Now they are free from pursuit duties they can let loose on the road. If they have the race legs to stay strong, they will help make up a very quick lead out for OGE.

 

[burning]

Well, the profiles at least aren't as bad as the Tour of Turkey profiles.

It is probably not worse but I liked the Crostis-Zoncolan stage at tour down under

 

[robert_c]

Yes that's almost certainly the reason.

Just wondering if Rabobank was invited and they declined.

 

[wirral]

Just wondering if Rabobank was invited and they declined.

I don't think the organisers of the Tour of Britain are going to snub any of the ProTour teams. They want as many as possible.

 

[Falken]

Only 6 riders allowed per team, that will make the race harder to control. Hence, we might see a lot of action. Some of the Sky guys will have a hard week ahead, expecting to see Knees infront of the peleton a lot.

 

[Forunculo]

Who will be the leader at Sky?

Hope Samu is healthy

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Lol. The live tracker has a marker just for Wiggins.

http://www.tourofbritain.com/_ns_race/?section=stage1_livetracking

 

[jens_attacks]

exciting to see wiggo again on the bike

after mallorca's finest kif...back to work

 

[ParfaitAmour]

Do they have race radios, as I thought I saw something telling me they don't, but one of the breakaway rider's has ear-phones in.