ASO to organise new 3 day stage race in Yorkshire

[gooner]

The Tour de France organisers are set to establish a long-term presence on British soil with the founding of a three-day stage race in Yorkshire set to be run in May 2015 on the back of this year's Tour start.

The Guardian understands that two initial plans have been considered but shelved: a stage race this year which was knocked back due to the tight schedule, and a staging of the Critérium International in 2015, which was ruled out due to its late March date, when the Yorkshire weather may not be entirely reliable. The International will remain in its current home, Corsica.

A mid-May date is probable for the Yorkshire event. "We will look to spread the event around Yorkshire so that places that haven't received the Tour this year will get the benefit," said the Welcome2Yorkshire chief executive Gary Verity. "It will be the same UCI ranking as the Critérium International, and with ASO involved the quality of the riders and teams will be of the highest standard."

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...g-race-legacy-british-tour-de-france-success?

 

[BigMac]

Seems like the confirmation of this.

They were on negotiations and now it is confirmed, nice! Definetely looking forward to this.

Thanks.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

The timing is rubbish, right in the middle of the Giro. A month earlier and with the terrain in Yorkshire they could have attracted some of the hilly classics riders in top form, but in mid-May it will be a training camp for TDF riders.

 

[MatParker117]

The timing is rubbish, right in the middle of the Giro. A month earlier and with the terrain in Yorkshire they could have attracted some of the hilly classics riders in top form, but in mid-May it will be a training camp for TDF riders.

I'm guessing it's partially to get Froome in the race.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

How does this fit in with the revamped calendar: no overlapping races, fewer race days for top level teams and all that?

 

[Morbius]

Pretty amazing how ASO can apparently get a 2.HC rating right away for a 3-day race, while the week long Tour of Britain has been rejected

How does this fit in with the revamped calendar: no overlapping races, fewer race days for top level teams and all that?

That was a proposal which will probably (hopefully) never come into effect.

 

[gooner]

The race now confirmed.

http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/news/15264/9234999?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Pretty amazing how ASO can apparently get a 2.HC rating right away for a 3-day race, while the week long Tour of Britain has been rejected


That was a proposal which will probably (hopefully) never come into effect.

Apparently the ToB has now been given 2.HC status after initially being rejected.

 

[roundabout]

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-aso-le-tour-de-picardie-remplace-par-le-yorkshire-39393.html

at least it's not CI

 

[veji11]

The timing is rubbish, right in the middle of the Giro. A month earlier and with the terrain in Yorkshire they could have attracted some of the hilly classics riders in top form, but in mid-May it will be a training camp for TDF riders.

It isn't rubbish, look the calendar is full of WT stuff, any race will be at the same time as some WT thing.. you put in March you are at the same time as Tirreno, PN or Catalunya. April you have all the classics, Pays Vasco and Romandie, etc...

May (in replacement of the Tour de Picardie which stopping because of lack of sponsors) is a good time. Sure the Giro guys won't be there, but lots of the british riders will show up, quite a few other riders starting their prep for the Tour will be there as well.

I hope they make it a fun format : 1 day flat for the Cav, and 2 days very hilly.

 

[martinvickers]

The timing is rubbish, right in the middle of the Giro. A month earlier and with the terrain in Yorkshire they could have attracted some of the hilly classics riders in top form, but in mid-May it will be a training camp for TDF riders.

From a pure PR point of view, a training camp for Tour-ists is far from a bad thing - for the casual Brit race watcher, they'll see a bunch of riders who will then appear on their screens a few weeks later at the big dance. Connoisseurs may see it as a glorified training run, and would probably be right. But I dare sare plenty of races would still be very happy with that status, and those cyclists.

I remember distinctly the boost the Tour of britain (still a 2.1 then) got last year from the presence of Dan Martin and Quintana alongside Wiggins. I dare say Quintana could give a monkey's about that race, but it still added significantly to the lustre of it, and by extension some lesser known riders (simon yates at that point) who 'mixed it up' with the bigger names. All this despite it practically overlapping the Vuelta.

Take a step back - a few years ago, Britain had it's Tour of Britain, a 2.1 race, and little enough besides of internaitonal note - and the ToB was barely noted, for that matter.

Now? ToB 2.HC, RideLondon 1.HC, and now a three day 2.HC in yorkshire. That's got to be progress, however you cut it.

What would my country give for a high class reinstituted Tour of Ireland, and upgraded Rás, or its own Belfast-Dublin classic?

 

[veji11]

What would my country give for a high class reinstituted Tour of Ireland, and upgraded Rás, or its own Belfast-Dublin classic?

Sounds fun, How long and tricky a course could that be ?

 

[del1962]

From a pure PR point of view, a training camp for Tour-ists is far from a bad thing - for the casual Brit race watcher, they'll see a bunch of riders who will then appear on their screens a few weeks later at the big dance. Connoisseurs may see it as a glorified training run, and would probably be right. But I dare sare plenty of races would still be very happy with that status, and those cyclists.

I remember distinctly the boost the Tour of britain (still a 2.1 then) got last year from the presence of Dan Martin and Quintana alongside Wiggins. I dare say Quintana could give a monkey's about that race, but it still added significantly to the lustre of it, and by extension some lesser known riders (simon yates at that point) who 'mixed it up' with the bigger names. All this despite it practically overlapping the Vuelta.

Take a step back - a few years ago, Britain had it's Tour of Britain, a 2.1 race, and little enough besides of internaitonal note - and the ToB was barely noted, for that matter.

Now? ToB 2.HC, RideLondon 1.HC, and now a three day 2.HC in yorkshire. That's got to be progress, however you cut it.

What would my country give for a high class reinstituted Tour of Ireland, and upgraded Rás, or its own Belfast-Dublin classic?

What GB could really do with are more UCI level 1 & 2 races though.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sounds fun, How long and tricky a course could that be ?

Most direct route would be around 165km as far as I can tell, but that would be all flat to rolling.

If I were designing it, I'd have that, then go through Dublin into Bray, turn inland to the Wicklow Mountains (without knowing the profiles I can't make too many judgements of the climbs, but I'd suggest the roads nearest the summits of Sugarloaf and Kippure look like the most interesting from a relief map) then back into Dublin for the finish.

 

[gooner]

What would my country give for a high class reinstituted Tour of Ireland, and upgraded Rás, or its own Belfast-Dublin classic?

We'll know soon enough about it. I think after June the UCI make their decisions on these things and Darach McQuaid said he's hopeful.

I would love to see the Patricks Hill stage return as it's only just in the road from me.

 

[oldcrank]

Most direct route would be around 165km as far as I can tell, but that would be all flat to rolling.

An old mate, now sadly departed, told me of riding from Belfast
to Dublin with club-mates and sleeping rough, to watch a race
in Dublin and then riding home. None of them had a penny in
their pockets, bringing tea and sandwiches with them.

Years later Jim added a medal in the Northern Ireland 24 hour
time trial championships to his palmares. That race, like his
ride to Dublin and back was ridden on a fixed gear.

 

[martinvickers]

We'll know soon enough about it. I think after June the UCI make their decisions on these things and Darach McQuaid said he's hopeful.

I would love to see the Patricks Hill stage return as it's only just in the road from me.

A 2.1 ToI would compliment a 2.HC ToB quite nicely - we have the hills for it, certainly, nice climbs dotted all over the country, and o'connell street would be a fantastic finale for sma bennett!!

I 'accidentally' found myself at the heart of the queen stage of the Rás a year or two ago - on holiday in Wicklow with Der Missus, after visiting Glendalough it was the most lovely surprise to spend a day with the men of the Rás - Wicklow hills are, in places, pure brutal, and it's the most gorgeous part of ireland.

#wipestearfromeye ;-)

 

[martinvickers]

What GB could really do with are more UCI level 1 & 2 races though.

I agree - and frankly I'd fire Ireland in there too. But you have to grow the acorns. I'd hope post Glasgow 2014, you'd get a legacy event or two - the Clyde Classic for want of a better title! Or a run from Glasgow Velo to Meadowbank, or something.

Ps I really want the new three day yorkshire even to be called the "Ride of the Roses" or "the White Rose Race" - and of course, it would have to be a leaders white jersey ;-)

 

[martinvickers]

Sounds fun, How long and tricky a course could that be ?

The straight line would be rolling, rather than flat, but not tricky - it's more or less valley all the way, BUT...

around Belfast, Newry and Wickow are some sick enough wee climbs that would make it fun - if it ran in the opposite direction - dublin to Belfast, you could fire in a flick around north belfast, up the hightown, where there's a couple of nice 11% patches, the whole Mourne, Slieve Gullion area on Newry/Mourne would have possiblities...Newry has about 1/2 km of cobbles too on the mall if that's your thing! (used to have more on Hill street years ago) - could swing it round up monaghan street there and up towards Camlough; some good biking country out there

 

[martinvickers]

Most direct route would be around 165km as far as I can tell, but that would be all flat to rolling.

If I were designing it, I'd have that, then go through Dublin into Bray, turn inland to the Wicklow Mountains (without knowing the profiles I can't make too many judgements of the climbs, but I'd suggest the roads nearest the summits of Sugarloaf and Kippure look like the most interesting from a relief map) then back into Dublin for the finish.

That's not a bad route. Derry to Belfast via sperrins might be interesting.