London plans 'classic' cycle road race to rival European events

[Richeypen]

London plans to host a one-day professional road race to rival classic events such as the Paris-Roubaix.

To be first staged in August 2013, the race will be part of a two-day cycling festival, which will become an annual event, as part of the Olympic legacy.

London has to meet certain critera, but British Cycling's Jonny Clay said the race would "definitely" go ahead.

"I'd be surprised if in a few years it isn't one of the world's biggest cycling races," Clay told BBC Sport.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cycling/16749106.stm



LMAO at the P-R reference. This has the potential to make the profile of Scheldeprijs look like Lombardia though.

 

[El Pistolero]

Britannia rules the waves.

 

[The Hitch]

lol yeah. I like the idea, but London doesnt have the resources for a great race.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If they can create a parcours to rival Plouay or Vattenfall I'll be shocked, let alone the real classics.

 

[adamski101]

pure fantasy if they think it will end up rivalling any of the classics. the parcours is just not selective enough and the propsed distance of 160k is hardly classic distance.

the other issue and this is the big one, getting large amounts of very busy major roads in and around London closed for a day will take an awful lot of effort and will not go down well with the majority of the locals. it's a nice idea and it would be good to see a top level race in Britain, but there are other areas of the country in which they could hold a race, causing a lot less disruption and on a much more competitive parcours.

 

[Thomsena]

"I'd be surprised if in a few years it isn't one of the world's biggest cycling races," Clay told BBC Sport.

I wouldn't.

 

[Richeypen]

I wouldn't.

Nor would anyone else

 

[greenedge]

I like the idea but only a 100 mile circuit. Besides it will not rival even the smallest Classics in terms of prestige. And then there are logistics to consider. And it seems to be a lap ( if it's based on the Olympics RR course )

 

[will10]

Always good news to see good races. But the parcours will be sheeite

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Maybe they should copy the French style of it, and have London as the start, not the finish. Yes, most of those Paris races no longer start in Paris, but they were called that for a reason. Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Tours, Paris-Troyes, Paris-Camembert, Paris-Bourges, Paris-Corrèze, Paris-Bruxelles... lots of them.

From London, I can see a few ways to make a race interesting. Travel up the East Anglian coast or down the Kentish one for a wind-battered festival of echelons. Perhaps in East Anglia you'll be able to find some cobbles or, if not, dirt roads à la Tro Bro Léon. Otherwise, the Surrey Hills (as used in the Olympic race) could serve as a warmup as the riders go down to the South Coast, finishing with a few hills into a city on the shoreline.

 

[Mellow Velo]

This event will be as successful as their plan for selling Olympic tickets.

 

[adamski101]

Maybe they should copy the French style of it, and have London as the start, not the finish. Yes, most of those Paris races no longer start in Paris, but they were called that for a reason. Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Tours, Paris-Troyes, Paris-Camembert, Paris-Bourges, Paris-Corrèze, Paris-Bruxelles... lots of them.

From London, I can see a few ways to make a race interesting. Travel up the East Anglian coast or down the Kentish one for a wind-battered festival of echelons. Perhaps in East Anglia you'll be able to find some cobbles or, if not, dirt roads à la Tro Bro Léon. Otherwise, the Surrey Hills (as used in the Olympic race) could serve as a warmup as the riders go down to the South Coast, finishing with a few hills into a city on the shoreline.

they could finish the race in Brighton, take in the Surrey Hills, down through Sussex, over the Downs and head south to Brighton, take in Ditchling Beacon which is quite a tough little climb, and then its a short run in to Brighton.

 

[Richeypen]

Maybe they should copy the French style of it, and have London as the start, not the finish. Yes, most of those Paris races no longer start in Paris, but they were called that for a reason. Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Tours, Paris-Troyes, Paris-Camembert, Paris-Bourges, Paris-Corrèze, Paris-Bruxelles... lots of them.

From London, I can see a few ways to make a race interesting. Travel up the East Anglian coast or down the Kentish one for a wind-battered festival of echelons. Perhaps in East Anglia you'll be able to find some cobbles or, if not, dirt roads à la Tro Bro Léon. Otherwise, the Surrey Hills (as used in the Olympic race) could serve as a warmup as the riders go down to the South Coast, finishing with a few hills into a city on the shoreline.

Personally the proposed South Wales race holds much more interest than any of them.

 

[LugHugger]

Hugly ambitious but if anybody can, British Cycling can. August is pretty quiet in the calendar between two gt's so might support a new one day race. If they're intending to use the Olympic Park as start/finish (why????) then a 100 mile classic parcours might include Dengie laps but it's flat as a pancake out there.

 

[will10]

Hugly ambitious but if anybody can, British Cycling can. August is pretty quiet in the calendar between two gt's so might support a new one day race. If they're intending to use the Olympic Park as start/finish (why????) then a 100 mile classic parcours might include Dengie laps but it's flat as a pancake out there.

erhmmm........

 

[LugHugger]

they could finish the race in Brighton, take in the Surrey Hills, down through Sussex, over the Downs and head south to Brighton, take in Ditchling Beacon which is quite a tough little climb, and then its a short run in to Brighton.

Sounds promising

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hugly ambitious but if anybody can, British Cycling can. August is pretty quiet in the calendar between two gt's so might support a new one day race. If they're intending to use the Olympic Park as start/finish (why????) then a 100 mile classic parcours might include Dengie laps but it's flat as a pancake out there.

Clasica San Sebastián (depending on year)
Tour de Pologne (only July this year because of Olympics)
Eneco Tour of the Benelux
Vattenfall Cyclassics
GP Ouest France-Plouay
Vuelta a Burgos
Post Danmark Rundt
Volta a Portugal
Tour du Limousin
Tour de l'Ain
Settimana Lombarda
Circuit de Getxo
Tre Valli Varesine
Coppa Agostini
Coppa Bernocchi
Trofeo Melinda
Giro del Veneto
Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne
Dutch Food Valley Classic
Schaal Sels
Druivenkoers-Overijse
Ronde van MiddenNederland

Actually, not such a quiet time in the calendar.

 

[Froome19]

rRdiculous to even compare it to races which have been around for a hundred or so years and have mountains of prestige.
Can't imagine the route would be that imaginative or selective probably a wannabe milan san remo just easier and aimed at cavendish, as the only thing the british public know about cycling is cavendish and hoy. Also can't imagine that it will stray that far out of London, maybe to surrey or so but can't imagine that they would not also want to finish around London.
TBH though central London is terrific at hosting events such as marathon, traithlon etc and there is always an amazing atmosphere even in TOB this year even if there were not as many people there would be in mainland Europe plus tdf 2007 was also impressive imo.
All in all it's London certainly has the potential to have a good classic and deserves a wt race yet the parcours will have to be good something which if left in british hands will not happen (unless Geraint wins TOF & AMG + froome wins liege + Kennaugh wins Lombardia in the next 2 years)

 

[VO2 Max]

They should revive London-Holyhead as a pro classic, that would be amazing.

But as a business proposal they just want a nice straightforward flat race so Cavendish can win and all the sponsors go home happy.

 

[LugHugger]

Clasica San Sebastián (depending on year)
Tour de Pologne (only July this year because of Olympics)
Eneco Tour of the Benelux
Vattenfall Cyclassics
GP Ouest France-Plouay
Vuelta a Burgos
Post Danmark Rundt
Volta a Portugal
Tour du Limousin
Tour de l'Ain
Settimana Lombarda
Circuit de Getxo
Tre Valli Varesine
Coppa Agostini
Coppa Bernocchi
Trofeo Melinda
Giro del Veneto
Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne
Dutch Food Valley Classic
Schaal Sels
Druivenkoers-Overijse
Ronde van MiddenNederland

Actually, not such a quiet time in the calendar.

Poor choice of phrase by me, sorry! Some well established races but other than your first 3/4 races, a well funded, well designed world tour race in the uk would be better supported than the majority of those races imho

 

[Morbius]

I guess the logic is that if they can find an interesting route, the money will encourage a good line-up

One interesting idea is that they will run a sportive on the same route on the same day. which is a similar model to the city marathons. 30,000 riders will help keep the roads clear!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

yes, but we're talking a 160km race beginning and ending in London. "Well-designed" doesn't come into it.

Froome19 makes the suggestion that London has the potential to have a good classic (on the evidence of the Olympic course I'd be concerned about accepting this) and deserves a WT race. In response I contend that if they had a course as I suggested vaguely and adamski101 expanded on by offering an actual potential parcours (perhaps this could be one for the Race Design Thread?), then maybe a London classic would be viable as an actual classic; perhaps the UK deserves a one-day classic, or at least a one-day race at a decent level (.HC or .1 being most likely), there are some much better places to put one than London.

In London it will probably be a Cavendish special, with the climbs too far out to cause any problem for the sprinters bringing the break back. If they were to run a concurrent women's race (as most of you will know I would be wholly in favour of this), then the easiest way to engineer a home win would be to make it as DIFFICULT as possible.

 

[Froome19]

I guess the logic is that if they can find an interesting route, the money will encourage a good line-up

One interesting idea is that they will run a sportive on the same route on the same day. which is a similar model to the city marathons. 30,000 riders will help keep the roads clear!

Yeh they do the same thing in the tour of britain and it is very succesful and is run very efficiently (roads kept clear etc)

 

[Richeypen]

yes, but we're talking a 160km race beginning and ending in London. "Well-designed" doesn't come into it.

Froome19 makes the suggestion that London has the potential to have a good classic (on the evidence of the Olympic course I'd be concerned about accepting this) and deserves a WT race. In response I contend that if they had a course as I suggested vaguely and adamski101 expanded on by offering an actual potential parcours (perhaps this could be one for the Race Design Thread?), then maybe a London classic would be viable as an actual classic; perhaps the UK deserves a one-day classic, or at least a one-day race at a decent level (.HC or .1 being most likely), there are some much better places to put one than London.

In London it will probably be a Cavendish special, with the climbs too far out to cause any problem for the sprinters bringing the break back. If they were to run a concurrent women's race (as most of you will know I would be wholly in favour of this), then the easiest way to engineer a home win would be to make it as DIFFICULT as possible.

The UK could host some amazing one day races. ToB doesnt go to them either for some reason

 

[adamski101]

yes, but we're talking a 160km race beginning and ending in London. "Well-designed" doesn't come into it.

Froome19 makes the suggestion that London has the potential to have a good classic (on the evidence of the Olympic course I'd be concerned about accepting this) and deserves a WT race. In response I contend that if they had a course as I suggested vaguely and adamski101 expanded on by offering an actual potential parcours (perhaps this could be one for the Race Design Thread?), then maybe a London classic would be viable as an actual classic; perhaps the UK deserves a one-day classic, or at least a one-day race at a decent level (.HC or .1 being most likely), there are some much better places to put one than London.

In London it will probably be a Cavendish special, with the climbs too far out to cause any problem for the sprinters bringing the break back. If they were to run a concurrent women's race (as most of you will know I would be wholly in favour of this), then the easiest way to engineer a home win would be to make it as DIFFICULT as possible.

The idea of concentrating the race around London is to use it as a selling point I imagine, as televisually at least it would look very good. But lets not kid ourselves this is being designed to capitalise of the back of success and increased public awareness of Cavendish, and thats great for a couple of years until Cav starts getting beat or the public lose interest.

Britain used to have the Wincanton classic in the 80's. If my memory serves it was held near Leeds for a few years and then it was moved down south and was raced around the south downs and finsihed on brighton sea front. I remember standing at the top of Ditchling Beacon on year supporting Robert Millar.

I can see the selling points of London, but the parcours around London is not sufficient to make the race too interesting or to guarantee longevity.