Tour Of Britain 12th to 19th September

[Kingsley A]

anyone know what happened to the guys 15 minutes back...?

No details but the ITV4 guys mentioned they'd been caught in a crash as a footnote right at the end of the highlights.

oh... can we try not to post results before its on telly as its not on live..

I agree. I deliberately didn't open this thread until I'd seen the highlights in case some one had posted spoilers. Having said that though, if someone gets home from watching a stage finish live, who can blame them for wanting to shout about what they've seen? Tricky one.

I just hope that this and the ToI highlights, plus the handful of live TdF stages we got (Not to mention Sky, Cav and Wiggo), can get sufficient ratings that ITV will next year decide that cycling is better to show than The Saint or The Professionals or any of the other 70's and 80's repeats that is their mainstay...

I live in hope.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Its because england is the only important part. The welsh and the sweats don't really matter

I thought the Scots didn't want to be part of Britain. Only when it suits.

Wales has had one stage, in the first edition, back in 2004.
Since then, nada.
Abergavenny held the best UK pro champs, ever, this year, according to the riders there. Absolutely massive crowds. Some real racing country, with some fierce climbs, all ignored.

As they wish, but why not just call it The Tour of England?
For that is what it actually is.
Even the Vuelta managed to reach Holland, this year.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

I didn't realise that Wales had been short-changed quite that badly.

Unless the ToB is extended (Didn't The Milk Race run for a couple of weeks? I can't remember very clearly since I'm barely out of the womb), then we're going to have outlying parts of these islands missing out due to the need to be in proximity to London for the last stage.

Maybe it would be best to foor the Tour to concentrate on a different bit of the country each year, e.g. Wales plus the West Midlands and South West (finish in Cardiff) or Scotland (not just this year's cup of coffee) and the North with the finish in Edinburgh or Manchester, etc etc.......I'd think that in a four-year cycle most areas could get at least a close visit.

(On a note of pure greed, my part of the world (Kent and Sussex) has liitle chance of featuring significantly under the present "Finish in London format", but the North and South Downs are terrific for hilly stages ("Col du Ditchling Beacon, anyone? As feared by Big Mig himself ).

 

[Anonymous]

it is strange that wales has been skipped, it didnt get a tour series round either (tour series being put on by the ToB organisers)..

My gut is that the organisers must have noticed this little faux pas.. maybe the councils there arent quiete so easy to work with, i know that the organisers have said how muich Devon country council, and Somerset have enthusiasm (and cash) for cycling.. no surprise we got one tour series stage, and two stages of the ToB down in this neck of the woods.. Mybe its financial, maybe welsh councils where approached and didnt have the money... (must be tough to arrange as its the towns and cities that have the money but to get the best of the welsh or scottish landscape would mean going through the countryside.. maybe its just logistics, the roads etc)..

I will be amazed when the tour series kicks off again in the spring, if Cardiff or Newport dont get a stage, and even more surprised if a scottish city doesnt get a stage...

On small thought, english cities receive funding from the government for cycling development (exeter is a cycling demonstration city) maybe the welsh and scottish governments dont do that, putting their cities and councils at an immediate disadvantage.. ?

I agree. I deliberately didn't open this thread until I'd seen the highlights in case some one had posted spoilers. Having said that though, if someone gets home from watching a stage finish live, who can blame them for wanting to shout about what they've seen? Tricky one..

i popped on the thread to see the rider list and saw the post.. my own fault, i thought with it not being live people would be waiting till the highlights.. forgot people would go see it.. lol

 

[Anonymous]

(On a note of pure greed, my part of the world (Kent and Sussex) has liitle chance of featuring significantly under the present "Finish in London format", but the North and South Downs are terrific for hilly stages ("Col du Ditchling Beacon, anyone? As feared by Big Mig himself ).

so you not taking the little trip into london on saturday then>?

 

[Mellow Velo]

There have been policing "issues" in Wales, in the past. I won't go into details.
However, the UK champs had no problem.
Now, the race has been bumped up to 8 days, they surely could spare a day for each.
I'm not thinking so much about the "fairness", more the increased difficulty of some of the parcours on offer.
Toughen up the race a bit.....

 

[hektoren]

Did something happen to EBH in the finish? It's strange that he went for seconds in the sprints but not at the finish. It seems like he should have been able to beat the others in this field in a sprint if he's in good shape.

According to Alexander Kristoff (Joker Bianchi) in norwegian papers today, there just wasn't enough room for maneuver at the finish. He'd been sitting on EBH's wheel at 1km, hoping he'd "start something", but the narrow street didn't permit passing other riders.
Joker Bianchi's team manager, Gino Van Oudenhove, is quoted as having said that "We had decided beforehand to let things play out today, and not assume too much responsibility on the first of a total of eight stages. A lot of other teams evidently took the same approach, but in the end a couple of the big teams had to take charge. We stayed alert and tried to maximise control."
The World's in Mendrisio is coming up soon. Don't expect EBH to take big risks in TB.

 

[R.0.t.O]

It's not about fairness or tokenism; Wales and Scotland are the Alps and Pyrenees of the UK. Even if the TdF was shortened to 8 days they'd find time to go to the Alps!! Or at least they would... if the route was being decided on any sort of sporting basis rather than purely financial. The Glamorgan Valleys would be perfect for a few tough closing stages, it would only take one transitional stage across Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to be back close to London for the final stage.

Do what they like from Saturday to Wednesday. Thursday: Shrewsbury to Blaenavon - finishing with Llangynidr Mt and the Tumble. Friday: Glamorgan Valleys - Bwlch, Rhigos, Maerdy, finish above Pontypridd at Penycoedcae. Saturday: transitional stage from Newport to Newbury. Sunday: London crit.

Seemples.

 

[Anonymous]

Do what they like from Saturday to Wednesday. Thursday: Shrewsbury to Blaenavon - finishing with Llangynidr Mt and the Tumble. Friday: Glamorgan Valleys - Bwlch, Rhigos, Maerdy, finish above Pontypridd at Penycoedcae. Saturday: transitional stage from Newport to Newbury. Sunday: London crit.

Seemples.

so the tour of wales then..

 

[Bluebeard]

On a positive note, I do like the KoM jersey with the pois rouges in diminishing sizes. Sweet.

I like it too; it makes me think of the old animated video for Kraftwerk's Autobahn. No chance that Mortensen might wear Bon shades and a body suit today though...

 

[Mellow Velo]

so the tour of wales then..

+1

Do what they like from Saturday to Wednesday. Thursday: Shrewsbury to Blaenavon - finishing with Llangynidr Mt and the Tumble. Friday: Glamorgan Valleys - Bwlch, Rhigos, Maerdy, finish above Pontypridd at Penycoedcae. Saturday: transitional stage from Newport to Newbury. Sunday: London crit.

Seemples.

Well, I think it would have to be either, or. Can't be too greedy.
Personally, I'd favour the former, but do the T of B have the logistical resources, to organise an MTF?
Pretty sure the top of the Tumble has enough space.
I'd just like to see them finish a stage with a 6km climb, with 4 kms of 9% gradient. Llangynidr mountain also has a great circuit, if you only go three quarters of the way up. Stick in a couple of 15 mile loops.

Easy transfer to Newport and out, with the potential for a beautiful Cotswold stage.

My guess is, they will repeat the awful Celtic Manor stage, next September, because of that bit of a golf tournament that is being played there, just after.

 

[R.0.t.O]

Tour of Wales?? Would be nice, if only there were enough hotels and infrastructure to support it. Actually the routes I suggest are only a day and a bit in Wales - Shrewsbury->Blaenavon would be almost entirely in Shropshire and Herefordshire, then dive into Monmouthshire for the two big climbs at the bak end. You wouldn't need to do a pure mtf because Blaenavon is only a km off the top of the mountain. The publicity people would like a finish there because it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. Easy transfer to the hotels in Newport, the blazers can stay at the Celtic Manor and the riders at the Etape in Malpas. Then a proper Queen stage the next day. The racing should decide the route - otherwise why bother having a race?

 

[lucybears]

resist clicking here
http://twitter.com/tourofbritain

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

keus wins. Nice to see him win a stage after the troubles he has had.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

keus wins. Nice to see him win a stage after the troubles he has had.

Which part of the no results till after the tv coverage here did you not understand???

We get the tv coverage 7pm till 8pm GMT here so thats all us Brits stuffed once again for the suspense.

 

[Bluebeard]

While I do have sympathy for your plight, BBD, surely you should have thought not to open the thread on the TOB until after you'd seen the highlights? I mean, what were you expecting to find in here?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Which part of the no results till after the tv coverage here did you not understand???

We get the tv coverage 7pm till 8pm GMT here so thats all us Brits stuffed once again for the suspense.

sorry. Just went on last page, saw no first post. If you didn't wanna know the results should have put it in the title, or a better idea not visit a cycling forum. apologies again.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

It had been mentioned earlier in the thread, so I think that is one to miss. Seeing as I and others use the forum now more than the main site to avoid the results, then using the forum pages helps to catch up on news.

So, I was hoping to see news on the stage itself like the course directions and profile and maybe some overnight news that I could have missed. I know a number of others who do the same. I mean would anyone like it if you were in the same boat?

 

[Andy99]

It had been mentioned earlier in the thread, so I think that is one to miss. Seeing as I and others use the forum now more than the main site to avoid the results, then using the forum pages helps to catch up on news.

So, I was hoping to see news on the stage itself like the course directions and profile and maybe some overnight news that I could have missed. I know a number of others who do the same. I mean would anyone like it if you were in the same boat?

To be honest though, what is the point of a thread about a race if we can't discuss results? Start a new thread with a different title!

Still, well deserved win by ****. Chapeau!

 

[Crunchy Frog]

so you not taking the little trip into london on saturday then>?

Nope, it's ploughing match season, so I'll be busy ploughing.


Note: That's not a euphemism for <ahem> something else.


Well done today to Reus, always nice to see a break make it.

Sorry about the jersey you've got wear though: even nastier than first impressions suggested. Perhaps Sutton could lend you the gilet he was covering it up with.

 

[Anonymous]

To be honest though, what is the point of a thread about a race if we can't discuss results? Start a new thread with a different title!

Still, well deserved win by ****. Chapeau!

i agree with the no results till 8pm as well.. its not like other races where they are shown live, there is no live coverage of the race, and its predominatenly brits who are interested in it, so its nice to gabble on about the stages, organisation etc, during the day.. we get coverage 7pm to 8pm.. means if we want to discuss random stuff like for instance i am hoping to do 3 stages at the end of the week we dont need to wait until 8pm to do it..

as for today, cracking stage and very well deserved win.. and cracking first couple of days by Thomas De Gendt.. he deserves tommoro off..

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry about the jersey you've got wear though: even nastier than first impressions suggested. Perhaps Sutton could lend you the gilet he was covering it up with.

i wondered this, cos suttons jersey looked all yellow earlier, and then on the podium is was back to the fashion disaster..

 

[ingsve]

I'm wondering about the sprint for 2nd. Did Kristoff beat EBH in pure speed or did he have positional advantage etc? I've been curious about how fast Kristoff really is compared to top sprinters. It's hard to gauge given the competition he has been up against. If he can rival EBH in a bunch sprint then he ought to be pretty fast. I know he has outsprinted Hushovd befrore as well but it's always hard to know if it's his doing or if Hushovd was bad.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering about the sprint for 2nd. Did Kristoff beat EBH in pure speed or did he have positional advantage etc? I've been curious about how fast Kristoff really is compared to top sprinters. It's hard to gauge given the competition he has been up against. If he can rival EBH in a bunch sprint then he ought to be pretty fast. I know he has outsprinted Hushovd befrore as well but it's always hard to know if it's his doing or if Hushovd was bad.

EBH looked like he was just stretching legs and picking up a few pts..

 

[Anonymous]

Stage 3 - To Scotland (ish)

(why are the profile images on CN so rubbish)

i can see de gent having a rest today, neither of his jerseys are under threat.. think this could be the day we see the pelaton split in two, maybe a small group of 30-40 riders coming in with all the big favourites in it.. I think a couple of teams, candi, halfords, rapha may want to take a break and really go for it in blackpool and stoke on trent..