Tour of Britain 2011- 11th-18th September

[Ferminal]

The two tiered race out in force, looking forward to the highlights.

Narrows the GC down a fair bit.

 

[roundabout]

Sky still have 6 riders within 1.07 on GC and with 6 rider teams they should be able to break whatever team that is leading.

Edit: I would think that THR riders finishing 2 minutes back was the result of their pursuit race against Dowsett.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Sky still have 6 riders within 1.07 on GC and with 6 rider teams they should be able to break whatever team that is leading.

Edit: I would think that THR riders finishing 2 minutes back was the result of their pursuit race against Dowsett.

Rabobank is not easy to break in windy or hilly races with Boom.

Then again, not easy doesn't mean not possible. But it will be harder than if an Endura rider or whatever would've lead.

Also, judging by the only vague finish photo i've seen Boom won by quite margin, in contrast to the BBC.co report which said the difference between Boom and Matthews was 'inches'... guess BBC.co don't fact check?

Edit 2: Skysports has a better report clearly
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,12040_7174391,0.html

 

[Mambo95]

Rabobank is not easy to break in windy or hilly races with Boom.

Then again, not easy doesn't mean not possible. But it will be harder than if an Endura rider or whatever would've lead.

Also, judging by the only vague finish photo i've seen Boom won by quite margin, in contrast to the BBC.co report which said the difference between Boom and Matthews was 'inches'... guess BBC.co don't fact check?

Edit 2: Skysports has a better report clearly
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,12040_7174391,0.html

How does Boom do on small steep climbs (1.5k, 20+% maximum)? There's one of them about 4k from the finish tomorrow.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He was good at it, 2 years ago when he won the Tour of Belgium by impressing in the Ardennes stage. Back then he was dropping guys like Ivanov, who won Amstel that year, and closed a 1 minute gap to a group with De Waele and Van Avermaet with virtually no help (T.Dekker was wheelsucking because he had v Avermaet in front).

Plus he won a Vuelta stage over the San Jeronimo, climbing 1 minute faster than the 2nd best man in the break (Herrero).
However, in 2010 and 2011 I've never seen him climb like that again.

So we'll have to find out tomorrow what his form is like.

 

[Euskaltel!]

Yeah, short steep climb! And I'll be there, can't wait! I'll take some pics and upload them here ofc!

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Strong win today for Boom in the uphill finish.

HTC had to use Eisel and Bak to chase down Alex Dowsett - who led by 20 seconds inside the final 10km. Sky were probably working for Geraint Thomas, who is the team leader for the race, so they perhaps did a bit of a leadout - explaining the time loss for Hayman and Swift.

Here's my photo of Boom, Matthews and the rest, taking the left hand turn to the line at 50 metres to go. Plenty of more photos from the day to come, but I thought Id start with the main one. Boom was on the front for all of the finish that I was able to see, so for at least the final 200 metres.

 

[Tank Engine]

Rabobank played a smart game and came away with a 1-2 and three guys high up on GC, while Sky chased the GC and THR chased the stage victory. Looking at the results, I'm not sure what Sky have attained apart from making sure that the GC is not decided by a random breakaway. Certainly they've whittled down the number of GC contenders and have all their riders high up on GC. However, they seem to have used up quite a lot of ammunition, as only Cummings and Geraint were there for the sprint. At least Geraint took the final bonus place .

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Boom said he will most certainly defend his leaders jersey and said this race is tailor made for him with the ITT still to come. He says his form could not be better.

So no excuses if Boom fails tomorrow.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Rabobank played a smart game and came away with a 1-2 and three guys high up on GC, while Sky chased the GC and THR chased the stage victory. Looking at the results, I'm not sure what Sky have attained apart from making sure that the GC is not decided by a random breakaway. Certainly they've whittled down the number of GC contenders and have all their riders high up on GC. However, they seem to have used up quite a lot of ammunition, as only Cummings and Geraint were there for the sprint. At least Geraint took the final bonus place .

It was a good move for Sky to have Dowsett attack - why not, when you have 6 in the group - and if nothing else, it forced HTC to use up their riders - and the important thing is the position of Geraint, because he does seem to be the team leader. He won one of the intermediate sprints aswell, to get a few more bonus seconds.

Tomorrow should be good. Its the Welsh stage, so a perfect time for Sky to try and get Thomas into the race lead - Im sure Boom will be putting up a big fight though, so hopefully, we'll get some good racing.

 

[killswitch]

Nice win by Boom. In good form just before the Worlds.

Boom said he will most certainly defend his leaders jersey and said this race is tailor made for him with the ITT still to come. He says his form could not be better.

So no excuses if Boom fails tomorrow.

He's still Dutch.

 

[Moondance]

Boom said he will most certainly defend his leaders jersey and said this race is tailor made for him with the ITT still to come. He says his form could not be better.

So no excuses if Boom fails tomorrow.

Damnit.... Why isn't he doing the World TT then? Westra hasn't ridden a good race since the Tour

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Boom said he will most certainly defend his leaders jersey and said this race is tailor made for him with the ITT still to come. He says his form could not be better.

So no excuses if Boom fails tomorrow.

It's good of him to say so. Too many riders play their cards close to their chest then mumnle excuses. Boom has laid it on the line saying that the race suits him and his form is good - it means that unless he crashes, he's in the position where the main factor determining whether he wins or not is whether or not he's good enough.

 

[Tank Engine]

It was a good move for Sky to have Dowsett attack - why not, when you have 6 in the group - and if nothing else, it forced HTC to use up their riders - and the important thing is the position of Geraint, because he does seem to be the team leader. He won one of the intermediate sprints aswell, to get a few more bonus seconds.

Tomorrow should be good. Its the Welsh stage, so a perfect time for Sky to try and get Thomas into the race lead - Im sure Boom will be putting up a big fight though, so hopefully, we'll get some good racing.

I think the tactics were right, but it seems that Rabobank were the ones that benefited (I guess at least everybody else suffered). I agree that Sky's focus will be to win the GC with GT. Hopefully there will be a right royal battle between GT and the Rabo boys tomorrow

 

[Andy99]

BOOM

Nice echelons in today's breeze..

 

[MartinGT]

Enjoyable indeed. Great to see Thor there, gutted that Jens wasnt there.

Some pics here

 

[goggalor]

Cav is what, 15 m back there? How hard was the finish? Is there a profile? I'm curious to see how it compares to the finish in Copenhagen.

 

[Moondance]

Lol.... The 2nd picture Andy99 posted if fantastic

Also, the BBC has an office in Stoke-on-Trent? Seems like a bit of a grungy place to have it IMO.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Also, the BBC has an office in Stoke-on-Trent? Seems like a bit of a grungy place to have it IMO.

The BBC has lots of offices, I think that particular one was for a local radio station.

Cav is what, 15 m back there? How hard was the finish? Is there a profile? I'm curious to see how it compares to the finish in Copenhagen.

Visually, I can offer these:



Im not sure what % it is, but the Tour of Britain official profile won't help you there either. See Page 5/14: http://www.tourofbritain.com/_ns_pdf/ToB_Route_profile_cards.pdf

 

[roundabout]

There's google maps, but I'd need to know the streets that were used.

Edit: google says 15m in the last 400 or so kicking up near the end

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Edit: Although looking at the satellite, I was slightly off in drawing the very last bit

 

[roundabout]

Thanks.

Wonder if the video gives a better idea.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Thanks.

Wonder if the video gives a better idea.

Not sure if it will. I watched previous stage finishes there yesterday, and didnt expect it to be as steep as it was

2008: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RpPrlYKZVU

(Only one I can find on YouTube in a quick look, I was able to see 2009 and 2010 as I have recorded copies of the stage highlights)

 

[maltiv]

Not sure if it will. I watched previous stage finishes there yesterday, and didnt expect it to be as steep as it was

2008: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RpPrlYKZVU

(Only one I can find on YouTube in a quick look, I was able to see 2009 and 2010 as I have recorded copies of the stage highlights)

Gotta love that video, almost as ridiculous filming as the geelong world champs. Until 100 meters to go it looks like an easy solo win

 

[Andy99]

Lol.... The 2nd picture Andy99 posted if fantastic

Also, the BBC has an office in Stoke-on-Trent? Seems like a bit of a grungy place to have it IMO.

Every city, plus some towns will have a BBC office for local radio and TV.

Proper $hitty 60's/70's concrete monstrosity