Tour of Britain 2011 Route

[Captain_Cavman]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2011-tour-of-britain-route-unveiled

There are lots of positives about this route: the fact that it's going to Scotland and Wales as well as England, the inclusion of a TT and the removal of one of the tedious East Anglia stages.

However, it can't go unmentioned that the stage from Kendal goes Eastwards. For those unfamiliar with the area, type 'Kendal, UK' into google maps and click on 'Terrain'. Then look and see what lies just to the North-West of Kendal.

 

[Euskaltel!]

Aye it seems cycling races (see La Vuelta a Castilla y Leon for instance) seem to have fun in making races much less mountainous than they could be. To miss out on the Lake District, which could be built up into something really special, is unfortunate. Mind you, I'm liking the Welsh stage, I was at Swansea last year and this looks even better!!!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Yeah, but one of those tedious East Anglian stages finished in my home town with the Mur de Colchester as the last 700m (Better known locally as East Hill), so

 

[Raceoftruth]

Looks a better route than previously. Wonder if the tt is to help the brits win?

 

[palmerq]

I was going to ask if anyone knew the route to this yesterday, and I see it has just been unveiled.... I was hoping for a stage in scotland, although I was hoping it would be a bit further north(I don't know where peebles is, but I am sure it was in the book flash the sheepdog or something, that I read in primary school). Would have been nice if it started in glasgow again. Sunday is a good day for it so I hope I will make it down to the start it's good fun.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Looks a better route than previously. Wonder if the tt is to help the brits win?

I think the TT is more because it was a one-break-that-sticks race last year in terms of GC, and a bonus-seconds-are-all-you-need race in 2009. Given the insistence on not using some of the hilliest terrain available even given the places volunteering to be stage towns (let's face it, you're never going to get any challenging terrain in the East Anglian stages, that area is about as mountainous as Flevoland), the race has been needing something like an ITT for a while.

I think 10km is about right - it's enough to open up some gaps but short enough that it isn't one of those infuriating "win the TT win the race" kind of events.

 

[Fester]

I think the TT is more because it was a one-break-that-sticks race last year in terms of GC, and a bonus-seconds-are-all-you-need race in 2009. Given the insistence on not using some of the hilliest terrain available even given the places volunteering to be stage towns (let's face it, you're never going to get any challenging terrain in the East Anglian stages, that area is about as mountainous as Flevoland), the race has been needing something like an ITT for a while.

I think 10km is about right - it's enough to open up some gaps but short enough that it isn't one of those infuriating "win the TT win the race" kind of events.

If the TT isn't of reasonable length it will still be the lucky break that gets it. Gaps on a 10k course are tiny, especially if it's flat... I'd 25km and you'd see a good all rounder like Tony Martin or Wiggins win it.

I have to say I think they have done excellently in choosing the race route this year. It will be a great spectacle.

Mind you, the riders will have it tough. Look at the length of some of the transfers!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If the TT isn't of reasonable length it will still be the lucky break that gets it. Gaps on a 10k course are tiny, especially if it's flat... I'd 25km and you'd see a good all rounder like Tony Martin or Wiggins win it.

I have to say I think they have done excellently in choosing the race route this year. It will be a great spectacle.

Mind you, the riders will have it tough. Look at the length of some of the transfers!

But if the TT is of 25km length, then HTC and Sky will stomp every break like they (well, HTC and Garmin then) did in 2009 and take it to the TT. It could still go to the lucky break, but the GC will be open amongst the riders in that lucky break. The lucky break numbered more than 10 last year. And until we have more route details we don't know if the race is likely to break up more or less than 2010. A 25km ITT was more than enough to stomp all competition in Paris-Nice and turn that into a win-the-TT-win-the-race event, and I foresee Paris-Nice offering more challenging parcours than the Tour of Britain.

Plus, a 25km ITT is harder to do a dual stage with.

 

[Sneekes]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2011-tour-of-britain-route-unveiled

There are lots of positives about this route: the fact that it's going to Scotland and Wales as well as England, the inclusion of a TT and the removal of one of the tedious East Anglia stages.

However, it can't go unmentioned that the stage from Kendal goes Eastwards. For those unfamiliar with the area, type 'Kendal, UK' into google maps and click on 'Terrain'. Then look and see what lies just to the North-West of Kendal.

It's worse than that, it looks as if it heads east then south - but then west again to avoid the Forest of Bowland. Still, I guess they have to give the sprinters a couple of stages.
It looks as if they'll follow the A683 down the Lune valley which should do wonders for British tourism - it's beautiful round there.

 

[Sparta]

Agree with Libertine the TT is the right length to produce time gaps but not to make it the decisive aspect. The routes go through some hilly areas but more exact profiles of the finish will be needed to decide how many stages the break is likely to survive on

 

[Anonymous]

Looks a better route than previously. Wonder if the tt is to help the brits win?

Or leopard want to go and promised to send Cancellara if they put a tt in.

Know a few parts of the route fairly well, the exeter-exmouth leg especially is lumpy as hell, not long climbs, but some really nasty short ones that come thick and fast. A mini amstel gold if you will.

PLus you can watch the start, jump on the train and be at the finish 20 minutes later.

 

[LugHugger]

I think the TT is more because it was a one-break-that-sticks race last year in terms of GC, and a bonus-seconds-are-all-you-need race in 2009. Given the insistence on not using some of the hilliest terrain available even given the places volunteering to be stage towns (let's face it, you're never going to get any challenging terrain in the East Anglian stages, that area is about as mountainous as Flevoland), the race has been needing something like an ITT for a while.

I think 10km is about right - it's enough to open up some gaps but short enough that it isn't one of those infuriating "win the TT win the race" kind of events.

whilst it's true that it's pretty flat out here, that doesn't necessarily stop a course being challenging. There's plenty of Flandrien type terrain to ride. Oh, and see Dengie Marshes (think Tro Bro Leon).

 

[Mambo95]

I'll be interested in seeing where the finish in Caerphilly is. The article says Caerphilly mountain is being used. If it isclimbed from the Caerphilly side, it's about 1.5km at an average of 10%, with a max of 20% about a third of the way up (or at least that's what my bike computer reckons). I'd like to see the stage finish like that.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

whilst it's true that it's pretty flat out here, that doesn't necessarily stop a course being challenging. There's plenty of Flandrien type terrain to ride. Oh, and see Dengie Marshes (think Tro Bro Leon).

Do you really think that the ToB organisation are going to go all Tro Bro Leon? I'm just hoping for some wind that day.

 

[greenedge]

i hope some riders make it into breaks and challenge the dominance of htc. Sky won't have to do work to chase back escapees as they have GT, BW, MR and AD, for the ITT. Hopefully Porte can win it this yr as he was coming third last yr then Hendo won some intermediate sprints and kicked him to 4th. Rabobank are also attending so they might send Bos to win rather than Oscar. HTC might also not send Cav. They willl probably send Howard and/ or Degenkolb.

 

[LugHugger]

Do you really think that the ToB organisation are going to go all Tro Bro Leon? I'm just hoping for some wind that day.

Chance would be a fine thing! Just saying that the riding's not all bad out here.

They've kept away from the coast (apart from the run in to Sandringham) so the wind may not be such a factor on stage 7 as last year. That run in is westerly with the prevailing wind rather than last year's tear up into the wind towards Gt Yarmouth.

Oh, and who on earth dreamt up that transfer from Wells to Bury St Edmunds? 225 miles negotiating the M5, M4 and M25 on a Friday evening? Sheer lunacy

 

[Libertine Seguros]

i hope some riders make it into breaks and challenge the dominance of htc. Sky won't have to do work to chase back escapees as they have GT, BW, MR and AD, for the ITT. Hopefully Porte can win it this yr as he was coming third last yr then Hendo won some intermediate sprints and kicked him to 4th. Rabobank are also attending so they might send Bos to win rather than Oscar. HTC might also not send Cav. They willl probably send Howard and/ or Degenkolb.

Yup - there's the Vuelta to consider here - I know the races only just overlap this time, but I'd be surprised if Óscar decides to do Britain to prepare for the Worlds instead of the Vuelta. I'll be absolutely shocked if Cavendish does his home Tour.

I expect the second tier sprinters for all of these teams. Rabo may even send Graeme Brown to wreak havoc on people's worlds hopes by causing crashes and elbowing people.

LugHugger - is there no wind from the north in East Anglia? They're heading north and I see from a map nothing but sea to the north, though I guess that's a headwind; then if they turn west to the finish as it looks like being then surely any wind from the north, apart from being cold, opens up crosswind possibilities?

 

[LugHugger]

Yup - there's the Vuelta to consider here - I know the races only just overlap this time, but I'd be surprised if Óscar decides to do Britain to prepare for the Worlds instead of the Vuelta. I'll be absolutely shocked if Cavendish does his home Tour.

I expect the second tier sprinters for all of these teams. Rabo may even send Graeme Brown to wreak havoc on people's worlds hopes by causing crashes and elbowing people.

LugHugger - is there no wind from the north in East Anglia? They're heading north and I see from a map nothing but sea to the north, though I guess that's a headwind; then if they turn west to the finish as it looks like being then surely any wind from the north, apart from being cold, opens up crosswind possibilities?

Of course there can and may be wind from the North. It's just not very likely. the prevailing wind is south westerly during the summer/autumn due to the anticyclonic winds caused by higher pressures on the continent. so, it is likely that the riders will have a tail wind for most of the stage. headwinds unlikely i'm afraid. sorry.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

...
Oh, and who on earth dreamt up that transfer from Wells to Bury St Edmunds? 225 miles negotiating the M5, M4 and M25 on a Friday evening? Sheer lunacy

It's the same old problem of finance I imagine. Norfolk are always prepared to stump up for a stage, as is Stoke, Blackpool and South Devon. So (I'm guessing) you can't afford to drop your regulars in case you need them the following year.

Which all means that there is always going to be a massive transfer at some point from somewhere to Norfolk, because the only part of the country with less interesting terrain than Norfolk lies to the West of it.

Without serious money, the race can't pick and choose its destinations.

Points jersey (sponsored by the Prostate Cancer Charity); the leaders gold jersey (sponsored by IG Markets); the Sprints jersey (sponsored by Yodel). IG Markets are certainly upping their investment in cycling.

 

[Moncoutie]

Might have to go up to Peebles, my sister lives there.

 

[ferryman]

I was going to ask if anyone knew the route to this yesterday, and I see it has just been unveiled.... I was hoping for a stage in scotland, although I was hoping it would be a bit further north(I don't know where peebles is, but I am sure it was in the book flash the sheepdog or something, that I read in primary school). Would have been nice if it started in glasgow again. Sunday is a good day for it so I hope I will make it down to the start it's good fun.

Peebles is about 15 miles directly south of Edinburgh. Which begs the question, why is the race not starting from Scotland's Capital

I would guess you are looking at a drive of an hour to get to Peebles from the Glasgow area. It's not a big place, so I imagine parking will be a problem. Wear your moderators hat so I can say Hi

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It's the same old problem of finance I imagine. Norfolk are always prepared to stump up for a stage, as is Stoke, Blackpool and South Devon. So (I'm guessing) you can't afford to drop your regulars in case you need them the following year.

The problem then is the need to finish in London, TDF-style. An East Anglian stage, in order that there be only 1 huge transfer not 2, has to come just before London, which means you have a front-loading of the race with a tame, flat end. If you started in London you could do Norfolk straight away then go up the West of the country and in Wales as they tend to do, then finish off in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

 

[ferryman]

The problem then is the need to finish in London, TDF-style. An East Anglian stage, in order that there be only 1 huge transfer not 2, has to come just before London, which means you have a front-loading of the race with a tame, flat end. If you started in London you could do Norfolk straight away then go up the West of the country and in Wales as they tend to do, then finish off in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Can't finish in Edinburgh at the moment cos we have the most expensive, unfinished, underplanned, overpaid, stupid, senseless idea for a tram system on the go

 

[Anonymous]

the leaders gold jersey (sponsored by IG Markets); the Sprints jersey (sponsored by Yodel).[/I] IG Markets are certainly upping their investment in cycling.

They are also sponsoring the London nocturne (which sky are showing on tv) with a few to more races, as well as obviously team sky. I am told there is more to come from them as well. Major investment.

People can slate Murdoch, but there is no doubt the involvement of Sky in cycling in this country is having a knock on effect.

 

[Ferminal]

Hopefully there are a few nice climbs in the middle of the stages again. Last year was good as there was lots of talent going on the attack and there were only a few teams strong enough to chase or bridge.