2012 Tour of Britain (cycling)
Discussion
Yes it is a good race to see, depending on where you watch. If you were on some of the early stages on top of hills last year you might have had a miserable time in awful weather, especially the stage to Blackpool which was cancelled. However I was at the final London TT/crit stage and it was superb with lots of opportunity to walk amongst the team buses, see people warming up and catch the off chat with a rider or two.
My mother who is a couple of months short of being 80 has been looking forward to this for weeks.
Since the route was annouced as being within walking distance of her house.
She watches all the cycling that is shown on tv, this for several years so not just since the recent events.
She will be on the route at dereham on sunday.
Since the route was annouced as being within walking distance of her house.
She watches all the cycling that is shown on tv, this for several years so not just since the recent events.
She will be on the route at dereham on sunday.
Johnny said:
Just seen that ITV4 are to show live coverage of all the stages now too, not just highlights 
They're not showing all of each stage, today the programme starts at 1345 which is a bit of a pain as it would be nice to know how far ahead/behind schedule they are to get to where I'll be watching it (also Dereham)...Saddle bum said:
We will see how well it is received when the road closures are announced.
Am late this thread, but ToB is a rolling closure, not a full road closure all day.Am back from Ipswich for the Grand Depart, just downloading some pictures (stick some up later). It was a great atmosphere on the Neptune Quay, nice to see the top domestics up against a couple of the top international teams. A couple of presentations to competition winners, then signon of the riders, it's here that if i have a 'complaint' it is that the team sign on was rushed. Not all teams came up together, the early teams did, then it filtered away. A bit of planning and there could have been a brief presentation of each team to the crown massed at the start, especially considering the reaction to Cav and Wiggins. Give them a decent chance to acknowlege the crowd.
Big turnout in Dereham town centre, and looking at the race on TV it seems there were crowds in most towns and villages.
Not the best spectator sport as you only see them whizz past once, but a good spectacle to see.
A few of my photos, just outside the town centre where the crowds had thinned a bit.
And a photo of me taking a photo (dawg)
Not the best spectator sport as you only see them whizz past once, but a good spectacle to see.
A few of my photos, just outside the town centre where the crowds had thinned a bit.
And a photo of me taking a photo (dawg)
The tour of Britain is becoming a bigger event but is somewhat limited by it's time of year.
Unfortunately it hasn't got full UCI world tour status, unlike the tour of Beijing which got it in the first year as Pat Mcquaid's promotion company were involved in it. Pat Mcquaid being in charge of the UCI by coincidence. If you are in charge of the UCI you can also put pressure on teams to ride in the event (your promotions company promotes), which is also handy. Apparently it isn't a conflict of interest as you, as head of the UCI, decide the rules.
Unfortunately it hasn't got full UCI world tour status, unlike the tour of Beijing which got it in the first year as Pat Mcquaid's promotion company were involved in it. Pat Mcquaid being in charge of the UCI by coincidence. If you are in charge of the UCI you can also put pressure on teams to ride in the event (your promotions company promotes), which is also handy. Apparently it isn't a conflict of interest as you, as head of the UCI, decide the rules.
Edited by el stovey on Tuesday 11th September 15:33
FunkyNige said:
Big turnout in Dereham town centre, and looking at the race on TV it seems there were crowds in most towns and villages.
Not the best spectator sport as you only see them whizz past once, but a good spectacle to see.
Came through here a couple of years so it was worth a stroll down the road to watch. They do barrel along so its only a brief glimpse. Impressive though.Not the best spectator sport as you only see them whizz past once, but a good spectacle to see.
I stood next to the chair of the local environmental group who was dressed in all his cycling gear (including helmet) and stood there with a smug look on his face at all the people turning out to see a cycling event. His group had been going on about it being an environmentally friendly sport in the local rag the previous week.
He started looking less and less smug as all the safety cars went through along with the cars for the officals and following the peloton were all the back up team cars and medics etc. I did point out to him that I reckoned it was a ratio of 1:1 cycle:internal combustion engine, he sort of harrumphed and wandered off.The 'mentalists haven't mentioned it since
el stovey said:
The tour of Britain is becoming a bigger event but is somewhat limited by it's time of year.
Unfortunately it hasn't got full UCI world tour status, unlike the tour of Beijing which got it in the first year as Pat Mcquaid's promotion company were involved in it. Pat Mcquaid being in charge of the UCI by coincidence. If you are in charge of the UCI you can also put pressure on teams to ride in the event (your promotions company promotes), which is also handy. Apparently it isn't a conflict of interest as you, as head of the UCI, decide the rules.
Not sure how they get away with being the sports governing body, and closely related to the promoters. FiA can't do the same in Motorsport, in fact, the EU made them give rights up.Unfortunately it hasn't got full UCI world tour status, unlike the tour of Beijing which got it in the first year as Pat Mcquaid's promotion company were involved in it. Pat Mcquaid being in charge of the UCI by coincidence. If you are in charge of the UCI you can also put pressure on teams to ride in the event (your promotions company promotes), which is also handy. Apparently it isn't a conflict of interest as you, as head of the UCI, decide the rules.
Edited by el stovey on Tuesday 11th September 15:33
The UCI should govern, and put tenders out to an independent company to promote the UCI ProTour, e;g the ASO.
Johnny said:
Kermit power said:
I'll be off to Guildford for the finish. Not sure how close I'll get to the actual finish line as I won't be able to get there until 13:40, but worth a try!
See you there!Should be there from 10 till the finish.
Gretchen said:
Johnny and I will be leathered on free booze, courtesy of him winning the VIP all inc tickets! Decent seats too I believe, best view in the house.
And possibly in a brand new Skoda, if it's delivered in time.
That's what I've got too. Although my car was delivered a year ago, and I won't be going anywhere near it that day. And possibly in a brand new Skoda, if it's delivered in time.
I think I'll recognise you guys!
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