Doubt you'll get much of a response on here 😉

I saw it, pretty standard stuff with Griepel getting the win (more wins than any other road rider over the past two seasons, hence why he's leaving Team Cav), he had a wheel change at 5 miles to go too…

Off to see it on Gun Hill near Leek tommorow, an occasional riding buddy is riding so will be giving him and others a shout.

Stage 3 finish looks very interesting if you've seen it..

I rode to the first climb today and yes it was bloody awful weather, grim.

Went to the Trough to watch the KOM climb, very busy on the hill. Saw myself on the TV coverage 🙂

There does always seem to be as many police motorbikes as cyclists though!!

OTT? Road racing on a whole in the UK is a great threat of being 'forced off the road' mainly due to the police cancelling large events (see north wales, near ban could be comming into force), the organisers/sponsors of the TOB will be forking out thousands for police support, without the police this event in theory wouldn't go ahead!

They are most likely part of the NEG (national escort group) who a trained at managing events on the road, but legally have no power to stop/halt vehicles (in my experience of marshalling and racing, most motorists are happy to stop for an event to pass) this is where the police come in

Yeah I hear that too, but they still get a payrise every year! Ha.

For a normal road race, NEG riders do the job OK, there's only a bunch of about 60-70 riders max, maybe 2-3 follow cars and races are done on a Sunday morning so there's not too much traffic.

This race is MUCH bigger – 160 riders, dozens of follow cars and it's run in the middle of the day through/near population centres. Traffic isn't quite so obliging in those circumstances, I've seen motorists caught up by the ToB get very irate and you need the police there. As mentioned, technically the NEG have no authority to stop traffic (although they can enforce a stop once the police have made it).

I watched it sitting on my shed

Watching it tomorrow come near Eccleshall

not a bad shot of the conditions that, there was a lot of water around from what I could see on tv, couldn't fancy those skinny wheels going over the white lines in the wet! rather tackle a rock garden in the nude

Just watched the highlights on Itv4 – bit disappointed they cut out so many good parts. OK its only an hour long I know. Why no-one is showing it live rather baffles me.

Watched it today at Hollinsclough, loads of people out on the climb up towards Flash where it turned left on to Axe Edge. Big break of about 18 riders inc Geraint Thomas had a gap of about 5 mins back to the bunch.

Iffy weather, bright sunshine interspersed with some heavy showers and it was really windy. Somehow, my ride out there and back seemed to have a headwind the entire way. Great atmosphere though and it was quite interesting seeing the mix of people who'd turned out.

Highlights on now.