Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 48 total)
  • So, is the Tour of Britain over now? (Spoilers etc…)
  • midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Well, Sky run out the defences after any GC guy in the break and it’s all over bar the drying of the kit? If so, seems a shame after less than half the racing and yesterday’s really good to watch(on telly for me) racing. Your thoughts? Is the TT too influential, or is it that the TT guys could just ride away from the pack in open racing if they didn’t have a special day to do their thing?

    Lifer
    Free Member

    Only 6 man teams so not as easy to control.

    steve_b77
    Free Member

    Not by a long shot, 3 days of racing on narrow, crappy, invariably wet and pretty hilly roads. There’ll be attacks all over the place.

    project
    Free Member

    They will drag it out, good advertising for sponsors, but probably more riders will drop out tomorrow due to the weather and risks of crashing or actually crashing.

    monkeyfudger
    Free Member

    Amazing performance by Wiggo, you could see he was quite emotional too.

    crikey
    Free Member

    If Sky had any brains and/or any favours, they would suggest to the other teams that assistance for the win in the ToB would be seen in a favourable light in other races they may do, so scratch our back and we’ll scratch yours.

    Given that Sean Yates has suggested that tactical nous may well be in short supply at Sky at present, they may have to kill themselves to win what is a little race in the grand scheme of things.

    Edric64
    Free Member

    a little race in the grand scheme of things.
    +1

    brakes
    Free Member

    a big race though for Bwiggo.
    not had a good season so will give him a big lift if he wins which will give him the public favour he needs and will be a confidence boost going in to the World Champs

    crikey
    Free Member

    I don’t like saying it for many reasons, but the ToB is a minor race, even now, even with UK cycling on the up, even with Wiggins and Cav and Stannard and Froome, it’s still mickey mouse stuff.

    I suspect that the whole ToB win rates lower than a Tour stage, a Vuelta stage or a Giro stage, and certainly lower than any of the Classics. In serious pro terms, it’s just not worth hammering yourself or your team for, other than the respect of the newly swelled ranks of the Brit cycling fan.

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    i reckon he will be using it for training for the TT so i expect to see some big shifts from him tbh
    I think he would like to win but he can do that next year and this year he wants the TT worlds.

    brakes
    Free Member

    don’t underestimate his patriotism and his need to win.
    Tour of Britain may be small but it’s grown massively in the past 3/4 years.

    crikey
    Free Member

    don’t underestimate his patriotism and his need to win.
    Tour of Britain may be small but it’s grown massively in the past 3/4 years.

    I agree on both counts, but I try to see pro cycling from a global perspective, and the ToB is small in terms of participation and influence for lots of reasons, not least its position in the calendar and the lack of proper road closures.

    I’d love it to become a real Tour, a race that was held in great esteem, a race that could make a career, and I hope it will do so in the future.

    stevious
    Full Member

    Having a big name winner like Wiggins (or Martin or Quintana) would be a real boost for the race though. It’s only 10 years old in its current incarnation, and seems to be growing year on year. The Tour Down Under was a similarly sized race unti a few years ago when they got Lance to show up. For good or bad, that’s given the race some momentum – it now attracts lots of big names and gets great coverage.

    In terms of the race itself, although Sky have a big lead to defend, Garmin and Movistar have shown that they’re generally up for a good scrap this year and I can’t see this race being any different. The might not unseat Wiggins but they’ll make it look fun trying.

    mt
    Free Member

    Dan Martin is up for it given his interview in Kendal.

    irelanst
    Free Member

    I think it sets it up pretty nicely really for the next few days, some of the gaps are big, but if someone can get 45s today then it starts to get nervy. I agree that it’s not a huge tour to add to the palmares and can’t see Wiggins risking his Worlds taking risks on greasy roads but he seems up for it and in good form.

    For some of the other riders though, Quintana, Martin etc. beating a TDF winner in his home tour would be a scalp worth having, so I think Sky will come under some pressure and won’t be relishing the thought of their wet day in Wales.

    shortcut
    Full Member

    Not over until Brad doesn’t get a cold!

    chakaping
    Free Member

    , but I try to see pro cycling from a global perspective,

    I’m sure you’re right from your POV Crikey, but who are Sky and their co-sponsors targeting with their money?

    I might be wrong but I’m guessing primarily British customers, and maybe ones who aren’t as knowledgeable about cycling as yourself.

    To most people I’d think an overall win of the ToB would be more significant than if he’d won the TT in the Giro, for example.

    Dan Martin is up for it given his interview in Kendal.

    Yes, really looking forward to the next few days.

    clubber
    Free Member

    ToB is tiny in the grand scheme of things from a CYCLING perspective.

    But, from the UK general public’s perspective, they don’t know that and if the news makes a big deal of it (as they have been, up to a point) then they’ll see it as a big deal. A bit like winning the Olympics used to be even though most pro cyclists didn’t really care about it.

    As such, it’ll be great for Wiggo if he can follow up the TdF and Olympics with a win at the ToB and it’s the sort of thing that will add to his legacy – in the UK at least.

    whatnobeer
    Free Member

    Bit unfair to compare the ToB to any of the Grand tours or the classics. Nothing comes close to a grand tour and the classics are a different kettle of fish altogether. Much fairer to compare its standing to tours of a similar duration, tours like the Tour of Poland, TDU or the Tour of California. It’s not up there yet imo, but it’s still a young race and given its timing between the Vuelta and the world champs, plus the fact that the weather is almost always shit, the organisers are doing a great job. Crowds are getting bigger each year, the fields is getting stronger each year and it’s standing in the cycling world must be going up as well.

    AlexSimon
    Full Member

    The Americans seem to be allowed to get excited about the Tour of Utah and the Tour of California – there’s no reason at all why we can’t steadily build the ToB into something that WILL be important.

    Seeing the crowds and how stoked riders are at winning all adds to future potential. The weather wont help though.

    On another note, I think Phil Anderson and Stuey O’Grady both benefited a great deal from their wins (kellogs and Prutour) and the attitude they showed to the race and British public.

    avdave2
    Full Member

    If nothing else it’s a great advert to potential tourists and will dismiss their concerns about the British climate.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Wiggo looks much healthier now doesn’t he?

    crikey
    Free Member

    I agree with everyone’s sentiments!

    My point was that a win in the ToB would be best achieved by tactical alliances rather than an all out attempt to crush the other teams, because it’s still a small race and of more importance to Wiggins and Sky than perhaps to European teams.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    “I agree that it’s not a huge tour to add to the palmares and can’t see Wiggins risking his Worlds taking risks on greasy roads but he seems up for it and in good form.”

    bar him stating in interview he would rather have ended up in a hospital bed than not win yesterdays TT….

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Agree with crikey (don’t get used to it though).

    Definitely game on now, in this stage. Good stuff.

    elliptic
    Free Member

    I’d love it to become a real Tour, a race that was held in great esteem, a race that could make a career, and I hope it will do so in the future.

    For me seeing DM and Quintana going full gas up Honister was spine tingling, it seemed a defining moment in the way the race has stepped up this year. Okay, so in truth they were just having a dig for the hell of it, and maybe it’s just that I’m so attached to the Lakes, but the current TdF KoM attacking on such an classic British climb.. has it happened, ever? For me Tuesday was the day when the ToB stopped being a rather good impression of a bike race and really *became* one.

    JohnnyPanic
    Full Member

    They’re just about to start the climb up to pen y pass. Lovely.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Oh ello, it’s all kicking off.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    This is exciting! *squeal*

    Klunk
    Free Member

    wow !

    notmyrealname
    Free Member

    The Garmin rider had a close call there 😯

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Did not expect that.

    Can someone please coach these Eurosport people on how to pronounce Welsh placenames?

    sambob
    Free Member

    One of the most exciting finishes I’ve seen in a long time.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    Can someone please coach these Eurosport people anyone that isnt welsh on how to pronounce Welsh placenames?

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I’ve tried plenty of times, English people don’t seem bothered. It’s really not hard at all.

    rusty90
    Free Member

    Stage finish at Llanfair PG next year? That would give the commentators something to get their teeth into!

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    Great stage, really nailbiting finish.

    Agree about the place names but then it’s Hugh Porter, he barely knows his own name these days…

    steve_b77
    Free Member

    There were plenty out on Pen-y-Pass, today. It’s a nice climb too, but nearly 30kph up it from the pros, Crikey!!

    molgrips
    Free Member

    They are getting onto my local roads now 🙂

    molgrips
    Free Member

    It’s also nice hearing a pro cyclist referring to my local steep climb as steep. Makes me feel better about hurting on it 🙂

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 48 total)

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