[Closed] 2010 Tour of Britain

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..

Going to watch it somewhere tomorrow, think Longnor area is the favourite.

The Sky colours are to do with rainforest destruction:

[url] http://road.cc/content/news/23106-team-sky-highlight-rainforest-destruction-tob [/url]

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

Went over to Burnley to watch them pass through. Impressive set up although the police presence was a bit ott.

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!!

The police are probably making up for the fact that no ther race is able to afford them or get permission.

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!

paddy
There were many other motorcyclists in 'civy' clothing that were doing the same job. Surely more of these could be used? It was just an observation after watching my first road race that's all. All I ever hear about from the police is how overstretched they are nowadays. Not only bikes but there were loads of Police 4x4's, just seemed very ott to me. Sorry mate!!

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.

The riders are indeed part of the NEG. They ride ahead of the race, stopping oncoming vehicles and closing junctions until their colleagues catch them up and then they move onto the next hazard. Like a big game of tag for them. I followed the ToB last year, the bikers used to have their own big table in the hotels

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).

Was a good event to watch all the same.

I watched it sitting on my shed

Bloody stupid race ( enters sulking mode)

They are riding past my house on tuesday and wednesday in Hemyock and I am away working

sulk sulk sulk

Watching it tomorrow come near Eccleshall

tour in (wet) Whalley yesterday noon

[IMG] [/IMG]

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

I remember many years ago (80s) driving my Dad's estate car across remote moorland in South Wales (with our German Shepherd in the back) and I actually joined a junction as the first team car came around behind the peloton. Pure coincidence and I couldn't have timed it better if I'd tried. I found myself slotted into the cavalcade, one car behind the team car following the peloton and followed it 17 miles all the way to Cardiff!! Ushered through traffic lights, the lot. It wasn't easy to get out of it once I'd slotted in (not that I wanted to, it was quite exciting at the time). I only left the cavalcade as the team cars were ushered out to a side road for the finish in Cardiff Civic Centre. Must have caused some scratching of heads when the spectators saw an estate carrying a German Shepherd in the middle of the cavalcade of team cars. True story.

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.

A photo from the trough of Bowland yesterday
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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.

Missed it, shame as they only 1.5 miles from my house at one point. Wonder how they faired over the cattle grids on Crown Point above Burnley (they rattle my teeth out on my roadbike) at least it was too early for the gay doggers though.

Highlights on now.