I;m with Crazy Legs on this - though I'm sure she's very well informed, I am not a fan of Rochelle as a commentator
Chris Boardman on Breakfast telly, explaining that these riders train in these conditions day in day out, so are used to the rain. However that puddle was huge.
Coverage today BBC2 1pm.
Chris Boardman on Breakfast telly, explaining that these riders train in these conditions day in day out, so are used to the rain. However that puddle was huge.
I think one of the Kuwaiti riders, it was the first time she'd ever ridden in rain!
Overhead some chat between her team crew and the Shimano mechanics in the hotel reception where they were looking over her bike after its wash in the TT!
I was in Harrogate a few weeks ago. Several taxi drivers told me they were taking two weeks off to miss the “bloody” cycling.
Ha , I bit my tongue.
Forecast looks great on Sunday- great for sitting in and watching a bicycle race on tv.
It wonder why the Beeb always goes for foreign commentators eg Rochelle (another example is Michael Johnson for athletics). Must be lots of ex British pros to choose from.
Has anyone been to Harrogate yet for the cycling? Apart from the Zwift popup store are there any other retailers in the fan zone or in Harrogate itself?
Well they've a better day for it today certainly!
Re stores rapha/canyon are setup in the fan zone, they're also doing some bits out of starling in town. Katusha have a pop up store on parliament Street, sram are running bits out of prologue, visit flanders and all things bike out of corner haus.
UCI store in the fan zone, there's a photographer or two and an artist selling their wares. A few retailers though not much to get excited about, lots of greasy food stalls and a bar or three. A few expo type stands and a number of children's things.
Has anyone been to Harrogate yet for the cycling? Apart from the Zwift popup store are there any other retailers in the fan zone or in Harrogate itself?
Starling Cafe (Oxford Street) is the Rapha/Canyon pop up.
There's a couple of bars on Kings Road hosting a Zwift pop up. Cadex are at the 500m to go point in Harrogate, they've got loads of talks and events on.
Specialized are up just by the finish area in a lovely shop/cafe with all their top end bikes on display.
There's plenty going on - ride outs, talks, events and demos.
Fan Zone has retail from UCI (official merchandise), Rapha, a couple of other clothing brands, Big Bobble Hats, loads of food & drink options...
Big kids area with rides, facepainting, activities and so on. A Ferris wheel.
Well worth a visit but there's a fair bit of walking involved!
I think Prologue on Cold Bath Road also have some events on
https://www.prologuecycling.co.uk/
^^ they do, they’ve joined in with SRAM
North Yorkshire Council have 2 wheelchair accessible buses running from the showground to South Park Road. The normal park & ride is running from the showground also.
I was *driving* the wheelchair accessible bus on Monday & Tuesday, it was dead. We overheard 2 Transdev drivers from the double deckers saying they'd been expecting 400-500 people an hour over last weekend & on Sunday they'd transported a grand total of 192 people.
It should be busier on Saturday & Sunday coming but I'm taking a book to read anyway.
*parked in*
they’d been expecting 400-500 people an hour
I see the parking is down to £10...
What's the story behind the 5 4 3 2 1 countdown hand signals? I've noticed it in other time trials too? The combination of holding out fingers seems rather over-complicated.
I guess there's a reason, but can't for the life of me think what.
For when you can’t hear the count down then you have a visual indicator right in your eye line that moves out of the way as you power down the ramp.
Named after a camping stove ? Named after being punched in the stomach twice...
WTF is he on about today ? lol
The combination of holding out fingers seems rather over-complicated.
Guess work but... They don't ever end up making obscene gestures to camera, it's easier to do whilst maintaining straight (unmistakable) fingers than sequential. You don't end up with a thumbs up at 1 or a straggly little finger.
Quality from a punter via The Guardian
Thanks Paul Griffin for the email:
“It’s not like a proper British Time Trial. AT ALL. None of the riders appear to have dressed behind a hedgerow; there is no sign of finishers clutching a cup of tea in a polystyrene cup, and a slice of homemade fruitcake; and most importantly, the roads are closed. It’s therefore not a proper test of bike handling under stress, as no fiscally conservative but loudly articulate car and van drivers are forcefully making the case for hypothecated road taxes through their vehicle window.”
That Bahrain Merida Cycling frame Rohan Dennis was riding today was fast!
impressive from Dennis, Evanepole and Dowsett.
Great to see Dowsett in the top 5, really good to see.
Also nice to see Tony Martin rolling back the years.
But Dennis was just a class above really.
I felt for the Ghanan - going past Wagamama on Parliament Street (where I was watching) - he was out of it. Ouch. Bad day at the office.
I tried the hand countdown with every rider going off the podium. Didn't manage it successfully once.
they’ve joined in with SRAM
Apparently SRAM are using their (Prologue mentioned above) workshop as their base for the event.
That Bahrain Merida Cycling frame Rohan Dennis was riding today was fast!
The Definitely not a Kask Rudy Project helmet was quick too...
I see the parking is down to £10…
Apparently it was £15 initially. I saw that sign in a field off Hookstone Drive, there was one car in the field. Dunno what it is to park at the showground but the bus is £2.00. (not mine, It's free to disabled people & their companions)
(is it £10 to park in the showground car park?)
I want to know how many of the riders have been in the Boardman wind tunnel? I’d wager quite a few. Great result for Dowsett, but Dennis was in a different class today with something to prove.
Aye, 15 at the weekend essel, I'm assuming the showground car park was/is the same and they'll both go back up Saturday.
With the complete bloody apathy of both North Yorks CC and Harrogate Borough Council towards cyclists, they should never have been given the UCI World Champs.
Even their website encourages people to use the "wide selection of cycle lanes". You mean all 2 of them - one on an old railway line that's double the road distance between Knaresborough and Harrogate, or the one that's 18 inches wide, missing paint, and invariably has cars in it?
I don't get the impression that this benefits cycling in Yorkshire; instead it simply fuels resentment on already dodgy roads with dangerous drivers.
Having said that I am quite enjoying the party atmosphere, Harrogate hasn't been this lively since they mixed the drugs up at the nursing home.
Having said that I am quite enjoying the party atmosphere, Harrogate hasn’t been this lively since they mixed the drugs up at the nursing home.
There's an amazing split on social media - some people saying it's great, join in the party, they're loving it, great to see the town so lively and others are saying it's massively disruptive, the town is deserted, they're trapped in their homes...
Certainly while I've been wandering around, it's been busy & friendly, no issues moving around anywhere. Hotels and restaurants all fully booked, bars and cafes busy.
I’ve given up ( just about ) commenting on the social media rants on the various Harrogate pages.
At first I tried to be helpful and constructive but it seems like some folks don’t want to listen, and the anti ranting is just not worth discussion any more
So I’ll just concentrate on enjoying the best thing to come to town in the 40 years I’ve lived and worked here😁😁😁
So I’ll just concentrate on enjoying the best thing to come to town in the 40 years I’ve lived and worked here😁😁😁
Very much this. It's great for Harrogate and I'm loving every minute of it 🙂
I don’t get the impression that this benefits cycling in Yorkshire; instead it simply fuels resentment on already dodgy roads with dangerous drivers.
Having said that I am quite enjoying the party atmosphere, Harrogate hasn’t been this lively since they mixed the drugs up at the nursing home.
Agreed. This is simply the best thing to come to Harrogate in years. The flower show has been loosing visitors and the town is becoming a facade of closed shops.
Its a shame that the current political atmosphere isn’t encouraging visitors, 5 of my closest mates think the UK’s shut to visitors and have decided to stay at home.
The weather so far hasn’t been that good either and this weekends isn’t looking particularly good either, which means less folks coming into town.
Agreed. This is simply the best thing to come to Harrogate in years.
True BB, but only if your'e remotely interested in cycling. You know as well as I do what the majority of the population of Harrogate are like. Non cyclist who travel round the corner to M & S in a Range Rover.
Juniors are riding past the end of my drive around mid-day and it's my day off.
Morning...
Well the weathers not that bad today. Sunshine with a few scattered dark clouds, but it’s warm and the road outside the farm is dry...
Hope it stays that way, should be more people around the town 👍
True BB, but only if your’e remotely interested in cycling. You know as well as I do what the majority of the population of Harrogate are like. Non cyclist who travel round the corner to M & S in a Range Rover.
You are indeed correct. My FiL is hating every minute of it... but to be fair to him he does have to go to the hospital 3 times a week for treatment.
Must be pretty crap if you are stuck in the “loops” circuit... you certainly are blocked in (seems like an odd thing to do for the organisers IMO, close all roads.... because that inner loop must have 1000 houses inside it)
So I do see everyone’s POV.
I’m looking forward to today’s events, just hoping the weather stays nice enough for people to come outside.
Well the weathers not that bad today. Sunshine with a few scattered dark clouds, but it’s warm and the road outside the farm is dry…
I think I met that warm dry front about 5 yards from my office. Belting it down when I left the house this morning. The end of our village is/was flooded clean across as I got there, not seen it like that in a few years.
I hope it holds for the riders today.
Nice in both Richmond (start location) and Harrogate at the moment but it did chuck it down earlier.
I stopped at s garage just north of Harrogate on the way in to jetwash the car - very important that the official cars are spotless! - and there was some woman in the queue in front talking to the cashier saying how many people has gone away bout of Ripon just to avoid it all.
Although she wasn't actively slagging it off so I suppose that's a positive. I reckon the crowds will build now. TTing is dull at the best of times, now we're getting into the road races it should be much more engaging.
I find it incredible that according to an early survey by the council a huge 78% of businesses did not attend any of the pre event road shows put on to let folks know what was happening, how they could take advantage and what impact it may have on their business 😯
I hope they do a follow up to ask why not....
crazy legs - are you in the Merc?
When the Tour of Britain came through our small town of Marple,(a few weeks ago) everyone seemed to get on board. Local cafes, shops and eateries did well and definitely had extra custom.
Of course this was a one day and not a week.
When the Tour of Britain was set for a few days in Cumbria, last year it brought in millions of pounds in tax receipts.
crazy legs – are you in the Merc?
Slumming it in a BMW 5 Series this week.
Sunny R’ogate... #nocars
Twin discs??
Let the froth begin..
Twin discs??
Let the froth begin..
Not sure about froth but mounting the caliper on the right back-to-front? 🤢
2006 project bike from canyon..
