coming past at the end of next week, sounds like a great plan to take the afternoon off work and cheer them on.
can anyone shed any light on the road closure situation? for example, how long is the road closed? is it a rolling closure?
I reckon it must be a rolling one. Comes past my house and my mate is riding for the first time! Hope they let him ride the front through his home village!
Watched it about 5 years ago now when it came past near here. Very quick rolling road closure. Literally 5 minutes. It's not the Tour de France!
It's probably grown a bit since then mind, so might be quite different.
cool, access isnt really an issue, but dont want to tell people duff gen.
so do i watch them pass on a cat2 climb, or from the pub garden 2mins further along?
which team kit should i shell out for, to stand in said pub garden...
It's a rolling road closure which varies depending on where you are. In a town they'll shut it down maybe 30 minutes before the race comes through. On some remote back road, it'll be about 10 minutes in advance of the race. Usually re-opened again within about 15 minutes of the last rider going through depending on how strung out the convoy is.
Should be big crowds again, it's got both Cav and Wiggins in it and that always tends to draw the spectators.
More motorbikes than push bikes last time it came through my town.
Working Thursday so will miss the dartmoor stage.
it's got both Cav and Wiggins in it and that always tends to draw the casual fan and johnny-come-lately.
FTFY 😉
Cav and Kittel both confirmed, maybe worth identifying the sprint finish stages
you can download the timing s on the tour of britain website look under Stages
oh and it starts in Liverpool and a sky ride is also happening here. Next Sunday.
Go to the ToB website and they have est time of the riders getting to points on the course for each day, so you prob looking at about 45/30min (town) before to 20min after it goes through.
I dont think Wiggo is confirmed yet. No doubt he will flounce off at the last minute and let everyone down, well his team anyway. Should be biggest ever ToB as has higher status that before and as a result has longer, touger stages. The routes all seem a bit southern I thought but works for me. 😆
The motorbike outriders are great to watch. Get near a junction and watch them intimidate the dumbass motorist who thinks he should ignore the closure
A load of us are riding out to catch the last climb of the day on stage 6, it's all downhill from there so we should hopefully witness some last chance saloonesque breakaway shenanigans.
If the crowds are anything like they were on the women's tour for the Welwyn stage in May the atmosphere will be smashing.
Pip-pip!
Can't wait they come right past my house on Saturday. Really excited!
Passes about 1/2 mile from my house 🙂
The motorbike outriders are great to watch. Get near a junction and watch them intimidate the dumbass motorist who thinks he should ignore the closure
A great example here from a couple of years ago 😀
Like has been said, it's normally 15 - 20 mins before the riders that they close the roads. The Police and Escort Group use a " caterpillar " method at junctions, unless they are crossing Dual Carriageways where they will just block the lot off.
Example here
I rode the Liverpool Stage yesterday and its a neat little circuit that should hold up for a sprint finish.
I am lucky enough to win a couple of space for a friend & I at the finish point hospitality with friends life at Llandudno, so full access to VIP area lunch and a chance to be up close for the podium. Super excited and hopefully will meet the movers and shakers of cycling and some of the riders.
George & Dragon at Upton for me...
Loving that driver being put back in his box, brilliant work by the outriders there.
A great example here from a couple of years ago
Hilarious. Though sadly I'm reminded that last time I went out to watch it come through here an outrider was killed by an idiot driver ignoring the closures (and the race was neutralised).
Hilarious. Though sadly I'm reminded that last time I went out to watch it come through here an outrider was killed by an idiot driver ignoring the closures (and the race was neutralised).
Yeah, I can remember that quite well, can remember that we were all getting excited the night before at the thought of the race coming through malvern only for it to be stopped at Newland, quarter of a mile outside Malvern!!
May stroll up to the link to watch it next week.
George & Dragon at Upton for me...
That sir is a damn fine plan, I might head there myself
First beer's on me. Should be the decent shot of them coming over the crest of the hill and then the sweep round to Blewbury.
Edit: on second thoughts maybe the sprint to Blewbury? Bit more crowded I'd have thought.
That sir is a damn fine plan, I might head there myself
George & Dragon at Upton for me...
Hmmmm... Not looked into where it goes, but would be rude not to considering how close it is 🙂
1pm ish. Works for me....
Comes right past the end of my drive on the Saturday, might have to get hold of a decent camera.
Top of the tumble for me.
Passes through the Wyche cutting around 11am, then along Jubilee Drive. I'll be up there as it is 2mins walk for me
Nothing north of Liverpool 🙁
Goes past my folks house so I'll be spectating at the top of the Knighton climb on Tuesday. Then go for a ride round Hopton.
It's hardly the Tour of Britain this year is it. As others have said it doesn't get north of Liverpool.
Intermediate sprint in Horsham then down to Brighton for the finish for me.
cupra - MemberIt's hardly the Tour of Britain this year is it. As others have said it doesn't get north of Liverpool.
Is it not all frozen wastelands up there ?
oh and it starts in Liverpool and a sky ride is also happening here. Next Sunday
You wouldn't want to get those two mixed up....
hardly the tour of britain is it, it doesnt go past my dead nans house.
its sooo unfair
*kevin/perry pic.
Nothing north of Liverpool
Or anywhere on the eastern side of the country, apart from Landan!
Why do they do that caterpillar thing? What's the advantage to that compared to a rider stopping and manning the junction until the convoy is through and then rejoining the back, like a through and off?
It's hardly the tour of Britain most years, but unsurprisingly the northerners didn't complain that much in the years it was mostly based N of Brum. As a week long race they can't take it everywhere and this years route appears to be pretty well designed for actually creating racing.
Looking forward to stage 7 which climbs Ditchling Beacon, about 2 miles from my house. I think it's going to be pretty mental on that hill though regarding spectators.
Also the route leading towards Dicthling Beacon has it going along a road (underhill lane along the foot of the downs) which is incredibly narrow. I was surprised when I saw that as it's barely wide enough for cars in places.
sky have announced that Biggins is coming out to play.
Small climb starts outside my drive on stage 4. However a mile up the road it's down to a single lane due to subsidence, great pinch point uphill, I might get to see them!
Blimey - was that every police motorbike in the UK?
Dont forget it starts sunday in Liverpool , pier head and Princess park areas.
Blimey - was that every police motorbike in the UK?
I started to wonder if there were just a few, nipping down some side streets round the back and coming round again!
Interesting to see it done though, they're well on top of it aren't they?
Why do they do that caterpillar thing? What's the advantage to that compared to a rider stopping and manning the junction until the convoy is through and then rejoining the back, like a through and off?
Wondering the same. Also do they know by radio they need to stop and take over, or do they just stop when they get to the next guy waiting?
Why do they do that caterpillar thing? What's the advantage to that compared to a rider stopping and manning the junction until the convoy is through and then rejoining the back, like a through and off?
Probably cos it pisses the perpetrator right off. One copper coming up, having a word and then just sitting there till the race has gone, is nothing like as annoying as every 10 secs, another copper come up, look at you like you're a div, say something disparaging, and then buggering off... not least cos they're coppers so you can't retaliate 😀
Taken the day off work to watch as they go right past my house. Should be able to high-five a rider If I leaned out the front window. That said they'll be going far too fast for me to get a good view here, so I'll be halfway up the single-carriageway hill round the corner (in the picture-skew Cotswold village of Horsley).
stage six will be coming through where i live (devizes 🙂 will be watching it for sure.
Live on itv 1 tomorrow afternoon and live in liverpool for those who live local, 8 laps around the sefton park and down the waterfront also on the player later on.
In Be "interesting" to see them all navigate Lower Howsell Road into Malvern. 😯
Why do they do that caterpillar thing? What's the advantage to that compared to a rider stopping and manning the junction until the convoy is through and then rejoining the back, like a through and off?Wondering the same. Also do they know by radio they need to stop and take over, or do they just stop when they get to the next guy waiting?
They discuss plans, routes and tactics each morning. I know when I have marshalled at big events there are a huge number of police and NEG rides but they are needed on some of the more complex bits of road. Also if the race splits they get stretched out and have to close even more road at a time.
They normally just beep or talk. A large number of them are on radios.
I don't know about the ToB but for races run on a large circuit (national champs etc.) We have a marshal on every junction. Unfortunately all you get is a flag, high vis, some signs but no legal power to stop people, only the police can do that - you just flag them down as they pull up to the junction and ask them to wait. Most people are very respectful if you take a few minutes to talk to them and explain. We always seem to get people on the courses. Often they have come out of a house or farm and it can be very difficult to get rid of them safely. We had a horse box at the last one. Narrow road and the driver was only renting it. Nearly touching the hedges on either side of the twisty road so reversing it out of the way wasn't going to happen.
Just off to Sefton park for the skyride and freebies, then the race, 2.15 at the pier head and to sefton park 8 times.
I went to the finish today and it was really good.
Sweetspot have really got things running really sweet and the facilities whilst waiting for the riders were good. The finish was really fast, but I've never sat at the finish before so it's probably a standard speed.
I went to the Buses after, Cav came back and had had an issue with his bike and went straight into the Bus so I went to the Deathstar where Wiggo was cooling down. Bernie Eisel came and and then Swifty and they all came out and I got signed autographs off them and Sir Dave.
The Garmin Sharp bus misjudged a gap when exiting the Car Park and smashed the bumper off an X5 Police Car 😯 the AA guys were Cable Tying it back together......