Is anyone going to watch this on Sunday? Just found out it's going past the bottom of my street. Was going to take the kids along to watch it anyway, bonus that I don't have to drag them too far to see it.
If anyone is coming to Carmarthen to watch it, i will be the overweight out of place looking bloke with 4 kids in tow. All of them probably looking grumpy wandering why I dragged them out to see a load of people on bikes go flying past.
Ta for the heads up, had forgotten about it. Last day finish is in Mansfield, about 35miles south of me. Awkward distance given current fitness. I'll poke about on the map for a nice route home away from the A roads and maybe grab a lift there.
Hoping to come over from Pembroke. Planning on watching near Carmarthen then heading to Brechfa for a spin. Weather looks like it’s going to play he game too 😃
Wednesday booked off as a mate lives near Warwick so I think we can catch the sprint and one of the climbs on a nice loop
Plan B was to hire a moped and set some near KOM's around there on Strava that mormning 😉
It's passing through north Devon on Monday and the stage is brutal. Should be fun to watch a bit of suffering.
We are planning to watch it with Mrs A's cycling club on Bethlehem hill. Arriving early to get the best spots I hope.
Tuesday is my local stage , Bristol-Bristol via cheddar George. Just not sure the best spot to watch yet.
But will be a nice ride out
I plan on watching but haven’t decided from which spot yet.
It came past us a couple of years back. I cycled 4 miles to get there and TBH thought it was pants. Over in 2 minutes. Maybe on a hilly section it would be different.
Will be on the climb near Sennybridge 😎
I was thinking to watch on one of the climbs.. probably Bethlehem, but not 100% as would be driving over from Swansea with wife and toddler and looking at google maps it seems a tiny lane between tall hedges so not much space to stand? @Ambrose if you know of a good spot to watch on the climb I'd be interested to hear.
Cant see the point of driving to watch on flat as it will go past so fast.
Nah.
I reckon the ToB has lost its edge TBH.
Outclasssed by the ToY now and for the foreseeable future.
Its always been a bit low rent, even when I rode the Kellogg’s Tour BITD (only did two stages, I was shit but the team got an invite) even then we were getting changed in the back of cars on verges, or little chef car parks, eating warm cheese sandwiches and soggy bananas...It still has that same feeling about it.
The UCI should can it and concentrate on the Men’s and Women’s ToY IMO.
The Old Post Office in Bethlehem is now a cafe. Sorted.
Booked a couple of days off work next week, we're popping up to Cockermouth. Watch the start of the team time trial on Thursday, ride up to Whinlatter on Friday to watch the first pass and the finish, the have a ride in the lakes on Saturday before we go home. Win.
I'll be spectating somewhere in Whinlatter on the Team TT route - really looking forward to it! Hopefully will also manage to catch the Friday stage too.
Hopefully watching on Towy bridge then a quick nip to Priory St for the sprint, may see you about somewhere Al.
Heading down to watch the start at Pembrey. A few of the people I know are heading to watch a climb and then on to Newport to see the finish.
Perhaps it will have added interest now that Team Wiggins and Tom Pidcock are taking part?
I've conveniently just moved to near Bethlehem so will probably head there to see the climb. Not the hardest of climbs for those guys so sure they'll be going quickly still and very narrow. Bit surprised they didn't ride up the black mountain given it's just a few miles away.
hoping to watch it sat, at bank hill wood borough, then blidworth, then mansfield for the finish and pub
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The Old Post Office in Bethlehem is now a cafe. Sorted.
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Thanks Ambrose, sounds like they are opening a field as a car park too.
I'll be watching in Usk, with fadda jr, on Sunday afto...
Annoyingly I start a new job on Monday, and that's the day it's coming through our town. No way I can take a day off on my first day!
They're going up our steepest local climb (first KOM of the day) it'll be interesting to see how much slower I am on strava.
Whinlatter for us on Thursday and Friday.
gastromonkey wrote
Whinlatter for us on Thursday and Friday.
Watch out for us on a Dawes tandem, say hi!
I'll be the one not pedalling on the back.
Top of Chineway Hill on Monday morning. They should be going slower at that point.
Bristol stage will be heaving with all the Strava challenge riders wanting to claim their free socks. 😉
Will it take me long to cycle there and back to Southampton? 😈
Free socks? Tell me more
Arse - weighing babies all next week, so will miss it this year.
Only ever watched city crits, MTB races and the hill climb championships before 2014, but have become a bit addicted to turning up since then.
Always watched the grand tours on TV, but actually being there, especially riding up to watch has been a bit of a revelation.
Whinlatter will be fantastic. Well jel, enjoy yourselves.
Well that doesn't show in the challenge page!!
Any nice cycle routes from Manchester to Bristol to cover the mileage, get your challenge complete stamp and then wear your new socks home? 😉
Just looked at the route, it runs about 200m from my house, so will probably go down to the main road to see the peleton corkscrew back on itself, or as it heads over the bridge at Brynich for a nice picture.
ferrals- look out for Mrs Ambrose, she's on crutches at the moment. Come over and say hello 🙂
mikesmith - we won't be there until Thurs.
Ambrose - I hope Mrs Ambrose recovers very soon.
Really enjoyed that, great atmosphere at Bethlehem. Pretty busy but easy to get a spot on the side to watch on the hill. Looked like everywhere was going to town from what I could see as we drove past. Nice weather for it too - now mrs F is on about going to watch the TdF 😀
Bethlehem had a great vibe. We got there just in time for one of the last bacon rolls, phew!
Loads of local riders there, great to meet up with some friends. Two things I have learnt from today:
1 after the event everyone thinks that they know a cheeky little lane back to the main road that nobody else knows about. Wrong. Satnavs have put paid to local knowledge.
2 Bring a camping chair or similar to sit on.
is it being covered on any tv channels?
ITV 4 had it live and has highlights soon.
Did an MTB orienteering event out of Talybont this morning which we started early so as to get back in time to watch the ToB. Thus a huge pile of us ended up on the small dig up over the canal tunnel just south of Talybont village. Had a great view of the lads coming by and had a good vibe. Quite a few people in the same spot. Was fun racing around the area a bit earlier as lots had already pegged out spots and were making a day of it, so we were getting plenty of cheers and bell ringing of our own as we zoomed back and forth in all directions 🙂
Pic borrowed from my mate (thanks Mark)
It passes 500 meters from my house Saturday but I think I might ride over to Mansfield for the finish. My partner is marshalling in Retford so hopefully there won't be a repeat of last year!
Tuesday is my local stage , Bristol-Bristol via cheddar George. Just not sure the best spot to watch yet.
I've been cycling a loop once or twice a week, for years, that takes in Cheddar Gorge and was planning to go out on Tuesday and I only noticed yesterday about the Tour Of Britain; will the Gorge be closed all morning or could I still squeak my ride in?
Whinlatters only a few miles from me, so might go up there and do a loop up the Pike beforehand. The south loop is supposed to be closed, but I suspect one of the other ways in might get me access to the climb ok. Depends how "closed" its going to be, as its just so they can get traffic up the new widened forest road car park, so not really affecting the climb end.
It actually comes through the village, so if it turns out to be wet, thats plan B.
I went down to the start in Pembrey. Busy, but a little quieter than I expected. The only team that cordoned off their coach was Sky, but then they did have about a squillion fans shouting for selfies with G. The team spent quite a while meeting people before signing on.
Compared with that, there were very few people wandering around the rest of the field and we quite literally tripped over famous cyclists everywhere. My wife now fancies Sylvain Chavanel, commented to Greipel about the size of his legs (and got a steely eyed smile in return). We bothered Jungels for photos with the kids and got in the way as Alaphillipe tried to get to his bike. 😂 Obviously our ‘Good lucks’ had some effect most of the riders we spoke to were near the front at the finish.
A really nice day.