Aaah, you got some as well, so they’re like a sympathy present?

Yes, especially for Shalford special needs residents.

Bear in mind that next year the course will attract a great deal of foreign visitors/spectators – the test run will ensure that they’ve got the management elements in place to handle the dutch and their campervans.

Am I alone in thinking the obvious, in that there’s a lot more to Box Hill than the zigzag? I’m going to dump myself up near Dauphine Cycles or near that really odd american themed place up the top of the hill and watch from there (or just sit on the edge of the road in the wooded section). Anyone else going that way?

haighd2 just to cheer you up remember next year it will be over 2 days :-)!

Well, speak of the devil, I’ve won a pair of wristbands for next weekend. Given we’re out the night before, Mrs Atlaz will no doubt be tucked up in bed for it.

Perhaps we need a STW dress code to meet and greet! Carnation in velcro shorts buttonhole perhaps

I think people are right to get hung up about Box Hill, the free events were supposed to act as a Panacea for the rest of the populous to be able to view events they couldn’t get tickets for…

Now it appears that the best vantage points are being taken away, what’s worse is that I’d hazard a guess that people who might want to watch a race aren’t members of BC neccesarily so that excludes them.

The race was initially was supposed to be in London but that went right out of the window which is a shame.

It’s a similar stitch up to Tower Hamlet being pretty much bribed out of the marathon because it would have meant passing through some relatively unsalubrious areas of town.

Housing plans for the Velopark are already showing the changed circuit route that’s being considered at the moment, but that’s alright because there’ll be a velodrome..

Just think if the race had been on a circuit in town they might have generated the same sort of buzz that the Tour started, well that’s dead in teh water a real shame when London has seen such a rise in teh number of cyclists, opportunity missed…

I have 2 wristbands for the test event and we have to be in place from 9.15am on the 14th. Going to be a bit of a hassle getting there as we’ll have a 1.5hr walk from home, through Dorking and up the stepping stones route to the top. The zig zags are completely closed off from the Mickleham road, including all the grass areas on the face of Boxhill. This is because of the 20+ species of very rare and unique plants that grow in the area. I agree with some views on here that maybe a better route could have been chosen (ie into Dorking then up Ranmore, down to Effingham, back to Leatherhead and then to Dorking again) because there would be less restrictions…….. however the Olympics are there to showcase the UK as a place to visit and bring people into the country once they have seen it on TV, hence the reason I think they chose Boxhill.
OK so there will be distruption for 2 days during the road event next year but it is only for 2 days out of the year and hopefully local economy will benefit from the influx of people coming to stand on the route to watch!!!
Fingers crossed it will all go smoothly and hopefully Cav will be riding the demo event!!

The race was initially was supposed to be in London but that went right out of the window which is a shame.

A flat, urban 150 miles vs a proper route with a few hills that’s more accesible to all? A shame how? The London course got ditched because it was crap!

I reckon the corner beyond Dauphin, where they turn left onto Headley road will be good to watch!

I reckon the corner beyond Dauphin, where they turn left onto Headley road will be good to watch!

This.

What a joke were not bothering after going to le tour and liege bastogne liege etc where the local councils and police positively encourage spectating and campervans

At liege we pretty much parked on the hard shoulder of the motorway slip road which had been coned off by the police to aid the safety of spectators
We hopped over the armco barrier and were on la Redoute with the Phillipe Gilbert fan club in about 2 minutes

The olympic road race will always be a for tv type event not for spectating

Get down to Liege and the Ardenne for the grand depart of Le Tour in 2012 you’ll probably get there quicker than trying to navigate around box hill anyway

At liege we pretty much parked on the hard shoulder of the motorway slip road

Not many of those in the Surrey Hills

So those who are going, How are you getting there? Train to Westhumble?

Yeah, alternatively a train to Dorking and then walk.

It was a lot of trips up Swaynes lane on the original circuit, which is pretty nasty, probablt as much climbing as the Box Hill route ;0)

I’m considering riding out from home at 7am, locking the bike up at the “limited bike parking” then riding home afterwards. Train to Dorking or Westhumble is going to be a bitch for me to get to (either into London then out or out to Guildford then back) so it’s either bike or car to somewhere inconvenient.

I have a bigger problem though. Can only get the wristbands on Weds and on Weds I will be in Germany so now I’ve got to call to arrange another time and hope they’ll do it.

Quite a few on here going then? Am I right in thinking only way to the spectator area if coming from Westhumble is either a walk up whatever paths are still open or maybe cycle up Pebble Coombe to come in via a road?

I should be picking up my wristband on Sat morning from someone who can no longer make it. But it now sounds like I’ll have to be in situe 1hr 30mins before the bloody riders get there! WTF is that all about?

And is the wristband zone just for the zig zags? Or is the Boxhill ‘straight’ (from Smith and Western to Headley Rd) also in the zone? I don’t fancy the idea of being hemmed in and being immobilised. Would much rather chill under some trees with a couple of mates without any hassles.

Mudshark, if you’re coming into WH then you should expect to see some kind of signage telling you to head up one of the paths along the zig zags. I can’t see them expecting everyone to cross the stepping stones then climb up that bloody steep part to the top.

My initial plan was to take in some pre-race trails and then climb up onto the NDW (still on the bike) but I’ve since heard that bikes aren’t going to be allowed near the course. If that’s the case, then WTF is that about too?

So far it sounds like the authorities haven’t got a clue how to run this event or what to expect, so they’re just playing it safe.

Info here:

http://www.londonpreparesseries.com/roadcycling/spectator-info/index.html

I live in Bookham so bit of a trek by foot hence thinking about cycling up the rather unappealing Pebble Coombe.

Ok, so they’ve created a dedicated bike parking space, but as usual it’s “do so at your own risk”. Don’t know about you, but not taking that risk myself.

Well info suggests it’ll be manned and you’ll get a ticket to reclaim your bike. Would take my cheapest but that’s a SS with too big a gear for Pebble Coombe. Probably easiest to walk.

wow £20.00 a night just to camp and £10.00 for each car….

More to the point, you need to read the rules:

No Trade or business advertising – except bona fide retailers may respond to genuine enquiries from potential customers.

does anyone know of a campsite nearby?
I am a genuine customer. Genuinely.
No really, I am.

He does come across a bit ‘Mr Fiddler’ from Carry on Camping.

To brakes: Sorry not allowed to tell you!