TdF Prologue - watching; where, and when arrive

ajevans · June 2007

Apologies if this topic has already been covered, I couldn't find the threads.

Firstly where would be the best place to watch the prologue from?

Secondly what time would be a sensible time to arrive?

The first is rather subjective, and second is hard to gauge, but I would appreciate your opinions

dave35 · June 2007

Best place would be Hyde Park, you can see it all on the big screens and walk round some of the course from there.

richa · June 2007

Arrive early if you want spot on the railings. Later if you don't minbd being further back.

Take a camping chair, sit and enjoy the build up...

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

ajevans · June 2007

How early is early?

canon dale · June 2007

We're on the first train from Loughboro at 6:20, expect to be in the smoke for 8:10 and in place by 11:00 ish in hope that'll give a fair to good spot.

Mr camping chair will be with us and be our best friend!

richa · June 2007

The official time schedule is...

Caravane...13:00
First......15:00
Last.......18:08

http://www.letour.fr/2007/TDF/COURSE/us ... ape_0.html

Reckon in place by 11ish should be fine.

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

fortytwosixteen · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RichA

The official time schedule is...

Caravane...13:00
First......15:00
Last.......18:08

http://www.letour.fr/2007/TDF/COURSE/us ... ape_0.html

Reckon in place by 11ish should be fine.

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

These are the times quoted on the TDF website, does anyone know, are they definitely local times i.e. BST or are they French time or CET?
The TDF website isn't clear on this

dave35 · June 2007

I've seen the prologue before, and it's not that difficult to get a spot later than 11 a.m. instead of staying in the same place, walk round the course and there will be spaces to see the riders, take a coolbag with some food and beer in and enjoy the day.Head into covent garden after for dinner and a few more beers-great.

RichN95. · June 2007

Also does anyone who's been to a prologue before know if you can get something that tells you the order of the riders at the race itself - or if they publish it on the internet the day before.

(I want to bore my non-cycling fan friends about the riders as they come through)

knedlicky · June 2007

I've also seen the prologue before and agree with dave35 that it's not usually that difficult to get a spot when the event is on, instead of arriving somewhere years early and staying in the same place - unless you want to make a real long picnic of the day, like people do along the route of the mountain stages.

Though I suppose it may be more crowded than a prologue on the Continent, because it's such a big and unusual thing for the UK and for British cyclists.

And also agree with dave35 that it's best to walk part of the course (including start and finish) so you get to see a bit of everything. Perhaps do start and finish early on (before the favoured riders take off, when it's less crowded thereabouts) and then settle down at some nice bit in one of the parks to have your picnic and await the main contenders. Around the start area is normally the only chance you have to see the riders or their bikes close-up and relatively motionless.

I suppose it's also possible moving around a lot might not be easy - the British police and authorities always seem to go overboard in control measures compared to their counterparts at similar events abroad, and this might restrict how free you are to move around.

I've known the starting order by buying that morning's local regional paper, though I imagine it may be also published in that morning's L'Equipe and nowadays available on Internet a day or two beforehand.

monty_dogcp · June 2007

The only exclusion to the above is if you want to get a spot by the start ramp - you'll need to get there early and stay there judging by the crowds I've seen as previous events.

as50215 · July 2007

Just a quick question about our plans, a place in car has come up so now I can come up for the tour

we plan on driving up to Hounslow West and jumping on the tube straight to hyde park corner, does this sound ok to people that know the area well ?

Rob Sallnow · July 2007

as50215 wrote:

Just a quick question about our plans, a place in car has come up so now I can come up for the tour we plan on driving up to Hounslow West and jumping on the tube straight to hyde park corner, does this sound ok to people that know the area well ?

http://www.tourdefrancelondon.com/pdf/d ... ue-map.pdf

This map says under Hyde Park Corner that access may be restricted.

as50215 · July 2007

Thanks for the reply but its an exit only station for crowd control so going back just have to walk to next station

nirveous · July 2007

Yep, I'm going to Hyde Park. That's right, I'm from MBUK, but I'm going to watch some roadying.

honeythief · July 2007

does anyone think there will be some "quiet" parts on the route?

PutneyJoe · July 2007

Anyone know what time Wiggins and Millar will ride? I've got to pick up my son from a fricken birthday party in the afternoon and then rush up there. But I don't want to miss their rides so tv is the other option.

red_tom · July 2007

I'm going for the corner of Parliment sq nearest Parliment. There's a big screen there and should hopefully get a good view of the riders coming down Whitehall and navigating the square. Camping out from 11am (I'm 6' 5'', ginger and incredibly spenno Rapha top that my missus bought me for our anniversary if anyone else is around there.)

Totalnewbie · July 2007

Am currently wondering whether to cycle over to Hyde Park and leave bike in one of the parking spots (only live about 3 miles away) or whether crowds make that a bad idea.

Thinking about it, am not sure I could be bothered to get there very early though as I'll be on my own and there's a limit to how long I can kill time before getting bored...

davesnothere · July 2007

I'm a mountain biker too but I follow le tour

and seeing as it's passing less than a mile from my house it would be rude to not ride over and watch it roll past

TdF Prologue - watching; where, and when arrive

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