Tour of Britain in Londres *spoiler*

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Comments

  • NervexProf
    NervexProf Posts: 4,202
    A good summary of Stage 1 here:

    http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/news_pag ... newsid=153
    Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom
  • leguape
    leguape Posts: 986
    edited September 2008
    sing_for_absolution wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    The ITV4 show was kinda dull tbh. Boulting is no Imlach. And Hugh Porter's pronunciation of Agritubel literally makes me wince.

    haha indeed. I was hoping for Liggett and Sherwin, but it seems they'd rather be in Ireland? :cry:

    What are the BBC implying with this little sentence here!?
    Britain's Olympic double gold medallist Bradley Wiggins was well down in the field in 93rd place

    Did they think he'll go solo with 4 km to go and win with a time better than his olympic final ride? :lol:

    Well given that a huge number of the people there were there to see Wiggins, it's probably useful to mention where he finished.

    And the highlights were not particularly well put together. But you've got to cut down 2 hours plus inserts on a fast turnaround and get a conformed master in segments to the TX playout. If there's anyone on this board who thinks they can do that and do it consdierably better, you should have tendered for it.

    I've watched enough regional races in other countries to be able to say that that was a pretty reasonable turnaround. At least we got a view of the finish that wasn't from the grandstand twenty rows back (hello the Vuelta and Eneco Tour).
    http://www.atomicecho.com/cycling
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    NervexProf wrote:
    So tell me Kleber - how would you fund 'top drawer' TV coverage, sans media studies students?
    I don't know. But I'd start by asking the production crew from the Tour of Ireland.
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    cygnet wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    According to the results on Cyclingnews, one of the Plowman Craven riders was disqualified... anyone know why?

    One possibility - one of the PC riders got a huge tow from the team car trying to get back to the main bunch, and right down the finishing straight too.

    Was talking to them this morning, and it's exactly that.

    Wiggins was being interviewed yesterday and he said he'd only really been out on a bike last Wednesday since Beijing, so no wonder he's taking it steady. Sinking beers on Jonathon Ross on Thursday night probably isn't the best preparation.

    Was marshalling near the start this morning, some colourful language from Rob Hayles as his tyre popped and started hissing with ony a few minutes to go.

    I'll post some pics of yesterday and today a bit later.
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    afx237vi wrote:
    According to the results on Cyclingnews, one of the Plowman Craven riders was disqualified... anyone know why?.
    Lifted from VeloRiders:
    The [Plowman Craven] team's bad luck continued after the race however, when rider Alex Higham was disqualified for "seeking illegal mechanical assistance" while trying to tighten his handlebars. Despite an appeal, and support from other teams and officials who thought the decision unfair, Higham was forced to leave the race reducing the team to five riders
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • wildmoustache
    wildmoustache Posts: 4,010
    iainf72 wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    The ITV4 show was kinda dull tbh. Boulting is no Imlach. And Hugh Porter's pronunciation of Agritubel literally makes me wince.

    I thought it was awful rather than dull.

    The edits were all over the shop - When I was watching the big break went past me and Di Luca sat up and started looking back etc, so I thought he was going to just sit up and wait for the peloton. Next time I see him he's off solo - And what do we get on TV? Yep, adverts and then Di Luca out in front - No catch shown, no attack from the Killer, nutting.

    And having been to 2 ToB's in London before I didn't think the crowds were any bigger - Yet they seemed to be implying there were loads of new fans because of the people who won medals on a wooden oval?

    +1 . who were the commentators.

    having been a london cyclist for 10 years or so and done my (little) bit to help encourage others into it I found it offensive they were attributing the increase in popularity of cycling in london to the olympics.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    iainf72 wrote:
    The edits were all over the shop - When I was watching the big break went past me and Di Luca sat up and started looking back etc, so I thought he was going to just sit up and wait for the peloton. Next time I see him he's off solo - And what do we get on TV? Yep, adverts and then Di Luca out in front - No catch shown, no attack from the Killer, nutting.
    That was exactly my experience. I guess we must have been stood nearish.

    I appreciated their coverage of the Boasson Hagen break (which I'd completely missed) but apart from that, it was all pretty rubbish. They made it all seem so boring that I struggle to believe they will have hooked any casual viewers lured in by the Olympic success.
    iainf72 wrote:
    And having been to 2 ToB's in London before I didn't think the crowds were any bigger - Yet they seemed to be implying there were loads of new fans because of the people who won medals on a wooden oval?

    This was my second, the finishing stage two years ago being the first, and I got the impression there were a few more people about which, given the weather, was not too bad.
  • wildmoustache
    wildmoustache Posts: 4,010
    the crowds weren't bad, but not huge given what a big chunk on central london it took up.

    i read about 100,000.

    beyond embankment it was pretty empty except for at the turn at Tower Hill.

    still, 100,000 is ok. at least the event was disrupted by cars/ peds or whatever.
  • sing_for_absolution
    sing_for_absolution Posts: 1,908
    wildmoustache wrote:

    +1 . who were the commentators.

    Hugh Porter (first time I've heard him outside the BBC) and that Anthony McCrossan Cycling.tv. Anyone know why Sherwin and Liggett weren't doing it?
  • mhuk
    mhuk Posts: 327
    Any idea where the Worcester stage will start on Wednesday now that the race course is under water?

    Midlands Today said "somewhere close" and there is nothing that I can see on the TOB website..
    Scott Scale
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    afx237vi wrote:
    The ITV4 show was kinda dull tbh. Boulting is no Imlach. And Hugh Porter's pronunciation of Agritubel literally makes me wince.

    At least he didn't go on about Kolobnev's calves ! (Kolobnoev being in Spain, I know but it drove me mad at the Olympics.
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    DeadCalm wrote:
    That was exactly my experience. I guess we must have been stood nearish.

    My nearly 5 year old was yelling "hurray" and the baby threw up on the pavement - If you heard / saw that then you saw me :wink:
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    here's some of my photos from the ToB yesterday. Won't let me load anymore on but I have a couple from this morning too http://www.flickr.com/photos/30315321@N04/
  • FullFrameRob
    FullFrameRob Posts: 188
    edited September 2008
    Was in the big city over the weekend, so went down to Tower Hill to watch stage 1. Took a few pics http://www.flickr.com/photos/astanaimag ... 94/detail/

    Its wasnt the same as been in Paris for the TDF but it was an afternoon well spent, big screen that was put up was a good move, shame there wasnt any commentary to go with the pictures.

    And finally why was Russ Downing riding Valverde's bike ? http://www.flickr.com/photos/astanaimag ... 182484094/
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    iainf72 wrote:
    My nearly 5 year old was yelling "hurray" and the baby threw up on the pavement - If you heard / saw that then you saw me :wink:
    Ah, the joys of parenthood. LOL, I missed that. Hope the baby is ok.
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    nypd wrote:
    And finally why was Russ Downing riding Valverde's bike ? http://www.flickr.com/photos/astanaimag ... 182484094/

    I've also been wondering that he also rode it during the Tour of Ireland.
  • FullFrameRob
    FullFrameRob Posts: 188
    hammerite wrote:
    nypd wrote:
    And finally why was Russ Downing riding Valverde's bike ? http://www.flickr.com/photos/astanaimag ... 182484094/

    I've also been wondering that he also rode it during the Tour of Ireland.


    Just found out why, http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/articl ... %2Farticle looks like Valverde's Spanish National Champion paint job is now available for anyone that wants it, although if i was buying a Prince the last thing i would do is get it in some ghastly yellow & red paint job.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I quite like it to be honest !
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    nypd wrote:
    And finally why was Russ Downing riding Valverde's bike ?

    From the Pinarello RT website:
    Russell was riding a rather special yellow & red Valverde Prince (the only one currently in the UK) especially inscribed with the words 'Don Fonzy - Prince of Premiers'

    Valverde's is apparently inscribed "Don Alejandro", so Russ (nickname Fonzy) is obviously thinking along the same lines.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • aarw
    aarw Posts: 448
    funny, thought fonzy would have been more keen on a black bike and have chose this new colour scheme:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2008/ ... 4/IMG_2509

    stealing someone elses colour scheme and nickname too... :oops:

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