Tour of British for Sky...

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Comments

  • jimcameron
    jimcameron Posts: 199
    But surely being the tour of britain it could have at least one stage in each country of Britain every year. 8 stages, 1 welsh 7 english...only asking for one stage up our way!
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    jimcameron wrote:
    But surely being the tour of britain it could have at least one stage in each country of Britain every year. 8 stages, 1 welsh 7 english...only asking for one stage up our way!

    But a lot / most of the funding comes from tourist boards, development agencies and local authorities. I am sure that is a big part of why Blackpool gets a start or finish every year. They are prepared to (and have capacity to) invest in attracting visitors. Clearly that will (or budget) can't be there from the Scottish bodies.

    Having just made this point it strikes me that there is a very high probability this will be the end of yet another version of the ToB because there is going to be no money for one next year.
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    jimcameron wrote:
    But surely being the tour of britain it could have at least one stage in each country of Britain every year. 8 stages, 1 welsh 7 english...only asking for one stage up our way!

    are you on drugs (of the non-performance enhancing variety)?
    @stagehopper
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    What about Northern Ireland? As others have said it is up to local tourist boards and Councils to put in a bid to host a stage so lobby your local Councillor if you want a visit but someone will always be disappointed as a short stage race can't possibly visit the whole country. The TdF misses out virtually the entire centre of France every year and is 3 times longer!
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    morstar wrote:
    jimcameron wrote:
    But surely being the tour of britain it could have at least one stage in each country of Britain every year. 8 stages, 1 welsh 7 english...only asking for one stage up our way!

    But a lot / most of the funding comes from tourist boards, development agencies and local authorities. I am sure that is a big part of why Blackpool gets a start or finish every year. They are prepared to (and have capacity to) invest in attracting visitors. Clearly that will (or budget) can't be there from the Scottish bodies.

    Having just made this point it strikes me that there is a very high probability this will be the end of yet another version of the ToB because there is going to be no money for one next year.

    That's an interesting point.
    Given the Regional Development Agencies (most of which are being closed down)fund/dictate the route, it does make you wonder whether the ToB will continue beyond this year - at least in it's current guise.
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    RichN95 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    So they've left out the defending champion and Kennaugh? Are they doing the Vuelta? I can see Downing winning, his sort of race.

    I reckon Kennaugh will do the Vuelta and EBH will do those ranking races in Canada (which look the sprinter type of course)

    I hope Kennaugh does do the Vuelta, be good to see him get a GT in his legs. He's such a fantastic prospect and what's the betting we are talking about him on here in the future, as he give's Bertie and Schleck a run for their money?
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    Sonny73 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    So they've left out the defending champion and Kennaugh? Are they doing the Vuelta? I can see Downing winning, his sort of race.

    I reckon Kennaugh will do the Vuelta and EBH will do those ranking races in Canada (which look the sprinter type of course)

    I hope Kennaugh does do the Vuelta, be good to see him get a GT in his legs. He's such a fantastic prospect and what's the betting we are talking about him on here in the future, as he give's Bertie and Schleck a run for their money?

    Such talk is wildly premature.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    +1 my thoughts exactly. Give him a go in a GT and the Vuelta is probably the best starting point.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    pedro118118 wrote:
    Sonny73 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    So they've left out the defending champion and Kennaugh? Are they doing the Vuelta? I can see Downing winning, his sort of race.

    I reckon Kennaugh will do the Vuelta and EBH will do those ranking races in Canada (which look the sprinter type of course)

    I hope Kennaugh does do the Vuelta, be good to see him get a GT in his legs. He's such a fantastic prospect and what's the betting we are talking about him on here in the future, as he give's Bertie and Schleck a run for their money?

    Such talk is wildly premature.

    Not really as he says "what's the betting" not that he expects it to happen
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    Congratulations Pross - you've just won an argument with yourself. :?
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    pedro118118 wrote:
    Sonny73 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    So they've left out the defending champion and Kennaugh? Are they doing the Vuelta? I can see Downing winning, his sort of race.

    I reckon Kennaugh will do the Vuelta and EBH will do those ranking races in Canada (which look the sprinter type of course)

    I hope Kennaugh does do the Vuelta, be good to see him get a GT in his legs. He's such a fantastic prospect and what's the betting we are talking about him on here in the future, as he give's Bertie and Schleck a run for their money?

    Such talk is wildly premature.
    It is indeed, but it's nice to imagine none the less :D
  • timturpinfleck
    timturpinfleck Posts: 59
    jimcameron wrote:
    But surely being the tour of britain it could have at least one stage in each country of Britain every year. 8 stages, 1 welsh 7 english...only asking for one stage up our way!

    Scotland's population is 5 million, Wales 3 million, England 50 million, so the majority of stages will be in England. We all moan about the route, but we'll be moaning even more if the race is cancelled thanks to the Tory government's cuts. We need sustained British success on the road to get the public on our side and for them to want to see the ToB in their area.
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    HTC Columbia comfirmed participation, but no Cav?!
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    pedro118118 wrote:
    HTC Columbia comfirmed participation, but no Cav?!

    Vuelta instead. Makes more sense for the Worlds.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    interesting that Dan Martin isn't doing the Vuelta. Millar was doing the two in a season by 2000-2002. Must be DM or his staff fear burnout
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    timturpinfleck wrote:
    jimcameron wrote:
    But surely being the tour of britain it could have at least one stage in each country of Britain every year. 8 stages, 1 welsh 7 english...only asking for one stage up our way!

    Scotland's population is 5 million, Wales 3 million, England 50 million, so the majority of stages will be in England. We all moan about the route, but we'll be moaning even more if the race is cancelled thanks to the Tory government's cuts. We need sustained British success on the road to get the public on our side and for them to want to see the ToB in their area.

    Last time I looked it was a coalition government :wink: and let's face it losing a bike race is hardly a big issue to 99.9% of the population. Cut back on essential services or cut a bike race? I think even I would realise that the race isn't that important. The organisers could try to run it with private sponsorship and then would possibly be able to have a more varied geographic route.
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    It has a varied geographical route from year to year, it's just posters have goldfish-like memories.
    @stagehopper
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    The race goes where the Regional Development Agencies/Local Aithorities are prepared to fund it. Given RDAs are being abolished and LAs are being tasked with finding savings of 30%+ on their budgets, then it's fair to assume that this year's ToB will the the last - at least in it's current guise/format.

    Next year's race would have to be privately funded. like the Tour of Ireland..............which has folded, due to lack of commercial support.
  • ruswilks
    ruswilks Posts: 72
    Columbia are bringing some of the big guns out to play - Renshaw, Griepel, Rogers, Grabsch, Martin and Pinotti!

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/htc-columbia-name-strong-line-up-for-tour-of-britain
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Some more ToB line ups, with some decent names, particularly sprinters.

    Provisional Cervelo Test Team line-up for The Tour of Britain:
    Heinrich Haussler; Jeremy Hunt; Ignatas Konovalovas; Daniel Lloyd; Gabriel Rasch; Martin Reimer

    Provisional Colnago – CSF Inox line-up for The Tour of Britain:
    Manuel Belletti; Federico Canuti; Alberto Contoli; Marco Frapporti; Alan Marangoni; Sacha Modolo;

    Provisional ISD – Neri Giambenini line-up for The Tour of Britain:
    Simon Clarke; Pierpaolo De Negri; Elia Favilli; Oscar Gatto; Gianluca Mirenda; Patrik Sinkewitz

    Provisional Ireland line-up for The Tour of Britain:
    Stephen Barrett, Sam Bennett; Aaron Buggle; Marcus Christie; Sean Downey; Martyn Irvine

    Provisional Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team line-up for The Tour of Britain:
    Borut Bozic; Michal Golas; Johnny Hoogerland; Martin Mortensen; Alberto Ongarato; Wout Poels
    Twitter: @RichN95

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