Pics from final stage of TOB

mossimus

Some pics I took from the London stage. http://www.flickr.com/photos/simoncopping/sets/72157624863603419/

ratsbeyfus

Thanks for sharing them!

FransJacques

I love the pictures of the finish. The tours of France, Italy, and Spain finish in capital cities as ou tour, but only we think the best place to have a final sprint is right beside a fricken fly-over bridge for that all impressive back drop.

I know the Pope's in town but come on boys and girls, is this the best back drop we can muster?

Reminds me of the flyovers heading out of town to the Eastway circuit back in the day.

dougzz

I sort of like it, more authentic than the standard Westminster Bridge, Tower of London, HoP, Big Ben cliché.

Harry B

I disagree Dougzz. I thought the location was a complete sh1thole in the middle of nowhere. They must have been able to find a better location than that.

Also the set up was poor. I was close to the start/finish line and could only see the top left hand corner of the large screen they had set up. Why couldnt they have put this somewhere so that it could be seen during the race?

I couldn't find anywhere to get some food and more importantly beer!

Last year there were people pretty much all the way around the course but not this year.

RichN95.

Next year, the final stage should be run on the same course as the Olympics. They have to do a trial run any way and it might lure a few more big names to the race.

FransJacques

This was probably covered so apologies for posing again - but did this course mirror any of the olympics route, or:

a) is the Olympics route yet to be designed?
b) was this more of a maxi-crit, mini circuit race like the worlds?

Cav will suit 2012 down to the ground since there are no hills I can think of which i) will split a pro peloton and ii) are close enough to a downtown finish to avoid a regroupment. May as well have the medal ceremony this year. Not that that's a bad thing, he's on fire right now and showing season-long form.

Gazzaputt

FransJacques wrote:

I know the Pope's in town but come on boys and girls, is this the best back drop we can muster?.

At the notice given yes. Newham stepped in and I'm told actually paid to have the event.

Some better pics of the Canary Wharf area in the background could be had up by the Excel centre. Also the dockside were good vantage points.

I was hoping London City airport would have been open as having pics of the planes crossing the peleton on Connaught Bridge as they were landing would have been good.

mossimus

Harry B wrote:

I couldn't find anywhere to get some food and more importantly beer!

Last year there were people pretty much all the way around the course but not this year.

There is a pub at the roudabout at the top of the start/finish straight, there was also a mini food festival outside the Excel exhibition centre.

Agreed the turnout was pretty poor.

RichN95.

FransJacques wrote:

This was probably covered so apologies for posing again - but did this course mirror any of the olympics route, or:

a) is the Olympics route yet to be designed?
b) was this more of a maxi-crit, mini circuit race like the worlds?

The stage was only stuck out there because of the Pope. I don't think the Olympics route has been finalised yet, but the IOC like a course that shows off the sights of the city and looks good on TV - so pancake flat central London then.

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

FransJacques wrote:

This was probably covered so apologies for posing again - but did this course mirror any of the olympics route, or:

a) is the Olympics route yet to be designed?
b) was this more of a maxi-crit, mini circuit race like the worlds?

The stage was only stuck out there because of the Pope. I don't think the Olympics route has been finalised yet, but the IOC like a course that shows off the sights of the city and looks good on TV - so pancake flat central London then.

Not sure how likely a pan-flat course will be.

The IOC also understand that a sporting spectacle is necessary. Ultimately, a sprint that Cavendish would not have to work hard to get is not a spectacle for the neutral viewer.

FransJacques

A technical director I'm not, but I can give the following input into central London design features:

I cross Southark bridge on the way into work and Blackfriars going home. Southark is not too humped, I'd call it a Cat 3/4 climb (0.15 km @ 2%), Blackfriars is much more humped, especially going from South to North so we'll call that apprach a Cat 2 (0.2 kms @ 3%). Westminster bridge is flat so that'll be an uncategorized climb.

Vauxhall bridge, now that's a longun, especially if you tackle the slopes on it's southern face. Rising to a majestic 12 meters above sea level (tide depending) the southern approach is a leg breaking 0.2 km @ 3% with ramps approaching 4.5%. Smart money will be on a compact for this Cat 1 beast. Rapha will have a commemorative shirt (Pont de Vauxhall).

For the finish, you could hold it on the last 100 meters coming out of the tunnel westbound on Picadilly where it turns into Knghtsbridge under HPC. That'll favour the wiry LBL finishers like the Andy Schleck or Vino. (And you'd only disrupt 2/5 arteries into the roundabout - surely a consideration in cycle-friendly London.

mroli

I thought the overhead shot where they were going faster than the train was pretty good... :oops:

Agent57

My sister got on TV in the ITV4 programme; she was standing behind Greg Henderson during the interview they showed at the beginning. Autograph hunting, she was; got some good ones, too.

Gazzaputt

Oh yea and I'm sure some riders were playing 'can you hit the spectator with a water bottle'.

Whilst taking some pics by the Excel Centre I had both half full bottles from Topsport and Vacansoleil whizz past my head.

Made a little lads day though when I gave the bottle to him. If I took any more bottles home my missus would throttle me.