2012 Olympic Route Announced

sonny73

See you on Box Hill: http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/london-2012-olympics-road-race-route-announced-29209
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rick_chasey

Fulham

Result.

Will barely have to leave my front door.

jibberjim

So it appears to be something like:

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=205331

(only 1 lap of Box Hill and I didn't bother retracing all the way back into the Mall.)

This means there are no hills at all on the course, it's completely flat (5% for 2km doesn't count, if they'd gone up some 20% even for just a short time then it might've...)

Some of the roads are in extremely poor condition, so if they do resurface for the race next year could be a good year for Box Hill Challenge times, and the KW Sporting 14 course record.

timmyflash

Goes right past my flat. Obviously still to be decided, but maybe i will just watch on telly then look out the window as they roar past on and off Putney Bridge. Quite exciting.

The bridge surface is a joke! I just don't understand how it gets so bad so quickly every time they fill in the craters on the bus lane. I assume it will be taken care of, but the condition of it changes massively on a weekly basis

takethehighroad

The loop of Box Hill is anticlockwise, no?

So it's two ascents. Still, the fact they wanted it to start and finish in London kind of limted their options. Now something in Sheffield, or North Wales...

Le Commentateur

Would be great if they cobbled the upper 2/3rds of Box Hill. They wouldn't need those speed humps to keep the day-trippers car speeds down then.

rick_chasey

Le Commentateur wrote:

Would be great if they cobbled the upper 2/3rds of Box Hill. They wouldn't need those speed humps to keep the day-trippers car speeds down then.

I doubt Cavendish would think the same!


15km flat run in. Surprised the IOC and UCI aren't suggesting they make the course more difficult.

Le Commentateur

Doing the maths, the mens course goes up Box Hill 10 times, compared with twice-only for the ladies.

Definitely the place to see the race.

sonny73

Le Commentateur wrote:

Doing the maths, the mens course goes up Box Hill 10 times, compared with twice-only for the ladies.

Definitely the place to see the race.

Very much so, it's going to be heaving like a mini Alpe d'Huez those days. Should be a great couple of days out.

mshort

This will be an awesome Olympic Course. The narrow roads will count against a big greoup staying together.

The Box Hill loop is both difficult and technical. I've done 5 loops of the Box Hill loop in one go and even though its not the hardest hill, by the 5th lap its brutal. The men are doing 10 laps. At the speed they'll go, even the best climbers will be feeling that hill by lap 8.

The back side of the loop has a couple of fast descents, narrow roads and some good corners. Will definitely allow a small selection to get away. The return to London is tailor made for the small group to stay away. Not many really long straight stretches, a prevailing tail wind and a down along a false flat all the way back to Kingston. I will be very surprised if there is a mass sprint. Its a course for the strong men with good bike handling and strong teams. Based on recent form, I'd be favouring guys like Evans, Haussler, Pozzato, Flecha, Boonen, Sanchez with Huschovd as a big contender.

mshort

Plus, they go up the Star & Garter Hill on the way home. That's a short and really punchy climb. I will be putting the stopwatch on that one. Exciting to see just how fast they get up that hill.

Anyone left in the lead group will be looking to use that as an opportunity to break and solo home.

mshort

jibberjim wrote:

So it appears to be something like:

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=205331

One bit of the course I think you've missed out is the hill they go over after East Clandon. From the map it looks like they turn left off the A246 and go up Staples Lane then down Coombe Bottom to the A25. I've done a fair share of training on that hill and its a serious little dig and will probably see an equally serious attack.

I'm looking forward to late summer when riders will come out and recce the course.

jibberjim

mshort wrote:

One bit of the course I think you've missed out is the hill they go over after East Clandon. From the map it looks like they turn left off the A246 and go up Staples Lane then down Coombe Bottom to the A25. I've done a fair share of training on that hill and its a serious little dig and will probably see an equally serious attack.

I'm looking forward to late summer when riders will come out and recce the course.

So the BR version here:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/articl ... Farticle#2

doesn't go anywhere near Coombe Bottom but the Olympic branded one at http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/new ... 950-75.jpg doesn't match their route well at all at the western end.

There is a choice on how you interpret that map if it goes over Staple Lane and down Coombe Bottom or not. However I believe it doesn't since the shaded area is in the wrong place for it - the actual route through staple lane / coombe bottom is through the shaded woody area. So I believe it goes up newlands instead. However the map is not conclusive. I'm pretty sure the bikeradar purlple squiggle is wrong though.
.

marko1982

I'm really pleased to see that the route twice passes within 5 minutes of my house and am looking forward to seeing the pro's riding the roads I ride week in week out. As a side issue we may even get some decent road surfaces out of it..... It's all about the 'Olympic legacy' after all!

FJS

mshort wrote:

This will be an awesome Olympic Course. The narrow roads will count against a big greoup staying together.

The Box Hill loop is both difficult and technical. I've done 5 loops of the Box Hill loop in one go and even though its not the hardest hill, by the 5th lap its brutal. The men are doing 10 laps. At the speed they'll go, even the best climbers will be feeling that hill by lap 8.

The back side of the loop has a couple of fast descents, narrow roads and some good corners. Will definitely allow a small selection to get away. The return to London is tailor made for the small group to stay away. Not many really long straight stretches, a prevailing tail wind and a down along a false flat all the way back to Kingston. I will be very surprised if there is a mass sprint. Its a course for the strong men with good bike handling and strong teams. Based on recent form, I'd be favouring guys like Evans, Haussler, Pozzato, Flecha, Boonen, Sanchez with Huschovd as a big contender.

You make it sound like it's a stage in the Alps - They're pros. It's flat. That Box Hill loop is about the length of a normal World Champs loop, but with only a 2km 5 % hill wont' do much damage. And then a 50 km or so flat ride in. Star and Garter doesn't count, it's what, 500 meter?

rick_chasey

FJS wrote:

mshort wrote:

This will be an awesome Olympic Course. The narrow roads will count against a big greoup staying together.

The Box Hill loop is both difficult and technical. I've done 5 loops of the Box Hill loop in one go and even though its not the hardest hill, by the 5th lap its brutal. The men are doing 10 laps. At the speed they'll go, even the best climbers will be feeling that hill by lap 8.

The back side of the loop has a couple of fast descents, narrow roads and some good corners. Will definitely allow a small selection to get away. The return to London is tailor made for the small group to stay away. Not many really long straight stretches, a prevailing tail wind and a down along a false flat all the way back to Kingston. I will be very surprised if there is a mass sprint. Its a course for the strong men with good bike handling and strong teams. Based on recent form, I'd be favouring guys like Evans, Haussler, Pozzato, Flecha, Boonen, Sanchez with Huschovd as a big contender.

You make it sound like it's a stage in the Alps - They're pros. It's flat. That Box Hill loop is about the length of a normal World Champs loop, but with only a 2km 5 % hill wont' do much damage. And then a 50 km or so flat ride in. Star and Garter doesn't count, it's what, 500 meter?

Yeah!

The pros will moan about 'heavy' English roads and furniture though..

TheStone

Similar to something like a Milan San Remo, except 50km flat finish makes it sure to be a sprinters event, even if the group might be as low as 50-80 riders after the loops.

rick_chasey

TheStone wrote:

Similar to something like a Milan San Remo, except 50km flat finish makes it sure to be a sprinters event, even if the group might be as low as 50-80 riders after the loops.

Indeed.

The question is really - who will lead out for Cavendish?

I'd imagine the Australians would have a good lead out - with the likes of Goss, Haussler, Renshaw...

EKIMIKE

Swift and Blythe

inkyfingers

Rick Chasey wrote:

The question is really - who will lead out for Cavendish?

They could put together as good a lead out train as anybody if they all agree to ride for Cav...Millar, Wiggins, Swift, Thomas, Hunt, Hammond, Downing, Stannard to name a few.

rick_chasey

inkyfingers wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

The question is really - who will lead out for Cavendish?

They could put together as good a lead out train as anybody if they all agree to ride for Cav...Millar, Wiggins, Swift, Thomas, Hunt, Hammond, Downing, Stannard to name a few.

Fair enough.

S'not quite the Haussler Goss Renshaw tripple threat though is it?

With Rogers and, if he wants to do it, Evans for the run in.

FJS

At the Olympics it's only 5 riders per team

rick_chasey

FJS wrote:

At the Olympics it's only 5 riders per team

That should be the Aussie 5 then!

Jeff Jones

jibberjim wrote:

So the BR version here:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/articl ... Farticle#2

doesn't go anywhere near Coombe Bottom but the Olympic branded one at http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/new ... 950-75.jpg doesn't match their route well at all at the western end.

There is a choice on how you interpret that map if it goes over Staple Lane and down Coombe Bottom or not. However I believe it doesn't since the shaded area is in the wrong place for it - the actual route through staple lane / coombe bottom is through the shaded woody area. So I believe it goes up newlands instead. However the map is not conclusive. I'm pretty sure the bikeradar purlple squiggle is wrong though.
.

Ours was an educated guess. The official map should be available tomorrow.

Jeff Jones

Official map now available:
:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/articl ... Farticle#2

We'll have another story on the route/reactions a bit later today.

jibberjim

So yes I'm now going that my route is wrong, and it doesn't go up newlands, but does do staple lane, otherwise it's right up until Leatherhead where I'm not clear on what the route is.

jibberjim

So now pretty sure this is the route

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=205875

So yes Staple Lane is now the biggest hill, with that steep little part. Still not enough to make any odds.

Le Commentateur

Staple Lane is where the inevitable small breakaway of no-hopers and helpers will happen, to nutralise attacks on the laps of Box Hill.

jibberjim wrote:

So yes I'm now going that my route is wrong, and it doesn't go up newlands, but does do staple lane, otherwise it's right up until Leatherhead where I'm not clear on what the route is.

It winkles its way through Leatherhead's town centre oneway system, then along the A245 for a bit before forking right along a pinchpoint called Oaklawn Road to cross the M25.



Then it joins the A244 for the run through Esher and towards London.

smithy21

As a Twickenham resident I like the look of this route. Looking forward to seeing how the pros ride those roads.

Richmond Park to be resurfaced again??

jibberjim

Le Commentateur wrote:

Staple Lane is where the inevitable small breakaway of no-hopers and helpers will happen, to nutralise attacks on the laps of Box Hill.

jibberjim wrote:

So yes I'm now going that my route is wrong, and it doesn't go up newlands, but does do staple lane, otherwise it's right up until Leatherhead where I'm not clear on what the route is.

It winkles its way through Leatherhead's town centre oneway system, then along the A245 for a bit before forking right along a pinchpoint called Oaklawn Road to cross the M25. Then it joins the A244 for the run through Esher and towards London.

Yeah after Leatherhead it's clear - it was through the leatherhead town center I was wondering. It does seem strange - why not just take it on the A24 all the way around if they're closing the A24 anyway south of Leatherhead?

sonny73

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/515688/olympic-road-race-route-officially-revealed.html

Details of the men's and women's 2012 Olympic Games cycling road race route were officially revealed to the public and assembled media on Box Hill, Surrey, by the London Organising Committee on Thursday morning.

Picked a nice day for it

The men's race is around 250 kilometres, including nine laps of a 15.5km circuit of Box Hill, with the women's clocking up 140 kilometres and including two laps of Box Hill.