Surrey Cycle Classic (i.e. Olympics test run)
Comments
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gsk82 wrote:hammerite wrote:I was on The Mall for the start and finish. I have to say, I feel sorry for anyone who has paid to be in there next year. I knew what it'd be like, and it's fine with free tickets... but literally we saw the rider intros, them set off, then the riders coming in to the finish. Probably a few mins of action at most if you see everyone cross the line and not run straight off to get a good spot for the podium celebrations.
That said hopefully they'll have a big screen showing the rest of the race as it happens.
Not sure what we'll do to watch, sounds like it's going to be rammed anywhere along the route.
I know some people don't think a lot of Pat McQuaid, but it's not very good booing him as he's announced to present Cav.
what else would you expect from a road race? they're crap to watch
Have to agree would never pay, I cannot beleive people have bought tickets to watch the open water swimming thats just as bad a lot of splashing in the distance and not much else!0 -
I love the fact that people can't be @rsed to get up in the morning to watch some of the best Pros in the world when there are hundreds of bike riders getting up at 4-5am to ride thier TT's or Road Races which start at 7am in the morning.
Also thousands of club riders getting up early every Sunday to ride over to get to thier Club ride.
This Race was on at that time because the roads aren't so busy as with Open TTs starting at 7am on busy A roads. Less traffic.
I do worry you know. :?
-Jerry
PS- As for the fat guy; did he beat the pros in the sprint??“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein
"You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
-Jacques Anquetil0 -
redddraggon wrote:Mdheaton wrote:Good atmosphere in Richmond Park where I was. A slightly overweight middle aged man somehow got on the course just in front of the second peloton and got a huge cheer as he came.
A cycling fan joins the riders in Richmond Park by RozJones, on Flickr
What a prize twat! In a week where this country has been on worldwide TV for all the wrong reasons we can't even control our public for a major sporting event :oops: .
He needs that smirk wiped off his stupid face.0 -
He wouldn't be grinning like that if they'd have ploughed into him at 30 mph... fat dumbass0
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RoyPSB wrote:redddraggon wrote:Mdheaton wrote:Good atmosphere in Richmond Park where I was. A slightly overweight middle aged man somehow got on the course just in front of the second peloton and got a huge cheer as he came.
A cycling fan joins the riders in Richmond Park by RozJones, on Flickr
What a prize fool! In a week where this country has been on worldwide TV for all the wrong reasons we can't even control our public for a major sporting event :oops: .
He needs that smirk wiped off his stupid face.
What an ignorant tw@t, no respect what so ever, would have applauded had he been side swiped into the barrier, although he probably would have sued on health and safety grounds :roll:0 -
SLX01 wrote:My only complaint on the day was the amount of spectators that ignored requests to keep off the road eventually resulting in taking a rider down near where I was. There was also a complete disrespect for the road closures by cyclists including one club group who decided to head off down the course in the opposite direction to the race after the peloton had passed but before the stragglers from the race or broom wagon had passed! :shock:
Ah, The bizarre double standards of the health and safety brigade. Security at Hampton Court practically fell over themselves to tell me to get down from my vantage point standing on Hampton Court Bridge (nowhere near the river or road), yet stood around doing nothing as people wandered across the main road after the 2nd peloton had passed and allowed a bunch of mamils to trundle up the road behidn the riders.0 -
does anyone know how to get a list of the riders race numbers? Got plenty of pictures of race at Weybridge and then in Esher but trying to i'd a number of the riders. thanks0
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redddraggon wrote:Mdheaton wrote:Good atmosphere in Richmond Park where I was. A slightly overweight middle aged man somehow got on the course just in front of the second peloton and got a huge cheer as he came.
A cycling fan joins the riders in Richmond Park by RozJones, on Flickr
Yet again, LOCOG have been caught out as woefully unprepared. First they fail to check that box hill was suitable for the event, being a site of special scientific interest. Then, they completely fail to appreciate that nothing, and I mean nothing, gets in the way of a MAMIL and his Sunday morning jaunt round round richmond park.
BTW, he's grinning like that because his bike is the most expensive.0 -
gsk82 wrote:hammerite wrote:I was on The Mall for the start and finish. I have to say, I feel sorry for anyone who has paid to be in there next year. I knew what it'd be like, and it's fine with free tickets... but literally we saw the rider intros, them set off, then the riders coming in to the finish. Probably a few mins of action at most if you see everyone cross the line and not run straight off to get a good spot for the podium celebrations.
That said hopefully they'll have a big screen showing the rest of the race as it happens.
Not sure what we'll do to watch, sounds like it's going to be rammed anywhere along the route.
I know some people don't think a lot of Pat McQuaid, but it's not very good booing him as he's announced to present Cav.
what else would you expect from a road race? they're crap to watch
I think I already said I knew what to expect, having been to quite a few races. I quite enjoy the build up and expectation, but I've never paid to go and watch a road race.
My point was as SLX also says about paying. I wouldn't bother paying for a ticket, I'm not sure what people who have paid for a place on The Mall are expecting though. There was no merchandising, no promotions, only one catering van, no other entertainment apart from Ant McCrossan commentating (based on what he could find out from race radio), no big screen showing the rest of the race, no advertising.
It was fine for us on Sunday, we just went for a wander around the National Gallery, and got back in time for the finish. I wouldn't be so happy to do that had I paid £50 for a ticket like some people will have for next years Olympics.
Would've made a better spectacle all round if the Olympic race was more like a World's circuit where you see the riders many times as they ride around a shorter circuit.0 -
I'm sure there'll be a big screen for the finish line spectators on the day though. Asking for trouble if not.0
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Le Commentateur wrote:I'm sure there'll be a big screen for the finish line spectators on the day though. Asking for trouble if not.
According to a LOCOG friend of mine involved on Sunday, they couldn't justify the cost of it for the test event (apparently they hire from Panasonic) but there will be a screen at the real event.0 -
aspender wrote:Le Commentateur wrote:I'm sure there'll be a big screen for the finish line spectators on the day though. Asking for trouble if not.
According to a LOCOG friend of mine involved on Sunday, they couldn't justify the cost of it for the test event (apparently they hire from Panasonic) but there will be a screen at the real event.
Oh, thats birlliant news for the Millions of people who are not the 3000 with wristbands then. :roll:0 -
hstiles wrote:redddraggon wrote:Mdheaton wrote:Good atmosphere in Richmond Park where I was. A slightly overweight middle aged man somehow got on the course just in front of the second peloton and got a huge cheer as he came.
A cycling fan joins the riders in Richmond Park by RozJones, on Flickr
Yet again, LOCOG have been caught out as woefully unprepared. First they fail to check that box hill was suitable for the event, being a site of special scientific interest. Then, they completely fail to appreciate that nothing, and I mean nothing, gets in the way of a MAMIL and his Sunday morning jaunt round round richmond park.
BTW, he's grinning like that because his bike is the most expensive.
The riders are giving him dirty stares as he's not wearing any socks, which we all know is against the rules.0 -
Name, shame then locate him.+++++++++++++++++++++
we are the proud, the few, Descendents.
Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.0 -
Bet he's really pleased with himself too, the pr*ck0
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I just surprised he isn't also wearing Mavic shoes, the ones that come in mid-life crisis bright yellow.0
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aspender wrote:Le Commentateur wrote:I'm sure there'll be a big screen for the finish line spectators on the day though. Asking for trouble if not.
According to a LOCOG friend of mine involved on Sunday, they couldn't justify the cost of it for the test event (apparently they hire from Panasonic) but there will be a screen at the real event.
They should have popped down Currys last week my local store seemed to be giving them away!!0 -
LeicesterLad wrote:aspender wrote:Le Commentateur wrote:I'm sure there'll be a big screen for the finish line spectators on the day though. Asking for trouble if not.
According to a LOCOG friend of mine involved on Sunday, they couldn't justify the cost of it for the test event (apparently they hire from Panasonic) but there will be a screen at the real event.
Oh, thats birlliant news for the Millions of people who are not the 3000 with wristbands then. :roll:
Sorry, I've read that a few times and don't understand what you are getting at.
For a free event they couldn't justify the cost of a screen on The Mall. For the Olympic event where people on the start/finish have paid for their tickets then presumably one of the benefits of that extra revenue is better facilities for spectators.
I simply don't get what you are complaining about.0 -
aspender wrote:LeicesterLad wrote:aspender wrote:Le Commentateur wrote:I'm sure there'll be a big screen for the finish line spectators on the day though. Asking for trouble if not.
According to a LOCOG friend of mine involved on Sunday, they couldn't justify the cost of it for the test event (apparently they hire from Panasonic) but there will be a screen at the real event.
Oh, thats birlliant news for the Millions of people who are not the 3000 with wristbands then. :roll:
Sorry, I've read that a few times and don't understand what you are getting at.
For a free event they couldn't justify the cost of a screen on The Mall. For the Olympic event where people on the start/finish have paid for their tickets then presumably one of the benefits of that extra revenue is better facilities for spectators.
I simply don't get what you are complaining about.
:roll:
what i am getting at is perhaps there should have been better planning, a different location, where you know, maybe people could turn up and watch wherever they like, without scrambling for a wrist band and being told sorry, the only interesting pat of the race is off limits because Coe and other such toffee nosed turds couldn't be arsed to ask the NT if it was ok to use a venue, and ultimately couldn't give a shiny sh*te about any form of regular spectator, and are now far to proud to say, we got it wrong, lets move to another hill, without crap access and a shed load of pot holes that we are not even going to repair properly, instead we will let it run, and as we have used up all those nice tax-payers funds to waste on such an overblown sporting event, lets give them a big telly to watch the race on, rather than actually let them watch it out on the road, the road they pay road tax for, in the olympics they paid for.0 -
If they're still paying road tax, they should probably stop. As it doesn't exist, and they are wasting their money.You live and learn. At any rate, you live0
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Jez mon wrote:If they're still paying road tax, they should probably stop. As it doesn't exist, and they are wasting their money.
Whatever Sh*tty tax it is a have to pay for for a 3 year delay in repairing pot-holes on my god forsaken estate.0 -
LeicesterLad wrote:what i am getting at is perhaps there should have been better planning, a different location, where you know, maybe people could turn up and watch wherever they like,
It appears tens of thousands did just that, and will do again next year.LeicesterLad wrote:without scrambling for a wrist band and being told sorry, the only interesting pat of the race is off limits because Coe and other such toffee nosed turds couldn't be arsed to ask the NT if it was ok to use a venue, and ultimately couldn't give a shiny sh*te about any form of regular spectator, and are now far to proud to say, we got it wrong, lets move to another hill, without crap access and a shed load of pot holes that we are not even going to repair properly, instead we will let it run
Ok, so like a lot of other enthusiasts you are annoyed that Box Hill doesn't resemble Alpe D'Huez for the number of laps that the Olympic Road Race and associated test event entails. However outside of the cycling fraternity, guess what, nobody cares that much and it will not have any significant negative impact overall. Also, let's remember that this route was not the original one that LOCOG planned. The UCI told them to change for something more selective. I'm pretty sure that there will also be numerous UCI and IOC rules around the Olympic Road Race which force compromises on spectating. I challenge you to name me any Olympic Road Race on which you've seen a packed hillside for instance? In fact, I bet most probably don't even remember much at all about previous parcours.LeicesterLad wrote:and as we have used up all those nice tax-payers funds to waste on such an overblown sporting event, lets give them a big telly to watch the race on, rather than actually let them watch it out on the road, the road they pay road tax for, in the olympics they paid for.
Your taxpaying money would have had to pay for screens last Sunday, for what was first and foremost a test of the event logistics, timing etc. Plonking down Jumbotrons was not critical. Next time around paying punters on The Mall justify them being there to ensure the punters get value for money. And once again, there were approximately 130km of publicly accessible road available at no cost at all and with no restriction.
It's natural for us as cyclists to want to think that we should be able to watch the event from the best vantage point, but face facts that even if Box Hill was completely open, or if another local hill was used instead, the physical limitations of how many people can get onto the side of the road would still entail. There would still need to be marshaling, and there would still be restrictions as that's what would be required for the event to take place at all.
And finally, you state as fact that "[they] are now far to [sic] proud to say, we got it wrong" whereas I think you'll find that they've been very clear in saying that they do want to learn lessons from the running of the test event - that's the whole point of it after all. However if you think that they are going to turn around and change the route significantly then dream on.0 -
Good Reply. No Further Comment.
(ps. Still think its a load of crap though.)0 -
LeicesterLad wrote:Jez mon wrote:If they're still paying road tax, they should probably stop. As it doesn't exist, and they are wasting their money.
Whatever Sh*tty tax it is a have to pay for for a 3 year delay in repairing pot-holes on my god forsaken estate.
council tax0 -
LeicesterLad wrote:Jez mon wrote:If they're still paying road tax, they should probably stop. As it doesn't exist, and they are wasting their money.
Whatever Sh*tty tax it is a have to pay for for a 3 year delay in repairing pot-holes on my god forsaken estate.
You should move to London, all the regional taxes are spent here on making everything wonderful. Don't tell the others but London's streets really are paved with gold
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natrix wrote:SLX01 wrote:My only complaint on the day was the amount of spectators that ignored requests to keep off the road eventually resulting in taking a rider down near where I was. There was also a complete disrespect for the road closures by cyclists including one club group who decided to head off down the course in the opposite direction to the race after the peloton had passed but before the stragglers from the race or broom wagon had passed! :shock:
Agreed, I felt sorry for the stragglers fighting through spectators who had started to head off down the road, lots of 'officials' stood around who did nothing to stop this.
As a volunteer Gamesmaker in a Box Hill marshalling position, I think the problem here was the fact that, contrary to what we'd been told, no official - UCI, LOCOG or otherwise - advised us exactly when we were allowed to open the course up again to the public. For those less experienced marshalls, with so many splits in the peloton and so many vehicles involved, the exact back of the race may not have been entirely clear! We were told that a motorcycle official would give clear instructions when we could allow the course to be walked/cycled along. Didn't happen. Plus paid stewards were actually in charge of crowd control - and I doubt many of them had any experience whatsoever of a cycling event of that size so mistakes were bound to happen.0 -
ironically it sounds like the test was the marshalling system (or lack there of).
in ancillary news, sigma sports is sponsoring, in my view, a quite expensive £25 sportive to cycle the olympic route in september. assume targeted to the non-london crowd since much of it is the typical weekend jaunt to surrey.0 -
I suppose that's what the whole event was for: make mistakes now so they can be learnt from before next year.
Re: the marshalls - it's pretty simple
Step 1. Have a big meeting before the race with all of the marshalls.
Step 2. Tell them to wait for the broom wagon.
Step 3. Err, that's it."Difficult, difficult, lemon difficult"0 -
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