Tour of Britain - Stage 5 Devon

Mark Bom

I've managed to get a couple of days off work and going to watch Stage 5 of the Tour of Britain in Devon.

My family live in Exmouth where the stage finishes so I'm planning on cycling up to Exeter to watch the sign in and get back to see the finish.

I'm wondering if I can get out to Dartmoor from Exeter to watch them go over Haytor, then back to Exmouth for the finish?

Anyone doing something similar, or is it cutting it fine to get from Exeter to Haytor before the peloton passes? I reckon Haytor to Exmouth is fine as it'll be a couple of hours before they loop down into Exmouth.

Tom BB

I have no idea of the route in Devon etc, but I attempted I similar thing last year on the Stoke-on-Trent stage-it was quite a lumpy one to mere mortals like myself-I rode a direct 15 and a bit mile route back to the finish from where I'd been watching, which was mainly uphill. The peloton took a 30 mile route which again was predominantly uphill-I was beaten to the finish by about 5 minutes!-be prepared for them to average well over 25mph for the stage and closer to 30 for the last hour :shock:

I'm looking foward to it agian this year. It looks like a cracking line up

Pross

The Stage 5 route map is here http://www.tourofbritain.com/_ns_race/default.asp?section=stage5_route - I think it will be the toughest stage of this year's race and if I had more leave would be going down to watch it. The schedule gives 3 hours from the top of Haytor to Exmouth and it is about 30 miles or so. It should be possible but you may struggle to get near the finish if you get there less than an hour from the end of the race. If you cycle the same roads to Exmouth that they will be using at least you know you will still get to see them again at some point. If I'd gone I think I would have watched at Haytor or Dartmeet and then tried to get across the moors for another look on one of the uncategorised climbs before having a jaunt around the moors to get some extra miles in.

Pross

Double post sorry :oops:

CakeLovinBeast

I live nearby, and I was thinking about going to watch too.

That said, I'm not that fussed about catching the start - I was going to head right for Haytor, because I'm more interested in seeing the race there.

Depending on how quickly you want to be at the finish (and how timings work out on the transport), I was considering riding from Haytor down to Starcross and then getting the ferry across the river to Exmouth - should make things a little quicker. If you're really stuck for time (and again, if the timetables are kind) you could even ride from Haytor into Newton Abbot, grab a train to Starcross and then get the ferry over.

Greenmam

sounds good, was going to wathc in Exeter then out Bovey way, and back to Exmouth .
if the weather is bad or we leave Exeter late then we will miss out Bovey

Mark Bom

I'll possibly tag along with Exmouth cycle club, CS Dynamo, they've got an open club ride up to watch it, so I'll use whatever route they take.

robert-sb

I am hoping to pop out on my lunch hour and see the race either just before or just after the sprint at Rockbeare.

Having said that I am totally bemused by the timings of the race. The race is estimated to finish at 2.30pm in Exmouth (although if last year is anything to go by it could be much later). How on earth are we going to get kids interested if it finishes at this time ? The race roads in Exmouth are all closed until 6pm so they can cope with rush hour. In the TdF they time stages to finish when everyone has finished both school and work, I wish we could too.

I suppose my real beef is that in the last two years I have been able to take my youngest lad out of primary school to see the race go past but this year as he is now at secondary school I can't do that. He commented last night 'does that mean I can't see it for the next 6 years ?' - fair point !

fastercyclist

Shame I'm not fit enough to keep up with CS Dynamo ride atm, that would of been good. Will be catching the finish in exmouth though

robert-sb wrote:

I am hoping to pop out on my lunch hour and see the race either just before or just after the sprint at Rockbeare.

Having said that I am totally bemused by the timings of the race. The race is estimated to finish at 2.30pm in Exmouth (although if last year is anything to go by it could be much later). How on earth are we going to get kids interested if it finishes at this time ? The race roads in Exmouth are all closed until 6pm so they can cope with rush hour. In the TdF they time stages to finish when everyone has finished both school and work, I wish we could too.

I suppose my real beef is that in the last two years I have been able to take my youngest lad out of primary school to see the race go past but this year as he is now at secondary school I can't do that. He commented last night 'does that mean I can't see it for the next 6 years ?' - fair point !

You're weak with initative. Just make a "dentist appointment", "doctors appointment" or ring in"with a really poorly tummy".

You'd think some people would jump off a cliff if the rules told them to!

Pross

In a lot of places the schools get their kids out lining the routes. The race finishes early to get the rolling closures finished before the pm traffic peak.

robmccreedie

Looks like a cracking route just a shame i've got no spare leave left

Bowden2017

CS Dynamo ride should be fine for all timings. We aim to get to Haytor to watch KOM and then head back to Exmouth for the finish.
My daughter is in Year 7 at Exmouth Community College and I have asked the school if they would let the kids out to see the finish given that its unlikley it will be exmouth agian any time soon. No response yet !