Tour of Britain 2012 Route

greasedscotsman

iainf72 wrote:

You're right.

One of the worlds great cities gets-lots-of-stuff shocka!

Awesome! Well, I hope your enjoy all the "stuff" that London gets, I'll enjoy my ride round here at the weekend.

LeicesterLad

iainf72 wrote:

You're right.

One of the worlds great cities gets-lots-of-stuff shocka!

Can't at all tell that your one of the 'what's that north of Watford Gap?' types.

and 'One of the worlds great cities'. is it? Is it really?

afx237vi

Yeah, and I'll have a great time watering my garden with a hosepipe this weekend, so take THAT Londoners :P

LeicesterLad

greasedscotsman wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

You're right.

One of the worlds great cities gets-lots-of-stuff shocka!

Awesome! Well, I hope your enjoy all the "stuff" that London gets, I'll enjoy my ride round here at the weekend.

Yeahhhh, but why have that when you can have this:

inkyfingers

Come on, can't we all just get along....

Interesting that the TT has been chopped, guess a TT just isn't exciting enough unless the backdrop is the Houses of Parliament.

Also interesting that we haven't had a British winner since the race was restarted, I guess JTL will be well up for this year again, but other than him I can't see a Brit winning on this course. Thomas will have been doing too much on the track and Wiggins is unlikely to win without a TT. Many of these "local" races tend to tailor the course the home riders, but the TOB organisers son't seem to have felt the need to do this.

greasedscotsman

inkyfingers wrote:

Come on, can't we all just get along....

TBH, I'm not really that bothered. If you live and London and like it and all it's "stuff", then that's fine, good for you. Not for me though, don't like the place, but then that's why I don't live there. I just find it funny that there is a stage in Guildford and Rick says "no stage in London". Fantastic!

rick_chasey

greasedscotsman wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Come on, can't we all just get along....

TBH, I'm not really that bothered. If you live and London and like it and all it's "stuff", then that's fine, good for you. Not for me though, don't like the place, but then that's why I don't live there. I just find it funny that there is a stage in Guildford and Rick says "no stage in London". Fantastic!

S'a bit like a stage finishing in Doncaster and going "No stage in Sheffield" - only Guilford is even further away from where I live .

Anyway, enough London chat. Me included.

TTs in short races are pointless unless there's a mountain to climb. A good decision.

The East-Anglian route will be dullsville.

iainf72

greasedscotsman wrote:

Awesome! Well, I hope your enjoy all the "stuff" that London gets, I'll enjoy my ride round here at the weekend.

Nice for people who ride bikes I suppose.

LeicesterLad

Yes back on topic - Think this is probably one of the best routes the race has had. I go to a stage each year but i'm never really excited about the race in general, but actually i think this year might change that with some good climbs and decent scenery. Think JTL will be out to win this as he says goodbye to Continental cycling at the end of the year...

Are there any stage profiles up yet?

greasedscotsman

iainf72 wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Awesome! Well, I hope your enjoy all the "stuff" that London gets, I'll enjoy my ride round here at the weekend.

Nice for people who ride bikes I suppose.

But you have got eyes, haven't you? Do you not like a nice view on your doorstep? No, cos you have "stuff".

but back on topic. Route looks, err, OK I guess. Stage not too far from me, with some climbs and stuff...

Oh who am I trying to kid, not really interested. I'd rather go and see the Tour of Poland!

MSByrne

Whoop! Last stage goes past my house! I think it'll be a good finish, it has some good hills and scenery, some of it reminiscent of the Olympic RR.

LeicesterLad

MSByrne wrote:

Whoop! Last stage goes past my house! I think it'll be a good finish, it has some good hills and scenery, some of it reminiscent of the Olympic RR.

The Olympic Road Race has a good hill in it?

Pross

MSByrne wrote:

Whoop! Last stage goes past my house! I think it'll be a good finish, it has some good hills and scenery, some of it reminiscent of the Olympic RR.

I thought the last stage was around Guildford, you sure you're not thinking of the previous 2 stages?

MSByrne

LeicesterLad wrote:

MSByrne wrote:

Whoop! Last stage goes past my house! I think it'll be a good finish, it has some good hills and scenery, some of it reminiscent of the Olympic RR.

The Olympic Road Race has a good hill in it?

ha, nothing terribly good obviously, and the route hasn't actually got anything close to a good climb for the last thirty miles, but it's still a fun stage, certainly better than anything they could do in London. It shares some road with the Olympic RR near Guildford and Dorking but doesn't actually do Box Hill...

Cumulonimbus

afx237vi wrote:

Yeah, and I'll have a great time watering my garden with a hosepipe this weekend, so take THAT Londoners :P

Your garden needs watering even after all the recent rain or have you nothing better to do with your time out in the sticks? Mind you, wish i had a garden to water

okgo

I'd like to see it end in town too, but there we are. Amusing to see people wondering why London gets all the attention, one of the biggest and greatest cities in the world. And its not exactly got many challengers in the UK.

Be interested to see what the 'hill' the mention in the Surrey Hills in the last 30 miles is. Hopefully not Box Hill.

MSByrne

okgo wrote:

I'd like to see it end in town too, but there we are. Amusing to see people wondering why London gets all the attention, one of the biggest and greatest cities in the world. And its not exactly got many challengers in the UK.

Be interested to see what the 'hill' the mention in the Surrey Hills in the last 30 miles is. Hopefully not Box Hill.

Horse Block Hollow, steeper and harder than box hill.

okgo

Ah ok, will have a look. I'm sure I've been up it, but the names always are different etc.

Edit - Ah, Winterfold, Barhatch lane, yes, that is a sod. Certainly potential for something to happen there. Slow drag, steep old hill then straight into a fast downhill if memory serves!

blazing_saddles

This thread is far more entertaining than the route.
I'll wake up for the twice up Caerphilly mountain and that's about it.
Tough cheese capital, but, I thought London and them thar Surrey Hills were getting the new, move over Paris-Roubaix race?

RichN95.

Blazing Saddles wrote:

I'll wake up for the twice up Caerphilly mountain and that's about it.
Tough cheese capital,

Are you calling Caerphilly the capital of tough cheese?

blazing_saddles

RichN95 wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

I'll wake up for the twice up Caerphilly mountain and that's about it.
Tough cheese capital,

Are you calling Caerphilly the capital of tough cheese?

Very good, Rich.

Abdoujaparov

Good route, for Britain.

The stage in East Anglia has an outside chance of being good if the wind whips up and stage 5, 6, and 7 all look interesting. And, yes, stage 8 goes up Winterfold Hill - too far from the finish to mean all that much, but will be good to see the pros go up the toughest hill in Surrey. Long-ish 15 per cent ramp at the top, peaking at 21 per cent. The pros will absolutely charge up it though - not long enough!

Yellow Peril

There should be a stage on the Isle of Man. The transfer via the Steam Packet across the Irish Sea would soon sort the men from the boys.

Is Stoke now the cycling capital of Britain? They seem to have embraced cycling over the last few years. Good for them.

As for London I have it on good authority that the teams didn't want to have to go down Brick Lane and buy their bikes back before the start.

prawny

Stoke is a cycling city, god knows why it's horrible enough driving round there.

In better news the stoke stage comes right by my house. Which leaves me with a tough decision walk to the end of the road and watch them fly past, drive to the feed station and restock my bottle collection or do the same as last year and ride out to gun hill. Hmmm.

Yellow Peril

okgo wrote:

I'd like to see it end in town too, but there we are. Amusing to see people wondering why London gets all the attention, one of the biggest and greatest cities in the world. And its not exactly got many challengers in the UK.

Be interested to see what the 'hill' the mention in the Surrey Hills in the last 30 miles is. Hopefully not Box Hill.

I was over in the UK last September and had the opportunity of visiting Box Hill. It was a Sunday morning and completely rammed with cyclists. In one sense I was cheered but in another a little saddened as I suspected there wasn't much else worth climbing locally.

So is Box Hill popular because it is "iconic" in some way or just the only thing worth climbing in that neck of the woods?

rick_chasey

Yellow Peril wrote:

okgo wrote:

I'd like to see it end in town too, but there we are. Amusing to see people wondering why London gets all the attention, one of the biggest and greatest cities in the world. And its not exactly got many challengers in the UK.

Be interested to see what the 'hill' the mention in the Surrey Hills in the last 30 miles is. Hopefully not Box Hill.

I was over in the UK last September and had the opportunity of visiting Box Hill. It was a Sunday morning and completely rammed with cyclists. In one sense I was cheered but in another a little saddened as I suspected there wasn't much else worth climbing locally.

So is Box Hill popular because it is "iconic" in some way or just the only thing worth climbing in that neck of the woods?

There are a few hills around there.

Box hills has a hairpin bend or two and it's reasonably well surfaced so it's quite fun.

There's a cafe at the top too.

Pross

okgo wrote:

I'd like to see it end in town too, but there we are. Amusing to see people wondering why London gets all the attention, one of the biggest and greatest cities in the world. And its not exactly got many challengers in the UK.

Be interested to see what the 'hill' the mention in the Surrey Hills in the last 30 miles is. Hopefully not Box Hill.

Just because it is one of the world's biggest and greatest??? cities doesn't necessarily mean it's a good place to have a bike race though

Yellow Peril wrote:

There should be a stage on the Isle of Man.

I know you were partially joking but I would love to see that (although it would undoubtably bring up the 'Cav' issue i.e. it isn't Britain). Given the islands history of top class, closed road racing and with it being Cav's home I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened. It also offers fantastic racing potential and a ready established finish area with grandstands.

Yellow Peril

Pross wrote:

okgo wrote:

I'd like to see it end in town too, but there we are. Amusing to see people wondering why London gets all the attention, one of the biggest and greatest cities in the world. And its not exactly got many challengers in the UK.

Be interested to see what the 'hill' the mention in the Surrey Hills in the last 30 miles is. Hopefully not Box Hill.

Just because it is one of the world's biggest and greatest??? cities doesn't necessarily mean it's a good place to have a bike race though

Yellow Peril wrote:

There should be a stage on the Isle of Man.

I know you were partially joking but I would love to see that (although it would undoubtably bring up the 'Cav' issue i.e. it isn't Britain). Given the islands history of top class, closed road racing and with it being Cav's home I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened. It also offers fantastic racing potential and a ready established finish area with grandstands.

You are right Pross and it is something that the Cycling association over here kick around from time to time. The Island's success in producing cyclists is in some part due to cycle week which used to be held up until about 8 or 9 years ago. If it is happening on your door step you are more likely to get involved Cav, Kennaugh's and Bellis will have watched. A quality weekend of pro racing or a stage of the Halfords crit Tour thingy would be nice but it is all down to money and getting the riders over

Pross

Some of the crit courses used in the old cycling week would be great for the Tour Series. I think it was the one in your home town that was the best, around the harbour. Watched my club mate do it whilst I was downing Guiness and vodka chasers - didn't go well in the next day's 25 mile TT! Anyway, I digress sorry!

Abdoujaparov

Yellow Peril wrote:

okgo wrote:

I'd like to see it end in town too, but there we are. Amusing to see people wondering why London gets all the attention, one of the biggest and greatest cities in the world. And its not exactly got many challengers in the UK.

Be interested to see what the 'hill' the mention in the Surrey Hills in the last 30 miles is. Hopefully not Box Hill.

I was over in the UK last September and had the opportunity of visiting Box Hill. It was a Sunday morning and completely rammed with cyclists. In one sense I was cheered but in another a little saddened as I suspected there wasn't much else worth climbing locally.

So is Box Hill popular because it is "iconic" in some way or just the only thing worth climbing in that neck of the woods?

Box Hill is ‘iconic’ (although that’s stretching it a bit!) because it’s quite long and has a couple of hairpins, but mainly for non-cycling reasons – best view in the area, interesting eco-system, nice café at the top etc.

Within 10 miles there are probably 10 harder hills. Winterfold is the most difficult of these, then White Down, then Leith Hill form the Dorking side, Leith Hill from the Ockley side, then Ranmore Hill, Staple Lane, Shere Road, Holmbury Hill etc. Basically, Box Hill is about the easiest of the ‘proper’ hills in the area. The road surface is pretty bad though so when they resurface it for the Olympics it’ll be like a drag strip. The pros will do it in their big ring.