Tour of Britain: Rate the race?
Comments
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TheFog wrote:The only way I can see it becoming a major success is with a big name sponsor on board - "British Airways Tour of Britain" or the "Virgin Tour of Britain" to raise the prize money. Given the crowd numbers and increased interest in the sport now, I think a major sponsor is very likely.
How about the Quadrilla Tour of Britain? That would generate some publicity.
Or maybe that London cab firm who want cyclists banned from the road.
Funnily enough, I reckon the women's race next year could be hugely significant. If they do it well and in a sustainable way, it could become one of the biggest women's races on the calendar.
I myself have not sung the praises of womens pro cycling on other threads in its current state but, if it is about to be taken more seriously and developed professionally; being there with a well organised race at the start of a boom period at a good time in the calendar could make for a good opportunity.0 -
morstar wrote:
Funnily enough, I reckon the women's race next year could be hugely significant. If they do it well and in a sustainable way, it could become one of the biggest women's races on the calendar.
I myself have not sung the praises of womens pro cycling on other threads in its current state but, if it is about to be taken more seriously and developed professionally; being there with a well organised race at the start of a boom period at a good time in the calendar could make for a good opportunity.
I think you might be right regarding the women's race. Currently the coverage/organisation of women's cycling often leaves a lot be desired - see the recent Giro della Toscana for example. If the women's ToB is as well organised and televised as the male event it stands a good chance of becoming one of the best events in the women's calendar.
Regarding this edition of the ToB, I agree that the GC has been a bit lacking (blame Wiggins for being a significantly better TTer than the rest) but the individual stages have been very interesting. Even Cav's win in the Llanberis stage was much more interesting than the typical sprinter's win. As TWH said, none of the other 1 week races this year has been any better.0 -
TailWindHome wrote:I can't remember any of the other 1 week races this year being any better...
Tirreno was better.
Not that I'd know really. I've read the reports and sounds like reasonable racing, but I've not watched any of it as I don't have an hour a day to invest in a chipper.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
I'm easy to please, but I've enjoyed it very much. GC hasn't been competitive, but almost every stage win has been (TT being the exception). Wiggins, Quintana, Martin, and Cav all playing major roles, and the introductions of Simon Yates and Sam Bennett to the cycling world.
Another successful edition.0 -
Being 2.HC next year should perhaps attract a stronger field, but it's a difficult slot in the calendar, going against the Vuelta and now over-lapping with the Worlds TTT.0
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Eneco was the best this year IMO.TailWindHome wrote:I can't remember any of the other 1 week races this year being any better...0 -
Wiggo will never win with some of the posters here. Either he does a gentle ride around and he's disrespecting the competition, or does what he is easily capable of and wins. The same people would moan either way.
Edit - or he doesn't turn up and ignores his fans.0 -
Exactly my point. In 2006 a stage of the race actually finished in the street next to my workplace. I could have nipped out, watched them finish and been back within my non-existent lunch hour. However as you say, now the nearest stage is an hour away and due to my role at work there is no way I would be able to have two hours travel time plus spectating time offPross wrote:Buckles wrote:Too short. Nearest stage too far away from my house. Apart from that, good to watch, but would prefer course design that causes more of a selection and is more likely to result in a solo win
Nearest stage too far from your house? Assuming your profile location is correct it had a start town within an hours drive!25% off your first MyProtein order: sign up via https://www.myprotein.com/referrals.lis ... EE-R29Y&li or use my referral code LEE-R29Y0 -
tough little event this year but somewhat designed for sky to win me thinks. it only works because of the small roads. bigger squads would push it onto boring A roads and that would be the death of it parcours wise. we have the potential for making it way more brutal as long as its a small peloton with a limited convoy."If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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I think the race is evolving really well. It is very important to consider its historical funding being local authorities. If the race does begin to generate more and more sponsorship it can afford to do more away from town centres.
It would be good to see one stage of relentless up and down riding which is typical of British cycling. It's the UK equivalent of a mountain stage.
I don't think the whole race should be like that though.0 -
Art Vandelay wrote:
Eneco was the best this year IMO.TailWindHome wrote:I can't remember any of the other 1 week races this year being any better...
I very much enjoyed the Tour of Poland.0 -
The Tirreno has already been mentioned as better week-long race this year than the TOB, and to that and the Eneco, I’d add the Dauphine and the Tour de Suisse. I suspect a degree of home bias exists in those opinions here, which feel the TOB was very good.Art Vandelay wrote:Eneco was the best this year IMO.
For me the TOB was interesting in seeing different parts of the country (so not the actual race), for the few individuals like Martin, Löfkvist, Delaplace and others who added a bit of excitement even when their attacks from the onset were bound to fail, for Madrozo and Viviani for taking the race seriously (also for Madrozo taking it not so seriously on the podium each day), for Yates and Bennett using it as a platform, for Petacchi and Cavendish combining so well together, for the overall performance of IAM, and maybe the other odd thing too - Lisa Medwell included. I was also interested to see how Cookson looks nowadays - he looked leaner than I remember from photos from the past, and also fairly retiring in manner - not what I'd consider makes a strong UCI president.
But in GC racing terms, I didn’t think the TOB this year much. Like others have said, Wiggins more or less closed it off through his TT.
It wouldn’t be so disappointing, had Wiggins occasionally showed he had more mettle to warrant his win, but apart from when he briefly tried to limit his losses to Elmiger on the Haytor stage, and although usually fairly forward, he rode more defensively than I ever remember Indurain doing in his Tour wins, which were similarly also based on TTs.
Today, asked how he felt about his victory, Wiggins said he was relieved to get through to the 3 km mark without a crash, the margin of his lead being so small. He said something very similar after one of the other stages. Such an approach to winning a race is to me not the sign of a worthy champion.
Football has been discussed a lot in another thread here recently – Wiggins’ win was like a team scoring a goal from a free-kick in the 30-35 min but, both before and after, doing nothing but defending.0 -
A poor race, Wiggins won at a canter, probably because Sky took it seriously and the rest mostly treated it as a warm up for the worlds. I like Wiggins but I want to see a contest not a mismatch.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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Today, asked how he felt about his victory, Wiggins said he was relieved to get through to the 3 km mark without a crash, the margin of his lead being so small. He said something very similar after one of the other stages. Such an approach to winning a race is to me not the sign of a worthy champion.
Hes just being modest or open to what could happen (worst case scenario). Seems there is a lot of over the top analytical, cynical claptrap & cold comparisons on this forum at times which is frankly pretty ****Football has been discussed a lot in another thread here recently – Wiggins’ win was like a team scoring a goal from a free-kick in the 30-35 min but, both before and after, doing nothing but defending
What has football got to do with bike racing?A poor race, Wiggins won at a canter, probably because Sky took it seriously and the rest mostly treated it as a warm up for the worlds. I like Wiggins but I want to see a contest not a mismatch.
It was hardly poor regardless of the world champs0 -
I thought it was poor, I'd struggle to name a more boring European stage race this year. Sky had the race in their pocket - I suppose it depends why you watch bike racing - I want drama and suspense - I appreciate others may just admire an efficient team performance and some great countryside.
If you thought it was decent what races were worse?[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
Neale1978 wrote:Today, asked how he felt about his victory, Wiggins said he was relieved to get through to the 3 km mark without a crash, the margin of his lead being so small. He said something very similar after one of the other stages. Such an approach to winning a race is to me not the sign of a worthy champion.
Hes just being modest or open to what could happen (worst case scenario). Seems there is a lot of over the top analytical, cynical claptrap & cold comparisons on this forum at times which is frankly pretty ****Football has been discussed a lot in another thread here recently – Wiggins’ win was like a team scoring a goal from a free-kick in the 30-35 min but, both before and after, doing nothing but defending
What has football got to do with bike racing?A poor race, Wiggins won at a canter, probably because Sky took it seriously and the rest mostly treated it as a warm up for the worlds. I like Wiggins but I want to see a contest not a mismatch.
It was hardly poor regardless of the world champs
Don't ask!
The thread in question is "Why do you watch professional cycling".0 -
Come on guys.... maybe you're too close to comment.
It wasn't the mighty Italian mountains now the plains of Spain, it wasn't the gruesome stages of the TdF... it was Kendal, Knowlsley safari park and places in Wales you can't remember nor spell even if you could. But for Joe European watching he got to see the British countryside just as we do Spain and Italy, he some them race in the rain, got a TT etc...
Ok, it still needs to attract more talent and move away from city centres but from an unbiased view it wasn't as bad as some of you are making out. That said it might be an idea to cut out the safari park next year....'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP0 -
I enjoyed it. The GC was always likely to be a one-man show because the climbs weren't tough enough for the likes of Martin and Quintana to offset Wiggins's strength in the time trial. (That's not really the organisers' fault, just a limitation of British geography.) But the individual stages were full of bold moves and apart from yesterday most of the sprint finishes were close. I can take or leave TTs in short stage races; in this case it served the useful purpose of making sure Sir Wiggo would win at least one race in 2013.
One of the things I like about the ToB is that it gives lesser riders an opportunity to shine. JTL and Edmondson were excellent last year, and Pete Williams won the sprint jersey. This year Williams was in the mix again and Sam Bennett and the Yates brothers showed on a senior stage that they could be stars of the future. Some of the Conti teams contribute relatively little but that's also true in the Tour Series. Whether the racing will be better or worse with a higher WT contingent if the race goes to 2.HC next year, remains to be seen.
Disclaimer: I know a few of the SweetSpot guys, including the man who puts the route together.0 -
Saw it on highlights. Thought the stage through the lakes was excellent. The TT killed off the GC contest, as there were no challenging hills/stages to close the time gap. Not sure that a week long race requires a TT. Just my thought.Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.0
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The individual stages have been interesting. The Jersey's battle were on the whole not particularly fascinating with the exception of the sprints. The battle for a few valuable points on the streets of London was exciting to watch.
Would be great if this event developed into a 4th Grand Tour. If you included the whole of the British isles (Including Ireland, Isle of Man, Scottish islands) you could make it a two week race.
The womens race will hopefully get a good spread of teams. Would be great to see Vos, Armistead, Wiggle girls et al chasing the blokes up the road.0 -
Keep dropping subtle hints about how cool a stage on the Isle of Man TT Course would be.ManOfKent wrote:Disclaimer: I know a few of the SweetSpot guys, including the man who puts the route together. Might struggle to get within 100mph of the lap record of course.
Watching the Jaguar promo video with Cav, I reckon it'd go down well with the riders too. And the police escort riders would love it.
It'd work as a long hilly time trial, team time trial or, with a couple of laps, a cracking stage. Not so sure about crossing tram tracks though.
On the ToB this year, the individual stages were great races in themselves. But with the TT early on, it was always going to be a matter of Wiggins setting a cracking time and then defending it. But all the teams must have known that, so should have set their strategies to deal with that. The cumbria stage finish was hard, but too far from what should have been the decisive climbs. What it really needed was to finish in Grasmere rather than come down to Kendal, or turn left at Ambleside and finish at the top of Kirkstone.0 -
Der Kaiser wrote:The individual stages have been interesting. The Jersey's battle were on the whole not particularly fascinating with the exception of the sprints. The battle for a few valuable points on the streets of London was exciting to watch.
Would be great if this event developed into a 4th Grand Tour. If you included the whole of the British isles (Including Ireland, Isle of Man, Scottish islands) you could make it a two week race.
The womens race will hopefully get a good spread of teams. Would be great to see Vos, Armistead, Wiggle girls et al chasing the blokes up the road.
The new womens ToB race next year will be a 5-stager in May, not Sep. From the initial news its not going to travel around anything like as much of the country.
As has been commented already the next goal seems to be to take the race to HC. According to Mick Bennett, the race commissaires have already warned him that he's going to have to do something extra about crowd control, the numbers at the roadside this year were so huge.0 -
Before the race, I was looking forward to it and hoping Wiggins would be able to get himself back into cycling, especially with the support of a home crowd.
In the end, it turned out exactly as expected with Wiggins and Cavendish excelling in their disciplines. I appreciate it is at the end of the season and close to the world championships, but they need to get some more serious riders and teams on board, for it not to appear like dad's at a school sports day!
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mididoctors wrote:tough little event this year but somewhat designed for sky to win me thinks. it only works because of the small roads. bigger squads would push it onto boring A roads and that would be the death of it parcours wise. we have the potential for making it way more brutal as long as its a small peloton with a limited convoy.
Why ? If you look at some of the roads used in the 3 GT this year they were even narrower so I'm not sure this should be a constraint0 -
It was ok, but nothing really excited me that much apart from Quintana and Martin busting their rollocks up Honister, otherwise it was pretty 'meh'.
It needs to be longer, and have a higher UCI rating so it pulls in more teams. I know, i know...road laws prohibit more than 6 riders blah blah, but still, it needs to be longer in length and be given the green light for more teams and more riders. Otherwise it will just stay exactly how it is, a little race on a little island.
oh and the overall winners shirts are sh*te. Too fussy. Also too many people going up on the podium at the end, seemed to be one for every team and eventually..'and the best rider for throwing his bottles over the crowd is..." it was like, jeez..whos this guy and whats he won? podiums were all too fussy for my liking.0 -
The GC contest was no contest but that was inevitable given the field who turned up. Wiggo was nailed on from day one.
I did enjoy the racing though and thought it was a very good Tour.You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.0 -
dsoutar wrote:mididoctors wrote:tough little event this year but somewhat designed for sky to win me thinks. it only works because of the small roads. bigger squads would push it onto boring A roads and that would be the death of it parcours wise. we have the potential for making it way more brutal as long as its a small peloton with a limited convoy.
Why ? If you look at some of the roads used in the 3 GT this year they were even narrower so I'm not sure this should be a constraint
the amount of small roads as a percentage of the total parcour is high... there is some very restrictive hedgerow lanes used in this race with very limited opportunities for convoy rejigging."If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
It was different in 1951
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/tour-de-britain0 -
Daz555 wrote:The GC contest was no contest but that was inevitable given the field who turned up. Wiggo was nailed on from day one.
I did enjoy the racing though and thought it was a very good Tour.
Seemed to be plenty on here expecting Wiggins to drop out after the TT. I genuinely didn't expect Sky to take it seriously based on past years and thought a rider from a Pro Conti squad would win.0
