Giro Stage 2 Belfast - Belfast *Spoilers*

tailwindhome
tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
edited May 2014 in Pro race
tappa_dettagli_tecnici_altimetria_02.jpg

tappa_dettagli_tecnici_planimetria_02.jpg?v=20140508173133


This is a stage made for TV and the whole day will be one big Tourist Board promo.

Light rain forecast around 1pm but not enough wind to cause any damage.

Kittel for the win.
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
«134

Comments

  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Trivia question - what's the most westerly point reached by a Grand Tour?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Tenerife?
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    edited May 2014
    Lisbon? or Finisterre?
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Today.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    Obviously, the answer is California. :wink:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,555
    Not today - but is it Cork City
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    I think this thread needs a discussion about the local potatoes. Mrs Bomp, who comes from these parts, recommends anything from Comber (pronounced Cumber): although it's not actually on the route, nowhere in NI is that far away.
    Proper Norn Iron taties are properly floury, none of your watery, waxy rubbish here. Mrs Bomp would recommend Kerr's Pink.

    Edit: I thought I needed to start this as I couldn't really think of any interesting geology on the Causeway Coast.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Bizzare finish. 90 degree bend 300m to go after a pan flat and straight 20km run in, all the while on a road that narrows. The fight for the turn is going to be hectic and I hope no one comes down hard...unecessary from the organisers.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    bompington wrote:
    I think this thread needs a discussion about the local potatoes. Mrs Bomp, who comes from these parts, recommends anything from Comber (pronounced Cumber): although it's not actually on the route, nowhere in NI is that far away.
    Proper Norn Iron taties are properly floury, none of your watery, waxy rubbish here. Mrs Bomp would recommend Kerr's Pink.
    Edit: I thought I needed to start this as I couldn't really think of any interesting geology on the Causeway Coast.
    Prior to the Great Famine, the main potato variety cultivated in Ireland was called ‘lumper’. It was favoured because it grew well and easily, although it apparently didn’t actually taste that good.
    Last year, a farm at Cushendall in County Antrim re-introduced lumper potatoes and sells them to Marks and Spencer.
    The route today passes through Cushendall, between Ballycastle and Larne, km 139, about 13.00. The first climb is just before Cushendall, it being at the bottom of the descent.

    th?id=HN.608002781818126759&pid=1.7
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,160
    Were any of the Garmins eliminated on time (not counting the injured, obvs)?
    I've argued before that rules should be enforced (Tony Martin missing the cut last year) but it would be pretty harsh here.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Mad_Malx wrote:
    Were any of the Garmins eliminated on time (not counting the injured, obvs)?
    I've argued before that rules should be enforced (Tony Martin missing the cut last year) but it would be pretty harsh here.
    Koldo Fernandez was the only one actually outside the time limit and he's broken his collarbone so he's out anyway.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    bompington wrote:
    I think this thread needs a discussion about the local potatoes. Mrs Bomp, who comes from these parts, recommends anything from Comber (pronounced Cumber): although it's not actually on the route, nowhere in NI is that far away.
    Proper Norn Iron taties are properly floury, none of your watery, waxy rubbish here. Mrs Bomp would recommend Kerr's Pink.

    Edit: I thought I needed to start this as I couldn't really think of any interesting geology on the Causeway Coast.

    Need to go a bit further west but Donegal's from my friend's aunt's cottage in Ballywhorsky. Straight out of the garden, a bit of a was and into the pot (they go well with freshly caught plaice from near the harbour). Best cycling roads I've ridden too.
  • germcevoy
    germcevoy Posts: 414
    Just saw the peloton at Sandyknowes. Fairly surreal. The breakaway already had about 45 seconds and the main bunch looked like they were out on a club run. Awesome.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,810
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Bizzare finish. 90 degree bend 300m to go after a pan flat and straight 20km run in, all the while on a road that narrows. The fight for the turn is going to be hectic and I hope no one comes down hard...unecessary from the organisers.

    Normally I'd agree but they did the same finish yesterday, so they all have experience at race speed.

    No doubt there will be a crash, but only because someone will do soemthing silly.
  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,581
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Bizzare finish. 90 degree bend 300m to go after a pan flat and straight 20km run in, all the while on a road that narrows. The fight for the turn is going to be hectic and I hope no one comes down hard...unecessary from the organisers.

    Normally I'd agree but they did the same finish yesterday, so they all have experience at race speed.

    No doubt there will be a crash, but only because someone will do soemthing silly.

    Wrong, yesterday they came onto the finish straight from the south turning right. Today from the north turning left. There are two traffic islands to negotiate, the final one with dirty great big statue on it, meaning they have between 1/2 - 1/3 of the road width compared to yesterday.
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  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,581
    Who gives a famine about potatoes?

    The big export from this part of the world is whiskey. Bushmills distillery is Nth Ireland's 3 most visited tourist attraction.

    antrim11.jpg

    Bushmills is the UK's oldest legal distillery. Most belive it to be the oldest distillery [topgearvoice] in the world [/topgearvoice] Most of their whiskey ends up as rather rubbish blend. However only malt whiskey is produced in Bushmills, offsite they add the vastly inferior grain whiskey to bulk things up and make them more money in the with mixers market.

    However...

    products_1138_1088016854_green.jpg

    We tasted the Bushmills 16 Year Old Three Wood Single Malt the other night. It is their premium single expression... not disimilar to an Auchetoshan 3 and is actually rather good.
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  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    Just saw them passing 5miles in, breakaway trying to form. Heavy rain but wind stayed away, what there is of it is a block headwind for the return. Worst of all works currently but rain dying off and getting brighter. Away to my spot on a balcony above the finish line!
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    We spent a week in NI quite a few of years ago and had a lovely time. Mainly walking and did all the usual things (Carrick-a-Rede, Bushmills, Raithlin etc) but I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed by the Giant's Causeway. Expected it to be so much larger)
    It culminated in my wife having me drive around the Falls and Shankill Road areas at about 9pm which isn't the best idea she's ever had but she wanted to see all the murals
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    Watched them come through Ballymena. Breakaway was a good 5 mins ahead of the peloton. Just started raining as they passed. Heavy showers now.
    Heading over to the coast now to see then again !
    Misguided Idealist
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Wow, a pretty horse, a really pretty horse. A really pretty actual pink horse!
    Correlation is not causation.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Trivia question - what's the most westerly point reached by a Grand Tour?
    FJS wrote:
    Tenerife?

    This is surely the right answer, didn't the Vuelta start there once?
    Correlation is not causation.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Above The Cows wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Trivia question - what's the most westerly point reached by a Grand Tour?
    FJS wrote:
    Tenerife?

    This is surely the right answer, didn't the Vuelta start there once?
    1988.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    RichN95 wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Trivia question - what's the most westerly point reached by a Grand Tour?
    FJS wrote:
    Tenerife?

    This is surely the right answer, didn't the Vuelta start there once?
    1988.

    Thanking you Rich.

    According to my globe, Tenerife is further west than the other suggestions.

    It's 16.6056° W

    EDIT: Can I say I am very glad to see the weather is as rubbish as it is here.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    @mattrabin 6h
    Me to @DanMartin86 this morning: 'what you gonna do today mate?' Reply: 'might go play some tennis'. Gold
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    OnYourRight wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    According to my globe, Tenerife is further west than the other suggestions.

    It's 16.6056° W
    Eurosport mentioned the Giro will hit its northernmost point today. Can you verify that on your globe, perhaps with RichN95’s assistance?
    The most northern point in this year's Giro maybe. But two years ago it went to Denmark which is further north
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,581
    How far to go?
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  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,581
    How far to go?
    http://www.3pistescycle.co.uk
    Twitter @3pistescycle
    INSTA @tourclownunder
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Alan A wrote:
    How far to go?
    77km
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,581
    Ta. Murals tour finished. Time to get roadside.
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    Twitter @3pistescycle
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  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    4.50 for the break. Low cloud could spoil things for the helicopter shots. Great turnout by the supporters in the towns and villages along the way.

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