Worlds / World Tour classic course?
With hints about a BC/Yorkshire bid for the Worlds and Adam Blythe's tweet about it being time for a WT race, where would you hold it (including, but not limited to God's own country)?
We've lost a lot of classic courses over the years, Tour of the Peak, Archer and Tour of the Cotswolds, all of which could host a fantastic day's racing as would the race through the Trough of Bowland (can't remember what it was called), which Boardman won riding for Kodak.
Rutland/Melton, Lincoln GP, Circuit of the Fens and Dengie (whatever happened to that), have potential with the Lakes, Highlands and, of course, Yorkshire for something lumpier. Or maybe it's time to bring back the Isle of Man?
We've lost a lot of classic courses over the years, Tour of the Peak, Archer and Tour of the Cotswolds, all of which could host a fantastic day's racing as would the race through the Trough of Bowland (can't remember what it was called), which Boardman won riding for Kodak.
Rutland/Melton, Lincoln GP, Circuit of the Fens and Dengie (whatever happened to that), have potential with the Lakes, Highlands and, of course, Yorkshire for something lumpier. Or maybe it's time to bring back the Isle of Man?
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I'm a firm believer that it's the riders that make the race and the course, though crucial to deciding what sort of rider would win, is largely irrelevant to the excitement .
However a race around/across the IOM would look superb! Jerard Grubber to be in charge of cameras pleaseWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
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I've always thought a proper mountain classic would be good. Not "just" lots of LBL style short sharp climbs! but some good long drags. North Wales could probably offer something.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
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Sheffield. Loops in and around. You could even have a point to point of Leeds to Sheffield to add some interest0
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Apart from Yorkshire South Wales seems a good location. A hilly route finishing in Swansea with Constitution Hill wouldn't be bad.
My personaly choice for a one day route would be West Yorkshire, finishing in Halifax on top of cobbled Birdcage Hill, and with a combination of long climbs (Holme Moss, etc) and one or two (not too many, not too crazy) of the brutal cobbled hills around there (Thwaites Brow, etc). That would be a route offering something truly different.
For the World Championships Yorkshire does seem well placed at the moment - it would certainly fit in with Verity's project of giving Yorkshire an internationally renowned name for cycling. The likes of Sporza and Rai don't send their own reporters to a 2.1 race, but with the Worlds you bet the international media here for a week.
The problem would be that it requires road closures for pretty much the whole week, which wouldn't work in Leeds, Sheffield, etc. They would probably locate it all over Yorkshire. Otley or Ilkley would seem logical choices, with strong local cycling scenes, and some good route options0 -
Just give em Etape Du Dales to play with."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
I'd love there to be a race in the cotswolds. Not just because I live here but because there are some brilliant climbs and beautiful scenery.
I'd say Yorkshire and South Wales are the two obvious choices though.0 -
For a World's route which tends to be on a circuit I would use the Isle of Man TT course. For a full on Classic style route I once put together a route from South East Wales up into mid Wales (possibly the most under-rated cycling roads in the UK). Something like Aberystwyth to Cardiff could pick up some great climbing. That said, extending the Melton Cicle Classic would be good too.0
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FJS wrote:The problem would be that it requires road closures for pretty much the whole week, which wouldn't work in Leeds, Sheffield, etc. They would probably locate it all over Yorkshire. Otley or Ilkley would seem logical choices, with strong local cycling scenes, and some good route options
Doesn't need to be the same road closed though. Granted the road with the finishing line on would be closed all week, but the roads for the TTs could be different with just part of a finishing circuit closed. WC finishing lines are often in innocuous places so there's no need for it to be in a city centre or somewhere with a landmark which would likely cause more destruction.0 -
Pross wrote:For a World's route which tends to be on a circuit I would use the Isle of Man TT course. For a full on Classic style route I once put together a route from South East Wales up into mid Wales (possibly the most under-rated cycling roads in the UK). Something like Aberystwyth to Cardiff could pick up some great climbing. That said, extending the Melton Cicle Classic would be good too.
Now there's a good thread! Post up your proposed British WC road race loop from bikehike, strava, map my ride etc. Only rules are no longer than 20km and no roll outs."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
hammerite wrote:FJS wrote:The problem would be that it requires road closures for pretty much the whole week, which wouldn't work in Leeds, Sheffield, etc. They would probably locate it all over Yorkshire. Otley or Ilkley would seem logical choices, with strong local cycling scenes, and some good route options
Doesn't need to be the same road closed though. Granted the road with the finishing line on would be closed all week, but the roads for the TTs could be different with just part of a finishing circuit closed. WC finishing lines are often in innocuous places so there's no need for it to be in a city centre or somewhere with a landmark which would likely cause more destruction.
This is where the Isle of Man would be perfect. They have no qualms about closing roads and do it every year for the TT and, I think, Manx Rally. The locals realise the importance of such events for tourism. Cycling Week over there was the only time I've experienced totally closed roads for amateur racing. The finish area is also set up with a full time grandstand, timing equipment etc.0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Pross wrote:For a World's route which tends to be on a circuit I would use the Isle of Man TT course. For a full on Classic style route I once put together a route from South East Wales up into mid Wales (possibly the most under-rated cycling roads in the UK). Something like Aberystwyth to Cardiff could pick up some great climbing. That said, extending the Melton Cicle Classic would be good too.
Now there's a good thread! Post up your proposed British WC road race loop from bikehike, strava, map my ride etc. Only rules are no longer than 20km and no roll outs.
No longer than 20km? Might enter that myself
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Pross wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:Pross wrote:For a World's route which tends to be on a circuit I would use the Isle of Man TT course. For a full on Classic style route I once put together a route from South East Wales up into mid Wales (possibly the most under-rated cycling roads in the UK). Something like Aberystwyth to Cardiff could pick up some great climbing. That said, extending the Melton Cicle Classic would be good too.
Now there's a good thread! Post up your proposed British WC road race loop from bikehike, strava, map my ride etc. Only rules are no longer than 20km and no roll outs.
No longer than 20km? Might enter that myself
20km lap, I meant.
Also, must finish in a town. Not in the middle of nowhere."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
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The finish line wouldn't need to be in the same location. That's what they did some time ago in Sicily: the pros had a completely different road race location than the women and amateurs. You could, for instance, have the pros do a circuit in Sheffield with start in Leeds, the other road races in say Ilkley, the TTs somewhere coastal like Bridlington, the TTT in, say, York, and the UCI Congress in Hull.hammerite wrote:FJS wrote:The problem would be that it requires road closures for pretty much the whole week, which wouldn't work in Leeds, Sheffield, etc. They would probably locate it all over Yorkshire. Otley or Ilkley would seem logical choices, with strong local cycling scenes, and some good route options
Doesn't need to be the same road closed though. Granted the road with the finishing line on would be closed all week, but the roads for the TTs could be different with just part of a finishing circuit closed. WC finishing lines are often in innocuous places so there's no need for it to be in a city centre or somewhere with a landmark which would likely cause more destruction.0 -
Based in and around the Potteries for me. Can go in all 4 points of the compass, visit different parts of the country taking in different terrain along the way. And of course the potteries has a long history of cycling0
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FJS wrote:
The finish line wouldn't need to be in the same location. That's what they did some time ago in Sicily: the pros had a completely different road race location than the women and amateurs. You could, for instance, have the pros do a circuit in Sheffield with start in Leeds, the other road races in say Ilkley, the TTs somewhere coastal like Bridlington, the TTT in, say, York, and the UCI Congress in Hull.hammerite wrote:FJS wrote:The problem would be that it requires road closures for pretty much the whole week, which wouldn't work in Leeds, Sheffield, etc. They would probably locate it all over Yorkshire. Otley or Ilkley would seem logical choices, with strong local cycling scenes, and some good route options
Doesn't need to be the same road closed though. Granted the road with the finishing line on would be closed all week, but the roads for the TTs could be different with just part of a finishing circuit closed. WC finishing lines are often in innocuous places so there's no need for it to be in a city centre or somewhere with a landmark which would likely cause more destruction.
We've cracked it then!0 -
i think mr verity needs to calm down. he could be in danger of making it all about himself.
I'd love to see the worlds in yorkshire. unfortunately i'd rather see it somewhere else in the north or midlands as i fear any worlds involving welcome to yorkshire would inevitably be in leeds and not either york or sheffield, where it should be. the outskirts of manchester, newcastle or the potteries would be great."Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0 -
+1 for IOM despite never having been there i imagine having the Worlds TT on the mountain TT course would be mega think Pete Kennaugh has record with 1.20 something? so be a bit longer than most TTs too but there is probably a UCI rule that determines the distance0
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I reckon you could do a decent circuit near either Bristol or Bath.
Probably could also put together a great circuit in the West Somerset area but there aren't really any big enough towns to support it (I know the ToB went there quite a bit)Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Getting a 20km circuit with a start and finish in a decent sized town is tricky especially when taking logistics of road closures into consideration. Plymouth or Exeter taking in part of Dartmoor might work but even then it would probably need a larger loop. As Iain said Bristol and Bath have options. Bristol with a route up Park Street, through Clifton, over the suspension bridge, through Ashton Court then up over the top of Bedminster. Finish could either be at College Green or outside the Hippodrome. They could even go around Welsh Back for a bit of 'pave' action. George Ferguson likes closing the city's roads too so good for that as well.0
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Actually from Ashton Court back out onto the port way, under the suspension bridge and up Bridge Valley Road. Then over the Downs drop down into the centre through Redland or something. That would be a great circuit.0
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I've always thought you could make a cracking circuit around the Matlock and Bakewell areas - it'd probably mean using the A6 at some point so I dare say a complete non-starter but purely in terms of a race circuit there is everything you could wish for, there are a couple of reasonable sized towns there to go through too and for such a scenic area a reasonable density of roads so fans could access the course without trekking miles on foot. You've also got a massive catchment area in Manchester, Sheffield and South Yorks, Nottm, Derby and Stoke all within a bike ride.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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Surely BR Pro Race Forum already has a technique to plot preferred routes for British races? Everyone plots their house on a map, then you draw a squiggly line that joins them all up....Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
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I tried to do one in the lakes last night starting and finishing in Keswick. But everything is too spread out."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
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Rick Chasey wrote:Created a couple routes but don't know how to post them.
What did you create them in?"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
mapmyride?
Can't do it at work but can put up tonight.
Might be a bit extreme. just under 500m climbing per 23km lap.0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:mapmyride?
Can't do it at work but can put up tonight.
Might be a bit extreme. just under 500m climbing per 23km lap.
12 laps for 276km? 6000m? A mere trifle!"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
I went a little outside my own rules, but here I present the Whitehaven World Championships!
https://www.strava.com/routes/2277559
11 laps, 5000m of climbing. A long steady climb at the start of the lap, 2 little power climbs later on, a drag up to 2km to go followed by a fast descent, sharp right hander and a slightly uphill run to the finish.
Sea views, pretty pastures, forests, mountains in the distance and a fish factory."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
