Tour of Britain Stage 8 London Circuit **SPOILERS**
GC after yesterdays stage
1 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald 81 MTN 33:02:36
2 POELS Wouter 25 SKY 13
3 GULDHAMMER Rasmus 53 CLT 43
4 DOULL Owain 194 WGN 44
5 STYBAR Zdenek 14 EQS 51
Not even gonna bother with the profile - it's flat.
Stage 8 Map by imatfaal avidya, on Flickr
It is 14 laps of this 6.2km city centre crit lap . Really not what I think of as tour material - but it might allow some gaps to open and perhaps allow the local teams who do a lot of this mad form of racing to put on over the wt teams
And unusually if it does stay together with EBH in yellow there is a possibility (even if it is an outside one) that the picture below will be true and the yellow jersey could lead the peleton across the final finish line
Stage 8 Art by imatfaal avidya, on Flickr
1 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald 81 MTN 33:02:36
2 POELS Wouter 25 SKY 13
3 GULDHAMMER Rasmus 53 CLT 43
4 DOULL Owain 194 WGN 44
5 STYBAR Zdenek 14 EQS 51
Not even gonna bother with the profile - it's flat.
Stage 8 Map by imatfaal avidya, on FlickrIt is 14 laps of this 6.2km city centre crit lap . Really not what I think of as tour material - but it might allow some gaps to open and perhaps allow the local teams who do a lot of this mad form of racing to put on over the wt teams
And unusually if it does stay together with EBH in yellow there is a possibility (even if it is an outside one) that the picture below will be true and the yellow jersey could lead the peleton across the final finish line
Stage 8 Art by imatfaal avidya, on Flickr 0
Comments
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Have decided to spectate at Aldwych. PM me if you fancy meeting up.Contador is the Greatest0
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What a s**t circuit! Those two dead turns in the road might be OK for youth races but for a full pro peloton? Just as well it's dry. There's far to much depending on that final turn and they've formed it using a few cones. Carnage predicted by me! Might be better when it gets strung out a bit I suppose.0
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The course in Madrid also has a dodgy dead turn, granted not marked with cones though. Decent course for spectators and typically not gone to watch this year.
They seem to have stuck a motorbike where the cones are now to stop anyone cutting the corner.0 -
I think Viviani has a case there!0
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Looks like Greipel should be DQ'd for that.“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
+1 Should be Vivianis.0
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+1 Should be Vivianis.0
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Greipel gets relegated as expected. Don't think it was intentional, just moved out to pass the EQS rider. Might have a knock on effect on Doull in the points jersey with EBH moving up to 4th on the stage?0
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Vivani's0
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It is. Overcomes the disappointment of yesterday...All the gear, but no idea...0
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It's Viviani
To be fair I think he had the speed to have taken it0 -
The fair and right decision, Griepel says he did in see him, but it was not clean.0
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Does that lose Doull the blue jersey?0
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er, nope0
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Cannondale-Garmin for team - never saw that coming ...
Brits for all other classifications other than GC :-)All the gear, but no idea...0 -
Don't think it was intentional, just moved out to pass the EQS rider.
I reckon he moved over far more than needed to make any overtake. He was coming over all the way to the barrier (from the aerial shots).“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
Don't think it was intentional, just moved out to pass the EQS rider.
I reckon he moved over far more than needed to make any overtake. He was coming over all the way to the barrier (from the aerial shots).
It looked to me like he saw him coming up fast and unfairly shut the door. An open and shut case (pardon the pun)0 -
ITV go to a break for the Stage and Yellow Jersey presentation - JeezAll the gear, but no idea...0
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Good win for MTN Qhubeka. Kind of highlights how much EBH's career stalled though.0
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Reasonable viewing today. Typical tons of people around much of the course but a handful of spots with good views. Round round the whole course, got some good slo-mos, had Paul Smith walk past me and shouted each lap for Dunbar (he is noticeably tiny).
Good on Doull for getting the seconds required to move up to third overall.
Very pleased for EBH.Contador is the Greatest0 -
ToB looked promising this year with some big entrants, but I'm afraid other than MTN its been a big let down for me. Wins by Sky, Etixx and Lotto with most other teams not really showing anything overall. A major lack of excitement. BMC tried, Cannondale were off the pace, Saxo and IAM just needn't have bothered.
The continental British teams for me just weren't strong enough - getting in breaks only to win points jerseys and then effectively giving up thereafter - no intent to win stages hence the breaks struggled and were caught early on.
No idea why Novo-Nordisk and Cult Energy bothered.
I gather there's been some discontent with the length of transfers between the stages by Greipel and lotto, particular Nottm to Norfolk - they were still on the bus late evening travelling. I think we can assume they wont enter next year unless the race is lifted to WT level and number of stages increases, allowing shorter transfers as the race moves around the country. The rate at which riders gave up was also alarming, possibly with similar thoughts about the race/ transfers to Lotto (Phinney exhaustion).
Massively disappointing.
Maybe time for another couple of one day races to be promoted at 2.1 level around the uk like Tour of Yorkshire that allows the british teams to try their hand against some WT teams, but the Tour of Britain needs to up its game to WT level to attract only the best with 8 man squads.0 -
Redhill CC must have had a lucky escape from the Death Star earlier today
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I agree that this year's race was a bit underwhelming, for a start the number of sprint stages.
I didn't realise Novo Nordisk were in the race until their guy crashed yesterday.0 -
There was not enough opportunity throughout the race to gain/lose significant chunks of time. Too much came down to the time bonuses.
I attended two stages and was lucky enough to be a guest of Etixx on Sat so saw a large amount of the stage, support for them both was very good, a lot of interest in it. It's a crying shame they dropped the TT this year as that gave an opportunity to make some time back on the final day, plus is quite a spectacle to watch.
I imagine next years edition will be used as a farewell tour for wiggo after the Olympics, he mentioned this in his interview on itv4 and will be marketed as such.0 -
Can't find the stage 7 thread but see this sh1tshow from the back of the race
Keep watching.....
https://www.facebook.com/lorna.jermyn/videos/10153718967534673/0 -
I imagine next years edition will be used as a farewell tour for wiggo after the Olympics, he mentioned this in his interview on itv4 and will be marketed as such.
He's been on a farewell tour for the last 2 years, no need for yet another one. I'd rather see Team Wiggins, Raleigh, and NFTO and a few others omitted from the startlist next year and less british teams entered. If Doull is any good, id expect him to step up a level next season so maybe get a chance with a Pro-conti team.0 -
Can't find the stage 7 thread but see this sh1tshow from the back of the race
Keep watching.....
https://www.facebook.com/lorna.jermyn/videos/10153718967534673/
Dammit, just came on to post this! I was watching wondering what was so good but it's worth sticking with it 0 -
ToB looked promising this year with some big entrants, but I'm afraid other than MTN its been a big let down for me. Wins by Sky, Etixx and Lotto with most other teams not really showing anything overall. A major lack of excitement. BMC tried, Cannondale were off the pace, Saxo and IAM just needn't have bothered.
The continental British teams for me just weren't strong enough - getting in breaks only to win points jerseys and then effectively giving up thereafter - no intent to win stages hence the breaks struggled and were caught early on.
No idea why Novo-Nordisk and Cult Energy bothered.
I gather there's been some discontent with the length of transfers between the stages by Greipel and lotto, particular Nottm to Norfolk - they were still on the bus late evening travelling. I think we can assume they wont enter next year unless the race is lifted to WT level and number of stages increases, allowing shorter transfers as the race moves around the country. The rate at which riders gave up was also alarming, possibly with similar thoughts about the race/ transfers to Lotto (Phinney exhaustion).
Massively disappointing.
Maybe time for another couple of one day races to be promoted at 2.1 level around the uk like Tour of Yorkshire that allows the british teams to try their hand against some WT teams, but the Tour of Britain needs to up its game to WT level to attract only the best with 8 man squads.
I'm pretty sure a rider from a British Conti team finished third and made the top 10 in virtually every stage finish. Also, Cult had the 4th place rider who was in third at one point so they were actually the best of the Pro Conti level teams.
Getting in breaks to win minor jerseys is common place in minor stage races and even in GTs. I suspect the main reason for jersey competitions is to encourage breaks to form.
For me, the biggest disappointment was the way large parts of the peloton gave up when the race split and just rolled to the finish. They can't complain about the length of transfers and arriving late in they have taken the best part of an hour longer to finish the stage.
As for the point about more UCI level one day races, I think you'll find they'd be 1.1 not 2.1 (and Tour of Yorkshire isn't a one day race)
Hopefully they will start to happen, we had the Velothon Wales race this year which was a new 1.1. Ultimately though it is still the equivalent of a Division 1 football team playing a Premier League team in the FA cup and you would generally expect the Premier League to win. Any riders that ultimately challenge consistently at a higher level are likely to move up to the better teams. 0 -
Can't find the stage 7 thread but see this sh1tshow from the back of the race
Keep watching.....
https://www.facebook.com/lorna.jermyn/videos/10153718967534673/
sh1tshow indeed :roll:
So many 'why the f***s' I don't know where to start.It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0 -
Went to Ipswich for the finish on Sat and was in town for yesterday
Great atmosphere, the crowds loved it
Got some pics to post....but some of you know how rubbish I am on that front, so I'll ask that nice NoT A Doc or that agreeable ddraver to post 'em for me0
