Tour de France
07 July 2014, 01:58 PM
#61
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I went to Bradfield near Sheffield. Great atmosphere, absolutely packed hillside and road, even managed to go up the hill before the crowds got too big.
From the reports all the hills were packed and lots of spectators lined the route. 2.5 million visitors to watch Yorkshire put on a great display of welcoming the Tour.
From the reports all the hills were packed and lots of spectators lined the route. 2.5 million visitors to watch Yorkshire put on a great display of welcoming the Tour.
07 July 2014, 03:59 PM
#62
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Bike sales will go up and good luck to the newby cyclists when they go out on our terrible roads. In my area (Oxford) I now stick to the mountain bike as road riding has become a dangerous occupation with so many pot holes and general road damage to deal with. And of course inconsiderate drivers!
07 July 2014, 04:20 PM
#64
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Bike sales will go up and good luck to the newby cyclists when they go out on our terrible roads. In my area (Oxford) I now stick to the mountain bike as road riding has become a dangerous occupation with so many pot holes and general road damage to deal with. And of course inconsiderate drivers!
There have been several road bike fatalities down here recently; fast, narrow roads are just not good for cars and bikes at the same time. Road racing is quite a thrill though!
07 July 2014, 08:59 PM
#65
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Mind you round here (Surrey) there are a lot of new cyclists, also fat (huffing and puffing) idiots wearing skin tight lycra, blocking up the hills, doing 5 mph.
So possibly they are better off watching it on tele, in their new expensive cycling gear and just admiring the latest carbon bike they have just purchased, than going anywhere near a real ride.
So possibly they are better off watching it on tele, in their new expensive cycling gear and just admiring the latest carbon bike they have just purchased, than going anywhere near a real ride.
Agreed; my road bike was used for two triathlons but now gathers dust. I don't want to sell it just in case I do another!
There have been several road bike fatalities down here recently; fast, narrow roads are just not good for cars and bikes at the same time. Road racing is quite a thrill though!
There have been several road bike fatalities down here recently; fast, narrow roads are just not good for cars and bikes at the same time. Road racing is quite a thrill though!
07 July 2014, 09:20 PM
#66
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It's not just narrow roads that's the problem, it's also uneducated/inconsiderate drivers. I was road racing years ago and one of the competitors was killed by a driver who wasn't paying attention - on a dual carriageway so not exactly a small or narrow road. There were plenty of signs around warning drivers of a race in progress but some people are just in too much of a rush.
I know an incredibly successful surgeon and super fit triathlete who is now a vegetable after hitting a Transit van in a race. Horrible.
I've been completely road raged twice when cycling and I REALLY go out of my way to be courteous.
07 July 2014, 10:04 PM
#68
I used to time trial on the A34 until a few fatalities brought an end to it and I gave up Triathlon for the same reason. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere then riding on the road is no longer safe.
07 July 2014, 10:16 PM
#69
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Only ever once been bumped on shoulder by overtaking transit type, over brow of hill
Thankfully.
I dont think ill be doing open road triathlons at all
Thankfully.
I dont think ill be doing open road triathlons at all
08 July 2014, 06:51 AM
#70
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Unfortunately a 7kg bike and its rider cannot compete for the road space occupied by a 1,600kg car and its driver. The Tour is a magnificent spectacle but even its riders occasionally get knocked flying by press and team cars.
I used to time trial on the A34 until a few fatalities brought an end to it and I gave up Triathlon for the same reason. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere then riding on the road is no longer safe.
I used to time trial on the A34 until a few fatalities brought an end to it and I gave up Triathlon for the same reason. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere then riding on the road is no longer safe.
I do enjoy a good MTB ride but mostly at our two local trail centres.
08 July 2014, 12:18 PM
#71
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In the end I took the whole day off - brilliant day........ 
managed to acquire a few freebies from the Caravan run before the race arrived........ was like a party atmosphere, even had British motorbike cops stopping and allowing people to take selfies with them..... the French ones wouldn't (no surprise there then)...... so glad I did this.............. even saw myself on the telly in the highlights on Eurosport.... won't be deleting that one off the V+ Box !
managed to acquire a few freebies from the Caravan run before the race arrived........ was like a party atmosphere, even had British motorbike cops stopping and allowing people to take selfies with them..... the French ones wouldn't (no surprise there then)...... so glad I did this.............. even saw myself on the telly in the highlights on Eurosport.... won't be deleting that one off the V+ Box !
09 July 2014, 06:02 PM
#85
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Sorry for Frome, but I suppose that's why astana , saxo , movistar were piling on the speed half hour before the cobble
Anybody could have come off though
Anybody could have come off though
Last edited by dpb; 10 July 2014 at 09:17 AM.
09 July 2014, 06:29 PM
#87
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They've all practiced on them though, and it's been a part of the tour intermittently for the last hundred years
I think sky / frome pushed too hard . Trying to limit any losses at all cost them the tour
I think sky / frome pushed too hard . Trying to limit any losses at all cost them the tour
09 July 2014, 06:32 PM
#88
Why would Wiggins be laughing, he will feel sorry for Froome as Froome felt bad when Wiggins crashed out of the Giro. Rather petty of you to suggest that other pro riders take delight in someone else misfortune.
09 July 2014, 07:30 PM
#89
The classics races generally have cobbled sections. They add another element to racing, with physical and mechanical attrition. There aren't many big hills northern france.
Why would Wiggins be laughing, he will feel sorry for Froome as Froome felt bad when Wiggins crashed out of the Giro. Rather petty of you to suggest that other pro riders take delight in someone else misfortune.
Why would Wiggins be laughing, he will feel sorry for Froome as Froome felt bad when Wiggins crashed out of the Giro. Rather petty of you to suggest that other pro riders take delight in someone else misfortune.