Spoilers TOB Haytor

Now we have something / quite-a-lot to discuss and celebrate.
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NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Spoilers TOB Haytor

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Seen several stages on the road side and try sometimes to cycle to it, even attempt to ride to three sites on a course to see riders, only managed a double to date, out of time on the third. MTB so should have used a slicker bike.

Left it late to get to Haytor the finish today, took skip trainer two with all the baggage :?
Previously raced a guy (well it was for me) on a road bike, mines a fifty pound (lb's) mtb hit HR of 182 that time, today 180 on my own because I have not been on the bike in three weeks and was going to be late :)

Got there and was denied the top by marshals, most ignored their request to dismount, I got off and cycled from road to grass and the chain unshipped between the granny and the BB :oops:
Fixed it, last time other trainer had to walk home.

Plenty riding spectators, carried on up to top and I was resigned to take a view lower down which was better viewing anyway.
there was a forty minute wait past the estimated arrival, and with a hurricane blowing at Haytor so I guessed that the wind played a big part today.
And it did / or the Haytor hill took it out of them or a lot of the riders cruised up.

I reckon there were twenty groups of riders with gaps apart from the first who looked like winning the stage.
Saw yesterdays winner having a yap and taking it real easy as his team mate won, a lot of riders were more having a party than racing and the main bunch well half the riders came up the rear a lot later.
So one rider approached the bend and I heard yells as a mtb youg guy was going down the hill in collision course :o he mounted the bank and carried on.

Then when the party was over I crept my way down the hill with police bikes still coming up, me and a few other riders were told to stop, but then one police rider said we can proceed going slow, only to be stopped again buy another and I said what the other rider had said and we agreed to stop, he said a guy called wiggings (jokingly) is in the bunch so we had to wait, no problem, big bunch came by and I did recognise any of them no cav or wiggo, they were there though.

Cut my ride short by skipping the chemist and struggled home.
Not seen the TV yet but must have been a hard day.

The riders up front for position were down on the bars going for it, a lot of riders were totally laid back, they looked some what cramped with hands on the top of bars, there is also a lot of riders who look very tall in the flesh, you don't notice that on the TV.
I was due for training anyway so I went.
Seen TDF riders up close in bournmouth, but the best yet was 3-4 years ago where I picked my two sites adjacent to my entry / exit roads, I cannot explain the experience in words but if you have never experienced a long peloton snaking along a moorland road with no spectator noise and riders in perfect formation its something once you have you will not forget, even if you don't appreciate racing cycling, watching them up hill unless there is a big fight going on is boring in comparison.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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