Watching the Tour of Britain 2012

[Paul A]

I've been promising myself to catch a stage of this race for some time and I've finally done something about it.
I've booked the 14th off work and intend to go to the Welshpool- Caerphilly stage.

I've decided to go on my motorbike and hope to watch, then leap-frog ahead using various back lanes and side roads.
I'm banking on the motorbike giving me faster and better queue jumping ability.

The race manual gives reasonably accurate timings for where the race will be at any given time but what I don't know is
if, how, or when will any road closures take place. Is there a rolling road block in front of the race? If so what kind of time gap will there be? Are side junctions closed well in advance or just before the race arrives?

Thanks in advance,

Paul.

http://www.francecoast2coast.co.uk

[Mick F]

Hi Paul.

I'm no expert on this, but I have watched ToB a couple of times round here.

I watched the police more than the ToB! The motorcyclists "leapfrogged" from side road to side road stopping traffic from entering the race route and they had a rolling roadblock ahead and behind the riders. They stopped the oncoming traffic well ahead of them and made them wait well into the side of the road or moved them into laybys and side roads.

All this happened a good 30mins ahead of the riders coming through, and I'd been waiting 30mins before that.

The ToB flashed through in seconds, and it was all over. Hardly worth the wait, and I wouldn't bother again.

[Mick F]

I was riding up on Dartmoor yesterday and saw warning signs that the ToB was coming through on Saturday 15th Sept. Looking at the route that day, they are starting in N Devon and crossing the county to the south via Dartmoor. In fact, they pass within a few miles of home and through Tavistock.

Can I be bothered to go out and watch? Seeing as they will be so close (Lydford to Tavistock) I may pop out, but I wouldn't go to much trouble.

[daveg]

Mrs Daveg is insisting I take her to Blackpool on Wednesday to see the stage finish. There is no other reason I would go to Blackpool so I hope it's worth it!

Stick of rock anyone?

[steady eddy]

Out on the raod yesterday at Henstead (by bike) hundreds of people at rural road junction to watch this for a few seconds then to the show ground in Norwich - sat in 45 minute traffic jam to get in - about the same as going to the Norfolk Show. There were so many people there they ran out of parking. Got abused by people in chairs - there for the day who expected to have an uninterupted view of the big screen - sorry folks just stand like the rest of us or watch in your living room - couldn't get near the finish. Cav and Wiggo both fell off. Ten deep round the team Sky bus.Not much interest in the other teams which was a real shame. The Net App team looked a bit lonely with their small minibus and a just a big camper van with two young german guys nursing sore feet. They said it had been a hard day and hoped that today would be cooler.Thanks guys for being happy to talk to me and good luck for the rest of the tour.

I want my Skooda painted Orange like that Basque team I cant spell - It looked great.

A lot of chasing about for very little - did we care - no - its just what you have to do sometimes.

The police motor cyclists before the race came through were as entertaining as anything we have seen at Brands Hatch and the team cars obviously thought they were in some sort of race of ther own! This really is a rediculous sport but we love it.

[Edwards]

Orange like that Basque

Who was wearing that?

Sounds like you had a great day.

[cycleruk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euskaltel-Euskadi

One of my favourite teams,

[cycleruk]

Mrs Daveg is insisting I take her to Blackpool on Wednesday to see the stage finish. There is no other reason I would go to Blackpool so I hope it's worth it!

Stick of rock anyone?

Make sure you have a wind-proof umbrella.

[Mick F]

I was shopping in Tavistock this morning, and when I'd finished, I drove up to Brentor - just north of Tavistock - to watch them come through. Quite a social gathering of spectators up there, some of whom I knew.

Stood about for half an hour or so, watching and chatting to the police on the motorbikes as each one stopped at the junction where we were. Friendly chaps on massive motorbikes. A car came through shortly announcing that the front bunch were 4mins ahead of the main bunch.

The racers came through, and I tried to look at what gear they were in up the long drag to Brentor. I know that hill very well and it's a drag to say the least. They were in quite a low gear and going surprisingly slowly and most of them were still in the saddle and a little faster than I would be doing, but I've no doubt I could have kept pace with them. Trouble is, they'd come down from N Devon and still had Dartmoor to climb over! Although I may have been able to keep up with them, I doubt I could have done it for long enough!

They all had big outer rings - 53t plus? - and one or two - not many at all - had oval ones.

Oh, and all the bikes looked ugly. Yukky boring black and grey. What ever happened to bling and colour?

[Erudin]

Watched it come through at the top of the Merrivale Climb, big crowds of people this year. Nice to see loads of cyclists out on the moors, weather was great and dog had a good run afterwards.

[Mick F]

Yes, loads of cyclists about yesterday in Tavy. Mrs Mick F was in Plymouth for the day and I was left to do stuff in Tavy town centre then Lidl and Morrisons.

2010 they started in Tavy, and there were celebrations in the town the previous evening - music/bands etc. We all drank too much, and the following morning I attempted to get up Merrivale as I reckoned it would be a good spot. Sadly, I only made it to the top of Pork Hill before giving up due to rotten hangover! Still a good spot, but not so steep.

This is my video from then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aboFfgZruo

[binsted]

Went to Barhatch Lane to watch the finish of the climb, what a great atmosphere and so many cyclists, well worth waiting and an unbelievable speed up the hill.

[Si]

I must be the crappest cycling fan ever.

On my way home I rode along the race course through Cannock Chase minutes before they closed the road. Hundreds of people by the road side cheering, little kids shouting "C'mon wiggo" at me. So thought I ought to make an effort and ended up doing evens up the hill...(paid for it later). Got to where my route diverged from the course and thought, buggrit I can't be bothered to sit here for 15 mins and wait for the racers, and so went home without seeing any of the race. Plenty of MAMILs around though - probably the only time in the year that the Chase mtbers got outnumbered by roadies. Also the odd school trip there - nice to see the kids coming out in the sun to see a cycle race.

[bianchiblue]

Saw it at Dorking. Great to see What a year for cycling this has been!!