I know I'm going to get pelters!

[Easytigers]

I just don't get going to watch a road race live...I love cycling (although not doing as much as I'd like at the moment!) and I love watching on TV...but I just don't get it live!

Last year I convinced the whole school to get out and watch the Women's Tour of Britain as it was passing through the village. The kids were really, really enthused! Really excited by the whole event...there was the drama of the police riders coming through the village...added to that the cars bursting with bikes on the roof...me - being over enthusiastic about the whole thing...then the riders went through in about 10 seconds...

Cue me saying..."Right everyone...back to school" - they couldn't believe it and it made me feel really bad. I was glad that we'd come out and supported the race but I also felt bad that the kids didn't get a better experience. Thing is that I had warned them about how fast it would be etc but they just didn't get it.

I then realised that I was really disappointed as well. It was the first race that I had watched live and wondered why I'd bothered.

Please let me know what I was missing!

 

[Fnaar]

Atmosphere, build-up. free caps, trying to get a good view, chat with others there, and then it's all over very quickly. Just like sex.

 

[roadrash]

better experience at the finish line with podium presentations etc, mingling among the team buses after , managed to get cavs and griepels autograph today

 

[tyred]

I always felt the same way when my Dad used to take me to watch the Northwest 200 motorbike race years ago. Loads of anticipation to sit in a field for most of the day just to see a group of bike pass very quickly every now and again. I appreciate the skills of all top people in any sport and am happy to acknowledge they are way more skilled than I could ever be but I've never been an avid sports viewer.

 

[jonny jeez]

Atmosphere, build-up. free caps, trying to get a good view, chat with others there, and then it's all over very quickly. Just like sex.

You get to have chats with others and a free cap when you have sex....?

 

[screenman]

Atmosphere, build-up. free caps, trying to get a good view, chat with others there, and then it's all over very quickly. Just like sex.

Another thing for me to moan at the wife about, I never get a free cap for having sex.

 

[Sandra6]

I was really disappointed when we watched the tour set off from Carlisle a couple of years ago.
Lots of standing around then a big pack of cyclists doing 10mph went down the road and back again.
Yawn.

 

[stephec]

Last year I sat on a fold up chair at the top of Cragg Vale for a couple of hours, beer and butties in hand.

The caravan went past with mild interest, then I stood up to watch the break, and again for the peloton.

We had a laugh, it was a good day out.

Edit: here I am suitably relaxed.

 

[Cuchilo]

I went to watch the Olympic road race and time trials at Hampton court but i'm glad i had my boat moored there for entertainment . The wait for the riders to go round the surrey hills and come back past must have been rather dull for the people stood on the bridge . It also rained if i recall .

 

[IDMark2]

Making it a day is the key.. it was humanly possible to see one of the Devon stages at three separate locations in one day's riding one year, not including the start roll out. I managed two viewing points and a good day's mad ride was had, with some idiots going for three and the finish.

 

[TVC]

I go to the starts, you get to see so much, for example:

https://www.cyclechat.net/media/users/the-velvet-curtain.133/albums

 

[stephec]

I go to the starts, you get to see so much, for example:

https://www.cyclechat.net/media/users/the-velvet-curtain.133/albums

Have you met the devil?

 

[MartinQ]

Atmosphere, build-up. free caps, trying to get a good view, chat with others there, and then it's all over very quickly. Just like sex.

Tremendous excitement and then over in a few seconds and you feel a bit cheated. Just like sex.

 

[HertzvanRental]

I was in Canterbury when the TdeF stage finished there three years ago(?)
The actual racing was over in a blink but all the other stuff that was happening made it a great day out. The weather was also good!

 

[ayceejay]

If she wears the cap then the sex is free.