I know I'm going to get pelters!

[TVC]

Have you met the devil?

Yep, what a thoughoughly nice chap he is. He has been very ill, but I think I caught sight of him on the Tour this year bouncing away like the good old days.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Have you met the devil?

And santa. Or is that dyslexic?

 

[steveindenmark]

I dont see the point either. I would much rather watch the TDF on tv. You see more of the race and the countryside.

However, we do have the Danish road race Championships outside my house at the weekend. I will actually be blocked in for a few hours. Will be selling soup and Rolls on my doorstep for a local cancer charity.

I may post some photos :0)

 

[TVC]

The Tour Series is a good one to go along to, you get to hang around the teams during warm up, watch the race then be there for the presentations. We go to Peterborough every year, and given that there is also the womans race, you get four hours of top class free entertainment - plus if you stand in the right place you get to be on the tellybox the day after.

(Inside info, Kristian House and most of JTL Condor stop at Peterbouough services on the A1 for a KFC after the race).

 

[Hill Wimp]

I was with @hopless500 in Utrecht in July for the start of this years TdF. Admittedly it was a time trial but the atmosphere was really good, i was deafened by all the Dutch and Belgians fans batterring the barriers everytime a cyclist arrived at the finish though.

It was incredibly hot but everyone was in good humour and we were positioned so we could see the riders prior to the TT starting as they did some warm up laps.

I have also seen it 3 times as it's come through Kent and each time it was excellent to see from very early on in the day with the procession rolling past throwing out freebies.

 

[vickster]

Top of boxhill for the Olympic men's road race was ok...all those lovely legs and bums 9 times

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Please let me know what I was missing!

For the children, you could have a slow race in the playground. If you've got some school bikes or you've got them to bring their own in. It surprises children because it's the exact opposite of what they expect from a race.

It should provide a little entertainment for a bit of time to make up for the race disappointment/

 

[TVC]

Top of boxhill for the Olympic men's road race was ok...all those lovely legs and bums 9 times

Ah, I see your interest in Men's road cycling lies in the same motivations as @Lullabelle's

 

[Bollo]

I was with @hopless500 in Utrecht in July for the start of this years TdF. Admittedly it was a time trial but the atmosphere was really good, i was deafened by all the Dutch and Belgians fans batterring the barriers everytime a cyclist arrived at the finish though.

It was incredibly hot but everyone was in good humour and we were positioned so we could see the riders prior to the TT starting as they did some warm up laps.

I have also seen it 3 times as it's come through Kent and each time it was excellent to see from very early on in the day with the procession rolling past throwing out freebies.

Me too! The crowds were a little too much for me, especially after riding from The Hook of Holland in the heat. The ferry was late out, so we couldn't find a good spot by the time we arrived.

Apart from stage 5 last year, which was truly epic, I've had the best time at stage starts in France as the atmosphere is less frenetic and there's a good chance of seeing the riders on a warmup. I didn't even bother with the UK stages; I knew they'd be mental.

 

[biggs682]

Top of boxhill for the Olympic men's road race was ok...all those lovely legs and bums 9 times

And that is why I like watching the ladies tour

 

[Accy cyclist]

Imagine if everybody thought nah sod it, i'll watch it on tv, with no one on the roadside or up in the mountains to cheer them on. By being a spectator you become part of the race. The race isn't much without you. I went to see my first pro' race on Monday when the Tour of Britain wheeled through the nearby village of Whalley. I wouldn't like to wait ages for the riders to arrive, so i got there half an hour before they did. It took about 90 seconds for the police, the riders and the supporting cars to pass through but it was worth it(very spectacular i must say). I went for a ride after,then went home to watch it on tv then i set off back to watch them come back up the hill. If it had been many miles away though i'm not too sure i'd have made the effort.

 

[steveindenmark]

As already mentioned, I dont go to bike races. I wait for them to ride past my house. The Post Denmark Tour came by my door a couple of years ago. Cavendish was riding in it. I had all my Union Jacks out, the radio was on and he came past the house in the peleton and we shouted for him and waved the flags and we saw him.

Well, when I say we saw him, we saw the peleton he was in, or at least we thought he was in it, no we are sure he was in it and we probably saw him.

Now you know why I watch it on TV.

But when I need inspiration I can walk out my door and walk in Mark Cavendish's tyre tracks, literally. Well maybe....

 

[threebikesmcginty]

It's better to watch on TV if you want the whole thing but watching from the roadside is worth doing, I took my lot to see the Giro the other year and they all enjoyed the whole spectacle, it's great fun. The old guy in the car arguing with the police at the roadblock was a great bonus sideshow too.

 

[ColinJ]

Ah, I see your interest in Men's road cycling lies in the same motivations as @Lullabelle's

That was what brought @Speicher to our doorstep ... I don't think riding bikes herself has *quite* the same appeal!

 

[Speicher]

I watched the Tour of Britain last year as it passed nearby.

As @steveindenmark said, I think I saw Cavendish.