TDF Timings

[Chrisc]

Apologies if this has already been posted, had a look round but coudn't see it.
TDF timings are up on the site now so you can check what time the show passes your spot.

Anyone got any hard info on when to expect the roads to close and if we'll be able to ride on them once closed to motor traffic? Planning (like everybody and his dog in the area) to get onto Holme Moss.

 

[mr_cellophane]

Nothing for Stage 3 yet.

Just noticed it goes through the Limehouse Link. No chance of riding the full route beforehand now

 

[ColinJ]

Ha ha - the locally much-hyped climb of Cragg Vale from Mytholmroyd ('should be a stiff challenge for the Tour de France riders') is not even one of the classified climbs!

NB I would imagine that those times are CET so take an hour off them for BST. (CHECK!)

 

[jarlrmai]

afaik It can be really, really steep, but if there's not enough vertical it won't get a classification on the Tour.

 

[ColinJ]

afaik It can be really, really steep, but if there's not enough vertical it won't get a classification on the Tour.

The unclassified Cragg Vale climb is about 8.8 km (5.5 miles) long and ascends 295 metres (968 ft), so an average gradient of about 3.4%.

 

[thom]

There was talk yesterday on the Radio 5 "Bespoke" program of the Yorkshire stage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03pm9zk/5_live_Sport_BeSpoke_16_01_2014/
The thoughts were very much that the opening stages are much tougher than normal - is it 3km of climbing in the 2nd stage ?
So opportunities for GC movements due to fragmentation of the peloton and indeed difficulties in predicting rider schedules.

 

[jarlrmai]

Hopefully lot's of cards on the table early then.

 

[ColinJ]

There was talk yesterday on the Radio 5 "Bespoke" program of the Yorkshire stage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03pm9zk/5_live_Sport_BeSpoke_16_01_2014/
The thoughts were very much that the opening stages are much tougher than normal - is it 3km of climbing in the 2nd stage ?

Stage 2 is certainly very lumpy and some of the climbs can be exposed to quite strong winds at times.

I could certainly see a breakaway making the peloton work hard. If Cav gets the yellow jersey on stage 1, I could see him losing it the next day!

 

[endoman]

Never seems to be mentioned, but the climb up the Woodhead would be a great place to launch an attack, not steep but put the power down for 10 -15 minutes and you could steal a fair bit as everyone relaxes coming off Holme Moss.

 

[ColinJ]

Never seems to be mentioned, but the climb up the Woodhead would be a great place to launch an attack, not steep but put the power down for 10 -15 minutes and you could steal a fair bit as everyone relaxes coming off Holme Moss.

I think a breakaway will go early. You have the drag up from Keighley, followed by a steep little climb up through Haworth, then a short, sharp shock over Pensistone Hill, then Oxenhope Moor, then the drag up through Cragg Vale, then a steep ascent at Ripponden and those are before even getting to Holme Moss. If we get a windy day then they will typically get cross-headwinds higher up on those climbs.

 

[Chrisc]

I might head for WIndle Edge and watch them come up Woodhead rather than fight it out on Holme Moss.
Still wondering what time the roads will actually close and if cyclists will be allowed through till the publicity caravan arrives like they do in France.

 

[nickyboy]

Despite Holme Moss being the closest point to me (only about 8 miles from Glossop) there is no way I'm going there. We will watch as a family so we would have to walk all the way up from Woodhead and then fight it out with 100,000 folk for a decent viewing point.

I suspect Strines might be a better option or the Woodhead itself

 

[RedRider]

I think a breakaway will go early. You have the drag up from Keighley, followed by a steep little climb up through Haworth, then a short, sharp shock over Pensistone Hill, then Oxenhope Moor, then the drag up through Cragg Vale, then a steep ascent at Ripponden and those are before even getting to Holme Moss. If we get a windy day then they will typically get cross-headwinds higher up on those climbs.

It's P-E-N-I-S not P-E-N-S-I-S-tone. (Sorry, for some reason I felt I had to point this out.)

 

[ColinJ]

It's P-E-N-I-S not P-E-N-S-I-S-tone. (Sorry, for some reason I felt I had to point this out.)

I will stick with PENI-stone ...

 

[Chrisc]

When you look at the timings they're allowing 11 mins to climb from Holmfirth to Holme Moss summit.
Beggars belief! They'd have time to descend and do it again before I got up there. :-)