Tour of Britain 2023 *Spoilers*
- Thread starter Adam4868
- Start date
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Jameshow
Veteran
Interesting but a few contradictions. I does cost anything to host the Vuelta! Of course it does it's coming out if someone else budget.
Cycling needs to be funded higher up the food chain, not at council level, fighting for funds with swimming pools and libraries not to mention home care!
It's a similar situation with royalty do they apply for councils to attend events? Stage rolling road closures? I bet a kings ransom they don't!
Of councils don't want to stage events the pass them by and use those that do or use other venues such as motor racing circuits, show grounds etc.
matticus
Guru
But is Pro road racing (arguably the least accessible form of cycling around!) the best way to spend this ?
Of course it would be great if there was enough funding for all, but this is the UK (and a Tory-run OK, to boot) ...
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
There's the problem: not many councils actually do want to stage events. And you can't really blame them as they are desperately short of cash.
So that leaves motor racing circuits. If that's all there is - why bother?
I think the fact that ASO were unable to make a go of the TdY, after a promising start and all the TdF razamatazz tells us a lot.
And Britain doesn't have much in the way of tradition or history of road racing. From what I've read, after the WWII there was another war when the alphabet soup of cycling organisations declared war on each other and banned each others members due to one lot wanting to keep road racing banned and the other lot not.
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GuyBoden
Guru
- Location
- Warrington
Be grateful, cycle races on roads were banned in the UK until the 1950's. 
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Be grateful, cycle races on roads were banned in the UK until the 1950's.
But (and I could be wrong here) they were banned not by the police, or by law, but by the cycling organisation the NCU.
Jameshow
Veteran
Seems like there was enough people out watching it!
If gov were involved then big business would take note and rising tide floats all boats etc.
GuyBoden
Guru
- Location
- Warrington
Yes, the early incarnations of the "Tour of Britain" were actually banned by the National Cyclists Union.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
The velodrome-obsessed anti-road-cycling NCU became part of today's British Cycling, by hijacking the pro racing British League of Racing Cyclists (according to its founder, Percy Stallard). I'd remember that when choosing where you pay subscription between local BC, Clarion and other clubs.Yes, the early incarnations of the "Tour of Britain" were actually banned by the National Cyclists Union.
View: https://youtu.be/I8jBAC23_Gc?si=8NOmKJl5mzvzdurC
A very fleeting appearance from a cycle chatter at 4mins 18sec
