Tour of Britain 2025 - spoilers

[katiewlx]

Coming within 15 miles of my house (Southwold) today. Forecast is dire or I’d have gone and watched. Bugger if I’m paying *£300 for parking in Southwold, and getting cold and wet to watch some cyclists for 10 seconds…..

forecast was dire, and yet actually...I only got moderately soaked once

 

[katiewlx]

The correct thread title is 'Tour That Doesn't Come Past My House - Spoiler'

comes very close to mine but typically in these situations instead of just observing from near home, I end up riding around the stage like a mad woman trying to keep up with them.

the only time Ive ever kind of done that sit in the front garden and watch it pass thing, was when it went by my parents house once. and then I still hopped in the car and got to the finish.

 

[katiewlx]

You never know whether to believe those road closed signs when you're out on your bike. Sometimes it's possible to sneak past the blockage, even if it means carrying your bike. It's always worth checking. I'd advise the riders to give it a go.

funnily enough chasing todays stage I came across two of those, & not the Butley one, as theres loads of roads closed around East Suffolk for Sizewell C construction at the moment, and both of them were a bit a sketchy fwiw, even if I could just about sneak through, it often depends how theyve parked their vans/trucks.

and its weird because I rode through Butley only last week via Mill Road Im amazed they got it ready in time, because it was the worst for sand & flints Id seen it for years, we havent had much rain around here for the past few months and then a couple of intense deluges and it just makes some of those back lanes turn into sand pits as it just washes debris off the fields. Plus its a really busy harvest time and youve got lots of heavy machinery that uses those lanes & just crushes any stone into puncture tastic shards of sharp flint

 

[katiewlx]

The grieving period was toooooo long

it wasnt the grieving period as such, it was that all police leave was cancelled to provide visible security by policing stuff in major cities etc, and unfortunately most of the motorbike outriders who provide the rolling road block for the race, are police officers who have taken leave to volunteer to do this stuff, without them the race couldnt proceed in safety

 

[katiewlx]

The start was only 10 miles or so from home for me, but I couldn't be bothered to get up there for the roll out this morning. Felixstowe, which is only a couple of miles down the road, has hosted the start or finish of stages of both the men's & women's races a number of times. Part of the last 6km run in that is always used passes within a hundred yards or so of my home
(Screenshot from last year's TV coverage - from next to the 'For Sale' sign)
View attachment 785737
Some very familiar roads to me on both stage 1 & 2 this year, but it's always surprising how different they look at a pro's speed and from from the different perspective of the motorbike coverage.

Ive ridden to Felixstowe alot of times, its basically the only road in isnt it ? but followed that route specifically and no matter how hard I try, even with a stonking tail wind, nah never getting close to them

 

[katiewlx]

They should have an artificial hill that can be transported to pancake stages.🤣

the issue is there are hills around Suffolk, steep hills too, the problem seems to be the organisers either dont know about them or willingly avoid them,like I had to explain today to a couple who I got talking to at the finish, why the stage ended in a sprint.

but take for instance Stage 2, they actually pass as part of the KOM for the day, a turn that would take them up Watsons Hill, which is used by all the local cycling clubs as their hill climb competition climb. It might not sound bad at an average of 5%, but it ramps up to above 7% (some might say its steeper than that too) and is part of the official 100 climbs of the UK.

and yet consistently they just ride on by it

 

[sevenfourate]

forecast was dire, and yet actually...I only got moderately soaked once

Not too bad then 🤣

I watched most of the last 30k - from Halesworth to Bungay, Beccles, Ellough and into Southwold on my phone. It was good weather here in Lowestoft at that time and looked ok: with (by then ?) dry roads for the Tour guys…..

Maybe I should have ignored the forecasters skills (again), got off my butt and gone watched !

 

[mididoctors]

Stage 2
View: https://www.youtube.com/live/AYHvF1-8bRo

 

[mididoctors]

It's windy

 

[No Ta Doctor]

the issue is there are hills around Suffolk, steep hills too, the problem seems to be the organisers either dont know about them or willingly avoid them,like I had to explain today to a couple who I got talking to at the finish, why the stage ended in a sprint.

but take for instance Stage 2, they actually pass as part of the KOM for the day, a turn that would take them up Watsons Hill, which is used by all the local cycling clubs as their hill climb competition climb. It might not sound bad at an average of 5%, but it ramps up to above 7% (some might say its steeper than that too) and is part of the official 100 climbs of the UK.

and yet consistently they just ride on by it

So we're left with the Mortirolo of Hadleigh... It least it goes up all the way today

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Lots of wind around today. This could get tasty….

 

[No Ta Doctor]

It's windy

Start and finish will be tailwind with possibility of cross-tail.....

 

[mididoctors]

Tao near the front in the neutral zone

 

[mididoctors]

Book mollema

 

[mididoctors]

They're off