Tour of Britain.....do they stop it in really bad weather ?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Tomorrow's route is through Cheshire and ending in 'my' town centre.
I was/am all geared up for a day of tv eg fresh baked bread, cheese, ham and pickles^_^
The weather forecast is now showing solid rain with lightning. If that is accurate will it go ahead ?
 

Drago

Legendary Member
I think the solid rain and lightning will still go ahead if they decide to race ;)
 
Cycling is a tough sport . Unlike cricket which stops for a few drops of rain, cycling carries on no matter what. Only a land slide will stop it, like in the TdF in 2019.
Yes.
Although the rule-book is full of "discretion". If the route takes an underpass through Cheshire, and that is 40cm under floodwater an hour before the bunch is due, there is a strong chance of stopping/neutralising the race.
Just "bad (British) weather" would almost certainly not affect completion.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I think I have vague memories of ToB stages being curtailed due to storms in the past. But I don't pay enough attention to remember properly. And I may have made it all up.

Edit: Here you go - I didn't make it up!
12 September 2011. Tour of Britain: Second stage cancelled because of high winds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/14879182

Check out also: https://inrng.com/2016/03/the-extreme-weather-protocol/

Actually, looking into it I'm not sure if the EWP applies to ToB. It only applies to certain classes of event.

But what you describe sounds like just miserable weather. Not extreme weather. So just take your cagoule, and stand at the side of the road with the handful of other miserable soaked cagoule wearing people. I'll look for you on the telly.
 
Last edited:

T4tomo

Guru
stop for danger, not mild unpleasantness. if lightening got bad and close they might stop, but not for rain per se
 

vickster

Legendary Member
People cycle in the rain and the pros are being paid to cycle, so why would they stop the race (unless it was deemed very dangerous, beyond the risk of crashing which seems part and parcel of cycle racing regardless of the conditions)
 
How often do the forecasts come out as accurate though ?
I'm sure it will go ahead. Chances are there won't be any lightning near the race.
I'm off to Llandudno today and I'm just worried about me being out in the heat for so long !
These cyclists are tough !
 
But what you describe sounds like just miserable weather. Not extreme weather. So just take your cagoule, and stand at the side of the road with the handful of other miserable soaked cagoule wearing people. I'll look for you on the telly.
To help us spot him, I suggest holding a sign*:
"Why on earth didn't they cancel this??"

*preferably laminated.
 

gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
Yes.
Although the rule-book is full of "discretion". If the route takes an underpass through Cheshire, and that is 40cm under floodwater an hour before the bunch is due, there is a strong chance of stopping/neutralising the race.
Just "bad (British) weather" would almost certainly not affect completion.
On the other hand, this is Britain and H&S is so powerful that they can stop anything for the tiniest of reason.:whistle:
 
Edit: Here you go - I didn't make it up!
12 September 2011. Tour of Britain: Second stage cancelled because of high winds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/14879182
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Tour of Britain race director, Mick Bennett, said: "In my thirty years of organising cycling events I have never once had to cancel a stage before it even started, so this is not a decision that has been taken lightly."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
Top Bottom