Tour of Britain (Women and men) - Spoilers!

[Lanterne Rogue]

Not sure if a parcours that comes down to the final sprint is perfectly judged or simply not selective enough. Certainly made for tension though.

 

[misforturob]

Not sure if a parcours that comes down to the final sprint is perfectly judged or simply not selective enough. Certainly made for tension though.

Top ten on GC separated by 1:09 so I would say it was selective enough

 

[mididoctors]

Better than the vuelta feminina to watch

 

[Pross]

This year's men's route finishes with a bit of a tribute to G over the final two days. The Saturday takes in two ascents of The Tumble, finish at the top second time around with the final stage starting in Newport at the velodrome named after G and finishing near City Hall just down the road from Maindy track where he started cycling (I'm assuming this isn't going to be a flat 15-20 mile stage along the coast road!). Both stage starts and finishes are within a short ride for me so will be out there watching.

Incidentally, no-one local ever calls the road at the end of the saturday stage The Tumble, it has always been known as The Keeper's (after Keeper's Pond located at the summit). It only seemed to start being called that in cycling circles back in the 90s although The Tumble shows up on OS maps as being a slope on one side of the road.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Incidentally, no-one local ever calls the road at the end of the saturday stage The Tumble, it has always been known as The Keeper's (after Keeper's Pond located at the summit). It only seemed to start being called that in cycling circles back in the 90s although The Tumble shows up on OS maps as being a slope on one side of the road.

I used to live nearby (well, my parents did, I only lived there for a year or so) and I always knew that road as The Fiddlers Elbow (or just the Fiddlers) after a defunct pub on the sharp (elbow) bend some way below Keeper's Pond.

I think I only cycled up it once, and decided not to repeat the torture (and I never wanted to go to Blaenavon ). But I did walk from Gilwern up onto the Blorenge many times.

 

[Pross]

Yeah, Fiddler’s or Keeper’s with Fiddler’s Elbow being the hairpin at the bottom. The pub was the Cordell Inn named after the local author. I’ve ridden it a fair few times including doing the Welsh hill climb champs up it with a raging hangover the morning after I met my now wife.

 

[CarbonClem]

Disappointed the final TOB weekend is whilst I'm away, I'd have gone to both stages. I do a ride over the Tumble/Keepers/Blorenge most summers from home. Always a good days riding.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Disappointed the ToB yet again doesn't come anywhere near my house, though some say that's my own fault for living in Denmark. I say: If the Tour de France can manage it then a neighbour from just over the North Sea should be able to arrange a Copenhagen Big Leaving.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

When are we going to see TOB do an iconic North Wales climbs route that includes gems like...
Gwaenysgor
Road To Hell
Horseshoe Pass
Hirnant Pass
Bwlch Y Groes
Etc?

 

[misforturob]

When are we going to see TOB do an iconic North Wales climbs route that includes gems like...
Gwaenysgor
Road To Hell
Horseshoe Pass
Hirnant Pass
Bwlch Y Groes
Etc?

They did Horseshoe Pass last year (in the women's ToB)

 

[Alex321]

This year's men's route finishes with a bit of a tribute to G over the final two days. The Saturday takes in two ascents of The Tumble, finish at the top second time around with the final stage starting in Newport at the velodrome named after G and finishing near City Hall just down the road from Maindy track where he started cycling (I'm assuming this isn't going to be a flat 15-20 mile stage along the coast road!).

From British Cycling
The final stage, on Sunday 7 September will start from the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales in the city of Newport, home to Beicio Cymru. After crossing the climbs and valleys of south Wales, the leg will pass the Maindy Velodrome, home to the Maindy Flyers Cycling Club that produced Geraint Thomas, among other Welsh stars, ahead of the finish in Cardiff city centre.

 

[Pross]

From British Cycling
The final stage, on Sunday 7 September will start from the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales in the city of Newport, home to Beicio Cymru. After crossing the climbs and valleys of south Wales, the leg will pass the Maindy Velodrome, home to the Maindy Flyers Cycling Club that produced Geraint Thomas, among other Welsh stars, ahead of the finish in Cardiff city centre.

Yeah, my guess is it will take in Caerphilly Mountain as the organisers seem to love that climb. It will be interesting to see how they route. Hopefully they'll take in some of the other bigger climbs like the Bwlch, Rhigos or Llangynidr

 

[Alex321]

Yeah, my guess is it will take in Caerphilly Mountain as the organisers seem to love that climb. It will be interesting to see how they route. Hopefully they'll take in some of the other bigger climbs like the Bwlch, Rhigos or Llangynidr

Hope so. I'll be watching somewhere on that route if so.

I saw them at the top of caerphilly mountain last time they were in South Wales (which they climbed twice), after watching them pass through my village earlier in the day.

They did the Bwlch and Rhigos as well that day - the Bwlch wasn't even a categorised climb.

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

They did Horseshoe Pass last year (in the women's ToB)

And they didn't even stop for a rest halfway up like I did the last time I rode it

 

[TomDW]

When are we going to see TOB do an iconic North Wales climbs route that includes gems like...
Gwaenysgor
Road To Hell
Horseshoe Pass
Hirnant Pass
Bwlch Y Groes
Etc?

Could be spectacular , like a kind of Itzulia Basque. It's all about councils willing to engage really.