Vélo Essex

[Dogtrousers]

Anyone heard of this one? How long before the good people of Essex wake up to the fact that they will be kept prisoner in their own homes while hordes of lycra louts urinate on their nasturtiums?

https://www.veloessex.com/

Introducing a major new closed road cycling event for the UK – Vélo Essex!​

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Starting and finishing in Hylands Park near Chelmsford, Vélo Essex will provide 15,000 cyclists with a truly unmissable opportunity to ride through some of the UK’s most picturesque cycling countryside on fully closed roads.​

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Featuring a spectacular 100 mile route that retraces the legendary 2014 Tour de France Stage 3 route along with a shorter 50 mile route blah blah blah​

Ah yes the legendary 2014 TdF Stage 3. Who could forget it? (Scratches head and dashes off to Wikipedia)

£79 for the 100 mile route (£112 "fast track") £49/£69 for the 50 mile route.

Organised by Active Sport who used to be CSM. Also organised velo Birmingham. I think.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Anyone heard of this one? How long before the good people of Essex wake up to the fact that they will be kept prisoner in their own homes while hordes of lycra louts urinate on their nasturtiums?

https://www.veloessex.com/

Introducing a major new closed road cycling event for the UK – Vélo Essex!​

​

Starting and finishing in Hylands Park near Chelmsford, Vélo Essex will provide 15,000 cyclists with a truly unmissable opportunity to ride through some of the UK’s most picturesque cycling countryside on fully closed roads.​

​

Featuring a spectacular 100 mile route that retraces the legendary 2014 Tour de France Stage 3 route along with a shorter 50 mile route blah blah blah​

Ah yes the legendary 2014 TdF Stage 3. Who could forget it? (Scratches head and dashes off to Wikipedia)

£79 for the 100 mile route (£112 "fast track") £49/£69 for the 50 mile route.

Organised by Active Sport who used to be CSM. Also organised velo Birmingham. I think.

I bet the good people of Chelmsford have no idea yet. If it runs to form, there will be uproar and pitchforks from the locals, the route will be changed several times, it won’t be a closed road event after all, everyone who booked on the premise that it was, will cancel, it will rain a bit on event day, and the organisers will cancel it, but not before selling loads of bibs and tops, with Velo Essex all over them.

 

[mjr]

Ah yes the legendary 2014 TdF Stage 3. Who could forget it? (Scratches head and dashes off to Wikipedia)

I was there. It was the stage from Cambridge to London where a collision with a fan effectively ended Andy Schleck's career. It went through Essex but it's a bit of a weak link. I suspect it's being used because Essex are willing to close it because it didn't disrupt much in 2014. The biggest effect seems to be closing a bit of A1060. Other than that, it's mostly back roads with a few bits of B.

 

[I like Skol]

Glad you are all so positive about it, a nice glowing endorsement of the cycling community and it's relationship with the general public.

 

[mjr]

Glad you are all so positive about it, a nice glowing endorsement of the cycling community and it's relationship with the general public.

Well, what do you expect? An event organised by a shower that bans some of us and has shafted others who paid for at least two, maybe three, of its "closed" road events in the past, part-funded by a county council that pleads poverty when refusing to make basic cycling safety fixes like removing a notorious 4" step from the cycle route that greets visitors arriving from Holland... Well, it's never going to get a glowing welcome from everyone here, is it?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Glad you are all so positive about it, a nice glowing endorsement of the cycling community and it's relationship with the general public.

Well ... I'd foresee objections. I don't think that's being overly negative. It's what happened a lot for other events like Velo Birmingham, Velo Wales and that thing in Sussex whatever it was called. (Velo Sussex perhaps, I dunno).

I might even do it. Probably not, as getting there (incl day before to pick up rider stuff, which I think is necessary) could be more hassle than the reward of closed roads. And it's a bit pricey. But I'd give it some thought.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

79 quid?I know the ride london is the same price but IMO that is worth paying for.
Incidentally there is an essex evans ride it sportive on the sixth of september for less than half the price of the velo.
https://www.evanscycles.com/evans-cycles-essex-road-sportive-sunday-6th-september-2020-EV376890

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Most of those roads are pretty quiet anyway , far quieter to ride them any other day than when 15,000 cyclists are on them.

 

[jiberjaber]

79 quid?I know the ride london is the same price but IMO that is worth paying for.
Incidentally there is an essex evans ride it sportive on the sixth of september for less than half the price of the velo.
https://www.evanscycles.com/evans-cycles-essex-road-sportive-sunday-6th-september-2020-EV376890

It's not the nicest of routes, there's far better lanes but they wouldn't be suitable for the volume proposed, being closed roads will certainly help.... local pitchforks are out in force already in the local rag...

However if you want a true Essex joyfull riding experience there's plenty of Audax based in the area, these are just ours (Audax Club Mid-Essex) as a starter, entries from as little as £9 and usually includes cake!:

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

@jiberjaber wherabouts do you ride in Essex ?

 

[jiberjaber]

@jiberjaber wherabouts do you ride in Essex ?

Chelmsford based so from there anywhere usually

Most of our audaxs go from either Witham or Dunmow, the A&S and G&Y go from Manningtree.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I did the Kingdom of the East Saxons in 2017. Was that one of yours?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Chelmsford based so from there anywhere usually

Most of our audaxs go from either Witham or Dunmow, the A&S and G&Y go from Manningtree.
View attachment 504536

Your blood pressure seems to be up, please see the doctor.

 

[jiberjaber]

I did the Kingdom of the East Saxons in 2017. Was that one of yours?

Yep, KoTES is an ACME ride organised by Tom I didn't do the 2017 edition but did the inaugural one in 2016 (as my first 600) and again last year. Our organisers are having a bit of a quieter year after a fair few busy PBP qualifiers last year A few of the regular rides remain for this year but one of my favs (Hereward the Wake 300km) is having a holiday this year

 

[JhnBssll]

Does seem a bit pricey - I pre-registered with a colleague before we spotted the cost He since decided against it, but the priority entry tickets went on sale today and I was contacted by an old school friend who had signed up so I'm back in

I rode Velo Birmingham last year and rather enjoyed it, this one is much closer to home so should be fun