[Burkni]

The residents of Hampstead and Highgate are apparently quite furious at plans originating with the UCI to move the RR course from their neighbourhood (and finish line in Regent's Park) to a more Beijing-like model: start in the city centre and move out to somewhere selective.

The dilemma being whether to have the race close to the viewers or giving someone else than Cav a slight chance of winning

[Wheelclub]

Infuriating is the UCI's specialty!

[Straff]

They should put the finish-line across the gates of that big apartment block at the end of The Mall. Plenty of space for the team buses in front and the marshalls wouldn't take any crap. And the owners could charge premium prices for a balcony grandstand seat. They need the money. That fancy traffic island might be a tad dodgy in the last 100m though, but I'm sure they'd move it.

[The Rake]

They should put the finish-line across the gates of that big apartment block at the end of The Mall. Plenty of space for the team buses in front and the marshalls wouldn't take any crap. And the owners could charge premium prices for a balcony grandstand seat. They need the money. That fancy traffic island might be a tad dodgy in the last 100m though, but I'm sure they'd move it.

Straff, when you kick off the revolution I will be right there beside you

[Burkni]

They should put the finish-line across the gates of that big apartment block at the end of The Mall. Plenty of space for the team buses in front and the marshalls wouldn't take any crap. And the owners could charge premium prices for a balcony grandstand seat. They need the money. That fancy traffic island might be a tad dodgy in the last 100m though, but I'm sure they'd move it.

Don't know about the finish line, but the apartment block might be included yet ... at the UCI's request, no less!

[Straff]

Don't know about the finish line, but the apartment block might be included yet ... at the UCI's request, no less!

I had a word. I am a man of influence dontcha no

[Burkni]

I had a word. I am a man of influence dontcha no

Did you break into the palace with a sponge and a rusty spanner?

[Burkni]

The Rake, on 13 August 2009 - 06:50 AM, said:

<!--quoteo(post=158197:date=Aug 12 2009, 09:57 PM:name=Straff)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Straff @ Aug 12 2009, 09:57 PM) </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
They should put the finish-line across the gates of <a href="http://www.ontravel.com/afradio/images/palace.jpg" target="_blank"> that big apartment block at the end of The Mall</a>. Plenty of space for the team buses in front and the marshalls wouldn't take any crap. And the owners could charge premium prices for a <strike>balcony</strike> grandstand seat. They need the money. <a href="http://www.infobritain.co.uk/Queen_Victoria_Memorial.jpg" target="_blank"> That fancy traffic island</a> might be a tad dodgy in the last 100m though, but I'm sure they'd move it.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Straff, when you kick off the revolution I will be right there beside you

And finally a decision has been made, that nice aparartment block will indeed see its share of action! Start and finish!
Only en ligne by the looks of it, no circuits.
Cav should be guaranteed this one, but it should be a fine race nonetheless.

[The Rake]

Burkni, on 08 February 2011 - 08:43 PM, said:

And finally a decision has been made, that nice aparartment block will indeed see its share of action! Start and finish!
Only en ligne by the looks of it, no circuits.
Cav should be guaranteed this one, but it should be a fine race nonetheless.

http://www.cyclingwe...e-revealed.html

If the route is as stated in Cycling Weekly then it comes right past my house in Dorking. There are no flat roads once they come out of Bushy Park and into the Surrey Hills. None are especially long but some short steep bursts and some long draags. I struggle to walk Box Hill, but then I am no athlete.

Sadly, it is then pan flat back into London.

[Burkni]

The Rake, on 10 February 2011 - 09:41 AM, said:

http://www.cyclingwe...e-revealed.html

If the route is as stated in Cycling Weekly then it comes right past my house in Dorking. There are no flat roads once they come out of Bushy Park and into the Surrey Hills. None are especially long but some short steep bursts and some long draags. I struggle to walk Box Hill, but then I am no athlete.

Sadly, it is then pan flat back into London.

Yeah, they should rather have done laps on the Mall and then move the finish out to Rake's place

Edit:
Just checked out Dorking and surroundings on mapmyride.com ... what they should have done is have the start and finish 50km away in downtown london, but do 10 laps or so around Dorking with those killer hills
That would have made it a Hushovd race instead of a Cav one

Edit #2:
Lo and behold, the UCI and IOC are clearly reading the DPF, because the more detailed parcours now issued is doing precisely what I suggested. Unless I simply misunderstood the first time

This post has been edited by Burkni: 11 February 2011 - 10:12 AM

[The Rake]

LOCOG confirmed that, if I want to watch the Olympic road race at the end of my street, I would have to pay £15 and run the risk of not getting a ticket as they will probably go to all the corporates.

Not happy.

On a better note, they have finished the resurfacing of Box Hill and it is like a nice new carpet.

http://www.cyclingwe...ime-trials.html

[Burkni]

The Rake, on 09 May 2012 - 08:26 AM, said:

LOCOG confirmed that, if I want to watch the Olympic road race at the end of my street, I would have to pay £15 and run the risk of not getting a ticket as they will probably go to all the corporates.

Not happy.

On a better note, they have finished the resurfacing of Box Hill and it is like a nice new carpet.

http://www.cyclingwe...ime-trials.html

Not quite sure how they are going to enforce that ... evict you from your house?
Bastards.

On a similar note: I am planning to go and watch the Olympic Marathon - will the entire course be charged?

[Strategy]

Heh. Is there any chance this will not be won by Cavendish? I somehow have difficulty imagining any other outcome...

[buddy]

Cav certainly may start a big favourite but nothing is guaranteed. With only five riders to call on there is no way the British team can control things like they did at the world championships. There will be a few teams out to mess up that plan.

We saw at the Giro that Cav can be beaten if he doesn't have the train working smoothly. The make up of the other strong nations will be intersting. Will they be taking one good sprinter and four workers or will they go with more options meaning more sprinters and less workers. That way they can make sure they have someone decent in the breaks when it goes. If Britain don't have too many helpers in the chase then they could be stuffed before then end of the race.

I am not sure Cav can win with only five riders. I think more a rider like Boonen or Hushovd could come to the fore or hopefully Goss.

Thanks,

Buddy

[Burkni]

Think of a Gent-Wevelgem in nice weather. Cav can certainly win that race but it is a lot more complicated than a 250km flat affair.
Therefore the classics guys should come to the fore, but I am definitely not ruling out Cav, even with a small team.
He will be on his own quite early because GB will have to do most of the pulling in the first 200km.

[The Rake]

Burkni, on 09 May 2012 - 09:28 AM, said:

Not quite sure how they are going to enforce that ... evict you from your house?
Bastards.

On a similar note: I am planning to go and watch the Olympic Marathon - will the entire course be charged?

I doubt it. Though wouldn't put it past LOCOG.

The bike race is charging for Box Hill and Hampton Court. I would imagine the finish of the marathon is in the stadium, so this would be the only charging area

[The Rake]

Burkni, on 10 May 2012 - 09:06 AM, said:

Think of a Gent-Wevelgem in nice weather. Cav can certainly win that race but it is a lot more complicated than a 250km flat affair.
Therefore the classics guys should come to the fore, but I am definitely not ruling out Cav, even with a small team.
He will be on his own quite early because GB will have to do most of the pulling in the first 200km.

Agree. And though Box Hill and the Surrey Hills shouldn't be too hard for a seasoned pro, he has struggled on all hills this season. It is far from a foregone conclusion. A strong group could get together going through Headley part way through the Box Hill circuits and quite easily stay away. As you say, with five man teams it will be tricky to control.

And don't bank on the nice weather. We may be in a drought and the middle of a hose pipe ban, but I swear I saw Noah float past a few moments ago...

This post has been edited by The Rake: 10 May 2012 - 02:34 PM

[VdB]

The Rake, on 10 May 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

Agree. And though Box Hill and the Surrey Hills shouldn't be too hard for a seasoned pro, he has struggled on all hills this season. It is far from a foregone conclusion. A strong group could get together going through Headley part way through the Box Hill circuits and quite easily stay away. As you say, with five man teams it will be tricky to control.

And don't bank on the nice weather. We may be in a drought and the middle of a hose pipe ban, but I swear I saw Noah float past a few moments ago...

Cav just won a stage in the Giro where Hushovd (ok, he's been pretty crap all year but still) and Farrar were dropped on a small climb, so I think he may be coming into form pretty nicely! Or maybe ti was just his woman and child waiting for him at the finish line, but then I imagine there will be similar reasons at the Olympics.

Charging for the road race is a disgrace, especially when you're as filthy rich as the IOC. Not to worry, I'm sure some fat 55 to 60-yr old board type who doesn't really care about cycling will get a place for free right in front of you. /sarcasm

[Burkni]

The Rake, on 10 May 2012 - 02:31 PM, said:

would imagine the finish of the marathon is in the stadium,

The Mall.

[buddy]

Oh Rake you make me laugh. Drought, that is soooo funnnnny. What it hasn't rained for a month? Well actually it has so my sister-in-law who lives in London has told me.

Come to Australia and you can have a propoer drought. We had ten years of it with not much rainfall. Fortunately it is over now and there is water aplenty. Well lots of floods actually. but you can do more with mud than dry dirt.

In regards to the topic ....I am sure there are plenty of places to watch the race free of charge. Pity they pick the best spots to charge a fee but really watching them whiz by and then watching them on the TV inside is the way to go anyway.

It is a buzz though. I remember being on the side of the road at the Sydney Olympics and the atmosphere was just so good. I hope it is much the same in the UK. I hope the weather isn't too ...well English. Don't want that drought to break during the Olympics.

On another aside ..... I could never in all my pondering imagine how the sports of lawn tennis, gold and cricket ever were invented in the mother country. Seriously. Darts yes but those other ones are so much better played in the nice aussie sun. Cycling isn't bad either.

Thanks,

Buddy

This post has been edited by buddy: 11 May 2012 - 02:53 AM