UKC

Biggest free sporting event in the UK this year.

So who's watching . . . . . . and where?

In reply to coinneach:

Watched one of the sprints today 100 yds from my house. It was awesome. Good build up with motorbike police whizzing past and waving, then the breakaway group. My kids were on the pavement and looked shocked at the speed. Pulled them well back as the peloton passed inches away. Effin awesome! Love it!

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Me and my lad had a dress rehearsal for stage 5 today.

Ride over to the Eden valley. Watch the race come through.

Ride up to Hartside while they are over at Ullswater and ( hopefully ) see them finish at the top.

In reply to coinneach:

Wandered around the start area in Beaumaris, mingling with the teams, watched them roll out then rode over to Menai Bridge to watch them come through good crowds and atmosphere.
There was a bit of a problem when several of the big team buses went over the old bridge and only just got through the arches about ten minutes before the riders came through.

In reply to coinneach:

Sadly my viewing is mostly on the TV unless I can shake this head cold. However, I'm overly excited about the prospects of sprints contested by Cav, Viviani and Greipel, and any others of course. Soooo excited ... loving Viviani's work this season, loving Cav as a true class competitor and feel an odd liking for Greipel ... Bring It On.

In reply to coinneach:

Hoping to see some of Fridays stage. Was planning on riding ahead of the race and then watching on a climb, but a crash yesterday has left me with sore ribs (again), so it may be a more pedestrian approach.

In reply to coinneach:

Heading over to watch the climb up out of Earby (Bleara Moor) as it's only a couple of Km from the house. Might nip in to Colne to watch the finish.

In reply to coinneach:

Watched it on the last KOM yesterday near Ruthin. Great atmosphere on the hill, there seems to be more motorbikes and cars than cyclists!!
They still flew past us even though it was uphill

In reply to JamButty:

Here's the Strava segment for Stoney Lane/Bleara Moor https://www.strava.com/segments/7377015 it may *average* 11% but there's a couple of 20% ramps in there as well.

This is the full climb https://www.strava.com/segments/1740481 but there's a long flat section before the final rise. I'm not sure where the organisers have marked the KOM start and finish.

In reply to Bob:

Only seen two riders post their rides up - Steven Kruijswijk https://www.strava.com/activities/386959022#9259847832 just 23 KOMs!! and Tom Moses (who's local) https://www.strava.com/activities/386954805/

In reply to coinneach:

Will go on Friday prob around cat tor next to ramshaw rocks

In reply to coinneach:
Hopefully will watch at Grindleford, then after the riders pass through, there's a hill climb event up the Sir William hill, then later the Hilly Billy festival with bikes, beer and food, which should be good, then off to North Lees campsite for the night, and the Grindleford Goat sportive the next day.
Any others cycling the Goat?

In reply to coinneach:

Friday, probably ride out through the Goyt Valley and watch from at top of Long Hill, or maybe Gun Hill if I'm short of time.

In reply to coinneach:

Managed to catch the first sprint at Salesbury yesterday then jumped on the bike, shot down to Whalley and out to Bashall Eves and caught them there, then over to Downham and caught them coming up past the church there. It was a superb day, made all the better by having time for a leisurely coffee and sandwich just outside Downham, sitting on the cafe terrace in the sun, before the race came through.

At Salesbury the first riders had gone though at a hell of a speed and the team cars were just coming into sight when my wife noticed an old Ford Ka driven by an elderly gentleman emerging from a residential side street, straight into the path of the convoy! She held her breath as the Sky team car slammed on its brakes bringing the whole convoy to a sudden halt.

In reply to Rigid Raider:

Noticed cars at side roads in Colne as the leader went through. In particular a taxi pulled up at a junction, and presumably was looking to go onto the road. WTF ? Now I know there's lots of side roads to patrol but it only takes one car to get onto the race route to cause chaos and potentially carnage.

Nice to see Clitheroe putting on such a good show yesterday - must be the biggest event in the town since the Fall played the castle in the 80s (a free gig and I didnt go!). Lovely countryside - I always think it's so nice it ought to be in Yorkshire !

In reply to coinneach:

Not massively into road biking myself but as today' stage starts 5 mins walk from my house I decided to pop down and see what all the fuss was about.

It was quite good actually, all the team cars parked up with swish bikes on them, got to see Sir Wiggo pretty close while he was walking about by his van and got a new photos and video of the riders etc as they set off form the start line.

All the stalls and stuff are out in force on the high street and there was a good vibe there.

In reply to Chris the Tall:

i noticed that myself, id expect in europe no one to drive on a closed road as they have respect for cyclists.over here i can imagine it being different. was half expecting tacks on the road in north wales

In reply to coinneach:

I was pleased to hear the commentators say several times on ITV4 that Lancashire's roads are amongst the toughest in Britain! So it's not just me being a slow rider then!

In reply to coinneach:

Almost unbelievably it'll be going straight past my local pub, 50 yds from where I live. I'll be there

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


I'll buy you a few pints if you take your bike along and jump on the back of the peloton.

In reply to Clauso:

I went for a ( ahem ) lunchtime walk today and caught them just north of Carlisle. Slavered on my shirt as the Wiggins Jag went past with a roof covered in Pinarellos.

Disappointed that no one had a polka dot Jersey like mine!

In reply to coinneach:

Is there a UKC league on Velogames for the TOB?

In reply to coinneach:

What a brilliant day!

Rode over to Croglin and caught the tour coming through then on up to Hartside for a fantastic finish to the stage.

Really good banter & craic and a couple of hundred riders on the way up.

Best of all. No one laughed out loud at the fat bastard wearing the KOM Jersey and the MTB shoes!

In reply to coinneach:

Exciting finish - hope it's as sunny tomorrow- anyone else going to be at millstone?