Went into Glasgow to watch the road race guys yesterday.
Fantastic atmosphere, in awe watching the cyclists do what they do close up. Even more in awe of watching the support vehicles trying to catch up with them.
There was some criticism that the route had too many corners so cyclists never got up to full speed again between them but by god, the speed they took right angles at was scary. And the support vehicles, Kia Sportages with huge wide roof racks of bikes on them were trying to catch them up. I feared that one of the vehicles would go right through a crowd barrier but thankfully that never happened.
Lots of doom and gloom merchants who didn’t want roads closed for this but I thought the whole operation was so well done.
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Thurs I was going from Home to Cameron House, a son had a lodge there for a week, on Thursday 27th July.
It's 48 miles and takes typically 65 to 75 minutes normally. Driven the road for 60 years.
The route is M9 to Stirling then the A811 all the way skirting the North side of Glasgow to join the Boulevard dual Carriageway to Loch Lomond.
It took 2 hours 30 minutes. Lack of signs - I thought there would be roadworks/traffic lights BUT the closed the road completely in places along the 20+ miles
The problem was the closed down sections of the A811 fit signs, potholes etc for the cycling.
Cycling yesterday was great, the commentators were poor as they were English (no disrespect) sitting in Glasgow and not a clue what the riders were actually passing through on their way from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Many viewers might have been interested on what they were seeing in the background.
I was seeing familiar sites - been to that pub, bought petrol there, puncture on that road etc etc
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I love watching the three main continental races, watching the countryside bits I know.
Tour of Britain passed 100yds from Too Towers last time , and will this time. got a little bit of video coming round a double bend, One of the main climbs starts from the village.
Last edited by: neiltoo on Mon 7 Aug 23 at 11:40
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By chance I was staying in a small town n France about ten years ago which had a stage of the TdF come through it - it was one one of the most amazing spectacles I have ever seen, the build up from early morning (promo vehicles giving out freebies) and then in the distance you could see the circling helicopters indicating the teams were near by.... then in a flash they shot past at crazy speeds and were gone!
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A great race, one of the best I've seen for years. The bikes are a far cry from what I used to race on (At a much lower level), costing between 10 and 15k apiece.
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>> A great race, one of the best I've seen for years. >>
+1
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This was a fantastic race - really exciting to watch, and with Van der Poel's slip near the end anyone could have won.
>> By chance I was staying in a small town n France about ten years ago
>> which had a stage of the TdF come through it - it was one one
>> of the most amazing spectacles I have ever seen, the build up from early morning
>> (promo vehicles giving out freebies) and then in the distance you could see the circling
>> helicopters indicating the teams were near by.... then in a flash they shot past at
>> crazy speeds and were gone!
>>
The only TdF stage I have seen was last year when a stage went from Dunkerque to Calais - so easy to get to, it would have been rude not to go. I was watching the last climb before the run down to Calais - Cap Blanc Nez - when Wout van Aert accelerated away from the group up hill and went on to win. Having cycled up the hill myself the day before, I know how steep it was!
Brilliant atmosphere, and I'll definitely go and watch it again.
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>> This was a fantastic race - really exciting to watch, and with Van der Poel's
>> slip near the end anyone could have won.
>>
>>
>>
In my younger days bloodied knees and elbows after a race were a badge of honour. Now of course with brittle bones and an aging body coming off means I'd stay down and count myself lucky if all I suffered were a few days walking like John Wayne with a nail in his boot. As such watching the riders negotiate those greasy city centre corners made me cringe. I had to look away when Van der Poel lost it, fortunately early enough to miss him hitting the barriers.
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>> Brilliant atmosphere, and I'll definitely go and watch it again.
We've seen a few stages of the TdeF down the years including with the kids when they were kids.
Watched them whiz past on the road in Yorkshire (2014) at a finish (1992) and at starts.
Back in 92 the riders still had to push their bikes to the hotel - brushed shoulders with Laurent Fignon in Tours when he was doing that.
For my money now the start is the place to be. There's a 'pit area' where the team buses etc are and a point where the riders sign in and start. Between the two you've a good chance of seeing the star riders out with their bikes and techies getting everything sorted.
Being on the ascent section of a mountain stage may be an experience to die for but you'll probably die of old age before getting back to your hotel....
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UCI Cycling Glasgow - Falkirk Bairn
