Tour of Britain 2017

[hornetrider]

Just watching the opening stage. Bit strange, looks like the Skoda and camera bike are pacing the riders keeping them slow? What's going on?

[hornetrider]

Ah, looks like the start around the tight streets was symbolic, and the kilometre zero marker has just arrived. Race on!

[Dinoboy]

Yeh I couldn't work that out myself, bit of a missed opportunity to see them properly racing through the streets of Edinburgh.

[SantaBarbara]

hornetrider said:

Just watching the opening stage. Bit strange, looks like the Skoda and camera bike are pacing the riders keeping them slow? What's going on?

I think it is just a demonstration for the benefit of the spectators

[SantaBarbara]

hornetrider said:

Just watching the opening stage. Bit strange, looks like the Skoda and camera bike are pacing the riders keeping them slow? What's going on?

Last year I was in Denbigh for the start of tat stage, they did a mile or so round the town, for the benefit of the children and spectators.

It was good to see all the police motor bikes from forces all over the country drafted in.

The children were cheering the Police, it was a real good atmosphere

[john2443]

Starts are always? often? neutralised to avoid an F1 style pile up as they race into the first corner.

[Marcellus]

john2443 said:

Starts are always? often? neutralised to avoid an F1 style pile up as they race into the first corner.

Also means any "silly mechanicals" can be found by the riders and repaired/bike swapped and they can easily get back on to the peloton who are only rolling out.

[yellowjack]

Straight from the "horse's mouth"...

https://www.strava.com/activities/1166476298

...even recorded as a separate activity by the pros. The main event...

https://www.strava.com/activities/1166477261

...I follow Harry on Strava, but if you look at the list of "other athletes" sharing his activity, there's a sizeable chunk of the ToB field there. You can 'click' to follow the majority of them without needing to request it too. Easy to create a Strava profile if you don't have one. No need to post any activities yourself, and it's free. Delete the profile you create after the ToB finishes too if you want. Some interesting comments from the riders themselves on Strava, and sometimes some inadvertent insights into what's going through their minds during the race stages.

[Vocal Minority]

Sprint finish in Cheltenham on Saturday and over the Malverns on Sunday,

I can go to neither.

Sods law that

[CooperD]

Will be going to see this on Friday as they are riding through my town of Bury St Edmunds on stage 6. Hoping to take a few photos as well. I saw them two years ago when they also went through BSE but they are taking a different route through the town this year.

[yellowjack]

I won't be going this year, as they don't come far enough south on any of the stages.

Last time I went it was a Sprint finish up the cobbles in Guildford, but I didn't make the finish line in time. I did get to see them three times during the stage though.

[mcelliott]

Used to be a good race.....not anymore.

[CooperD]

A few from today's stage from Newmarket to Aldeburgh which passed through my hometown of Bury St Edmunds.