Good turnout in Kingston too. Most of the police on motorbikes looked like they were over retirement age though! Liked the sweeper van with broom on back. Very literal.
It had 'broom' on a label on the van too My LittleBruv who's a cyclist tells me that it's traditional the broom thing. I liked the fact that the motorbikes had their own breakdown van.
It seemed to me that there were more support vehicles/security cars/police outriders/sweeper vans/etc than there were cyclists
And, sadly, from the few pics I've seen, more people (including those in vehicles) on the course than supporting . Hope that's going to change for the main event.
Most of the photos I've seen show a good turn out of spectators. Estimates put the total number around the course at 100,000.
Question... why did they close the roads for several hours instead of just closing key sections (start/finish, box hill etc) and using a rolling road closure for the rest?
I cycled over there and viewed firstly between the Westhumble Station Road junction and Dorking, then went along the cycle path and caught the cyclists at the Givons Grove roundabout as they went towards Leatherhead. Plenty of spectators at Burford Bridge, Mickleham by Frascati's and Givons Grove. Went home via Leatherhead and there were plenty of people walking along the road back into the town centre.
You can't have a rolling road closure for an event like the Olympics - it's far too important. They work OK most of the time but you end up with cars inbetween the break and the bunch - cars pulled over on the side of the course etc etc.
As a volunteer I thought the went very OTT on length of road closure times. And the sweeper vans went by with competitors still on course. The german champ went by with two of his team way after the vans.
Surprised they didnot have more incidents, but notice how they are keeping it quiet. One of the support cars was very close to a rider along the A24 and had a near miss. Also a few further back cyclists were riding inches off the back bumper of their support vehicle, which was entertaining/scary on the approach to R turns at the roundabout on A24.
I hope they tell the drivers to keep back a bit more on the day itself or it is likely to be Tour de France style carnage and unfortunately it will be either cyclists or spectators hurt.
I was surprised to see so many vehicles in amongst the riders, is this normal in road races? To me it seems unfair to be allowed to draft off a vehicle, fair enough other riders, but vehicles no.
I think that's pretty normal for a bike race - you get riders drafting cars - it's allowed to an extent to get back to the bunch after a mechanical or whatever - they will ride very close and if you aren't used to it it probably looks more dangerous than it is.
That incident on the video looks a bit dodgy given the car is virtually on the grass verge but if people will insist on watching an event through the lens of a camera !
Thanks for the answer on the previous page, popsider. That makes sense although, as Nicko said, they did seem to keep the roads closed for a long time after the race had gone through.
The whole point of keeping the roads closed for longer was for me! Well not quite but it worked well. I jumped on my bike and followed the race about 5 mins behind. Marshalls whistled and cleared the road for me, and the crowd applauded and loved me. Clearly my Katusha cap was making me look pro.
Therefore im all for keeping the roads closed longer so I can pretend to be a pro longer. I need 3 domestiques to deliver me so I can take on Cav. I need big Jens, Big George and maybe Renshaw. That should do it.
Comments
Big tailbacks on A3 and A3 approaches to M25 and in other direction to Wimbledon. Due to flamin Olympic bikes. Keep sport in a stadium
What an arse he is
It seemed to me that there were more support vehicles/security cars/police outriders/sweeper vans/etc than there were cyclists
And, sadly, from the few pics I've seen, more people (including those in vehicles) on the course than supporting . Hope that's going to change for the main event.
Trogs,
the turnout at Box Hill was respectable
More spectators in that photo than in all the others I've seen put together! I've obviously been looking at the wrong pics
Most of the photos I've seen show a good turn out of spectators. Estimates put the total number around the course at 100,000.
Question... why did they close the roads for several hours instead of just closing key sections (start/finish, box hill etc) and using a rolling road closure for the rest?
You can't have a rolling road closure for an event like the Olympics - it's far too important. They work OK most of the time but you end up with cars inbetween the break and the bunch - cars pulled over on the side of the course etc etc.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/529697/olympic-test-event-the-report-card.html
Surprised they didnot have more incidents, but notice how they are keeping it quiet. One of the support cars was very close to a rider along the A24 and had a near miss. Also a few further back cyclists were riding inches off the back bumper of their support vehicle, which was entertaining/scary on the approach to R turns at the roundabout on A24.
I hope they tell the drivers to keep back a bit more on the day itself or it is likely to be Tour de France style carnage and unfortunately it will be either cyclists or spectators hurt.
I was surprised to see so many vehicles in amongst the riders, is this normal in road races? To me it seems unfair to be allowed to draft off a vehicle, fair enough other riders, but vehicles no.
I think that's pretty normal for a bike race - you get riders drafting cars - it's allowed to an extent to get back to the bunch after a mechanical or whatever - they will ride very close and if you aren't used to it it probably looks more dangerous than it is.
That incident on the video looks a bit dodgy given the car is virtually on the grass verge but if people will insist on watching an event through the lens of a camera !
The whole point of keeping the roads closed for longer was for me! Well not quite but it worked well. I jumped on my bike and followed the race about 5 mins behind. Marshalls whistled and cleared the road for me, and the crowd applauded and loved me. Clearly my Katusha cap was making me look pro.
Therefore im all for keeping the roads closed longer so I can pretend to be a pro longer. I need 3 domestiques to deliver me so I can take on Cav. I need big Jens, Big George and maybe Renshaw. That should do it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rozjones/6042475387/