It was a sort of gradual zooming in to realisation as I looked at the undetailed map.
At first I thought "Yeah, that looks pretty close on the map. Might be coming to Nottingham again."
I then looked down to the list of stages beneath. "Stage 4 - Mansfield to Newark - 175km".
Holy Bloody Moly. I nearly died. Newark's largest ever sporting event. Ever. Olympic and world champions are going to be screaming through town, and then maybe going for a coffee at Rumbles Cafe (LOL). Owain Doull....Mark Cavendish...Greg van Avermaet....maybe even Peter Sagan!
Well we won't know the riders for a while yet, but if Mr Sagan, cycling's biggest superstar appears in Newark it will be amazing.
I've actually put a guide to what seems to be the final run in according to the route on the TOB website - not fixed yet apparently.
The race will come into town from Coddington direction - this means the Peleton will be screaming down 400m of 1 in 8 Beacon Hill at a speed of probably 70kmh AT LEAST. This is about 4.5km from the finish.
Over the railway bridge at the bottom, and it's a flat out kilmometre to a 80 degree left turn, this might be a bit tricky, before the race drags up the slight slope to the castle roundabout.
There then follows a short 200 metre run along Castlegate, before what looks like a very awkward right turn into Millgate. We are about 1.5 km from the finish here.
Halfway along Millgate the road begins to drag up again - but I can't see anyone being able to attack of that incline - before the race turns onto Farndon Road.
A quick blast over the River Devon, and you enter the finshing straight about 600 metres from the line.
I'm guessing the race village will be Sconce Park.
So excited! See you on September 6th.
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 25.04.17
Unfortunately, it's not coming anywhere near here this year so it'll have to be the tv this time. Have you decided where you'll be watching? X
ReplyDeleteYour report reminds me of one time it "came screaming down" Pendle Hill and the leading rider, an Australian, was going so fast he shot straight of the dual carriageway instead of turning right and by the time he's pulled up and turned round he'd lost a good few minutes . . . but being an Aussie, I think he was called Phil Anderson, he dug in and made it up again and won the stage and the tour.
ReplyDeleteYep, Phil Anderson would be right, he rode the tour a few times in the 80s
DeleteSeptember 8th in Suffolk. I went to watch them zoom by when it was last here, I guess I saw Bradley Wiggins! Typically its going past the end of the road where we USED to live but this time it's going past the end of the road where my sister lives so we will have to go and visit her!
ReplyDeleteI hope they will fill those potholes!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I shall probably be at the finish in some capacity
ReplyDeleteWe were up in the Yorkshire Dales and Harrogate last week and they are excited about the race once again.
ReplyDelete