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Tour De France - at the end of my road

Richard JRichard J
edited June 2014 in Other Football and Sports
One of my favourite Millwall stories is the one about the landlady who used to rent out the field at the back of her pub on the Isle of Dogs for the early Spanners to play on . She is supposed to have commented 'I do not know why people pay to see them . I wouldn't and they play in my back garden'.

In a couple of weeks time I have the Tour de France literally coming 200 yards away from my front door . Unlike the Isle of Dogs landlady I do not have to pay , but I wouldn't mind if I did . I am getting quite excited as it is not everyday an iconic sporting event literally passes by the end of my road .

Since moving to East London 7 years ago I have almost felt like an Addick Oasis . Are any other Lifers on the route ? Is anyone else going to take the day off as I understand it is quite a spectacle with the preceding carnival.

Comments

  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    Lucky git. I work in central London so am taking half a day with the other MAMILs to try and get a vantage point somewhere along the last mile or so. Pointless trying to get near the sprint, it'll be ten deep.
  • WSSWSS
    Was at the end of my road when it came through Dartford in 2007 (I think). Was OK for a beer and a BBQ but didn't get as excited as I thought I would.
  • JohnBoyUKJohnBoyUK
    Back in 2007, when it was last in London/Kent, it went straight past my front door and I didnt even bother to go outside and watch.
    I wasnt into cycling at all then. Looking back, I'm absolutely gutted I ignored it.

    Will be watching in London on July 7th when the pelaton comes thundering past my office.
  • LenGloverLenGlover
    It came within a mile of my house the year Chris Boardman did it.

    We went to watch and I'm glad I went as a general fan of sport.

    Don't blink though or you'll miss it. They pass through very quickly.
  • Tutt-TuttTutt-Tutt
    I have a mate at work who comes from Stratford, who like me remembers Stratford Broadway in the late 70's. We often giggle about what it's turned into. The Olympics were held on Hackney Dog Track.

    We were giggling last week that the Tour De France is going over the rail bridge at Plaistow Tube Station and through the Greengate. Unbelievable!
  • Athletico CharltonAthletico Charlton
    Serious question. Is it worth going to see? I don't know much about cycling but assume the whole group will whizz past within a minute so for me to trek across London I am not sure it will make for much of a spectator sport (obviously different if you were really into it and knew the characters racing I know).
  • Clem_SnideClem_Snide
    It went straight past my living room window when we were living on the Royal Arsenal a few years back.

    Didn't watch. It just pissed me off as we couldn't get the car out of our parking space for about 4 hours.

    According to a neighbour the whole "spectacle" lasted about 90 seconds. In which a blur of bikes flew past really quickly.
  • oohaahmortimeroohaahmortimer
    edited June 2014
    Goes very close to where I live in Epping , thankfully I'm out of the country till late that evening , less than zero interest (he says commenting about it !) and it will muck up the roads around our area for a large part of the day where the race route can't be crossed

    Cyclists are even weirder than Charlton fans , as for Charlton fans who are cyclists well ............
  • swords_aliveswords_alive
    10 seconds of not much but the anticipation is overwhelming
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  • StoneStone
    Definitely one of those sports that's better on TV (along with F1 and Golf).

    That said, I have corporate tickets for the Mall on Monday 7th to hopefully see Cav win the stage.
  • Eddie FirmaniEddie Firmani
    As has already been said - don't blink.
  • Bournemouth AddickBournemouth Addick
    Tutt-Tutt said:

    I have a mate at work who comes from Stratford, who like me remembers Stratford Broadway in the late 70's. We often giggle about what it's turned into. The Olympics were held on Hackney Dog Track.

    We were giggling last week that the Tour De France is going over the rail bridge at Plaistow Tube Station and through the Greengate. Unbelievable!

    Very much my old neck of the woods that. Will have to have a closer look at the route.
  • LenGloverLenGlover
    Slightly off topic but still cycling.

    As Le Tour goes through Yorkshire a play has been launched about Beryl Burton.

    Beryl Burton was a remarkable woman cyclist who held various world records at different distances. Her 12 hour world record was just that. Better than anything the men had done too!

    Someone undoubtedly will but I cannot come up with any other example of a woman holding a world record which is genuinely one in that it exceeds anything the men have done.

    A British (English) sporting phenomenon largely forgotten but belatedly, and posthumously sadly, receiving some much deserved recognition and appreciation of her unique achievements.
  • shootershill2tropicsshootershill2tropics
    indeed, that belter beryl possessed immense balls compared with limp lance the fraudster!
  • guinnessaddickguinnessaddick
    LenGlover said:

    Slightly off topic but still cycling.

    As Le Tour goes through Yorkshire a play has been launched about Beryl Burton.

    Beryl Burton was a remarkable woman cyclist who held various world records at different distances. Her 12 hour world record was just that. Better than anything the men had done too!

    Someone undoubtedly will but I cannot come up with any other example of a woman holding a world record which is genuinely one in that it exceeds anything the men have done.

    A British (English) sporting phenomenon largely forgotten but belatedly, and posthumously sadly, receiving some much deserved recognition and appreciation of her unique achievements.

    There was a bit on her on Countryfile yesterday, can watch on bbc Iplayer.
  • The Prince-e-PaulThe Prince-e-Paul
    The tour is coming around 400 metres from my house in Sheffield which is at the highest point of the whole race section, so as i'm off work i'm going to watch. It's a nice 1/6 hill climb which should have a few of the boys sweating a bit. They've been working locally for a year to prepare for this event. All the local roads have been relayed for the race. Speed bumps were being removed this morning from outside the primary school as that is on a long downhill section and would be a bit naughty being hit at 50 mph on a bike. Nothing of course for the boy racers at 2 a.m grrrr! My nurse wife has been drafted in to cover a patch 'on foot' as emergency measures, as no cars are permitted to cross from one side of the road / route to the other. All this fuss spending millions of pounds does seem a bit excessive when they will be gone in seconds at around 16:45 6th July.
  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    You live at the top of Jenkin Road?
  • The Prince-e-PaulThe Prince-e-Paul
    Leroy Ambrose said:

    You live at the top of Jenkin Road?

    No, but my house backs onto the common a few streets away.
  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    If that was me, I'd be all about that climb every day. Looks bastard hard in places (those 30% stretches are evil looking) but I'd beast that.
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  • UboatUboat
    I went out to watch when it came through Tunbridge Wells in the mid-90s. I wasn't particularly interested in cycling, but thought I'd go and have a look out of curiosity. It absolutely blew me away and remains one of the most exhilarating things I have seen in sport.
  • c4fcdenmarkc4fcdenmark
    I can see the finishing line from my home office in Harrogate. God knows how a town of 80000 people will cope with 3 million visitors to the area on 5th and 6th July?
  • DRAddickDRAddick
    It's worth going at least once to see a race live just to see how fast they are moving. It's scary and tv really doesn't give a sense of the speed.
  • JohnBoyUKJohnBoyUK
    edited June 2014
    DRAddick said:

    It's worth going at least once to see a race live just to see how fast they are moving. It's scary and tv really doesn't give a sense of the speed.

    This might do the trick...some on board footage of the closing stages stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse. Pro riders need balls of steel :)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE97iUvSHk0#t=16
  • c4fcdenmarkc4fcdenmark
    @JohnBoyUK‌
    That is terrifyingly good.
  • Charlton_CharlieCharlton_Charlie
    I was at the Tour of Flanders in April, stood at the top of the Molenberg...was waiting about 45 mins for them to appear and then it was over in a flash...but was absolutely exhilarating... We then round down the hill and round a corner to see them all sweep back down towards us into a sharp 90 degree left hand turn, which terrified me...how they did it, while avoiding the support cars (and each other) is beyond me.. If you get the chance to see them, do.
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