2012 Olympic Road Race

amazing that he can still bend his legs

I've just googled for more pics of Forstemann. How does he even walk?!

http://muscleandbrawn.com/forums/attachments/muscle-building-bodybuilding/4860d1341658511-massive-legs-robert-forstemann-robert-forsteman-2010-3-27-9-6-8.jpg

:-O

^ that looks like Ripley, saw a GB car as I passed through it whilst following route around today. Fabian needs to get out of Richmond Park and man up. He's got to better my 47th place on Strava's resevoir run between his hotel and my house.

yeah that was Ripley, not sure if there was a bit of road rage before hand, there was a range rover blocking the junction and a bit of shouty stuff, so I got my phone came out and saw team GB coming other way!

Isn't there a big screen somewhere to watch the race?

Yep - there are a few and I'm hoping to end up at Esher Green to watch the finale

Full list on the Gosurrey site: http://www.gosurrey.info/olympic-road-cycling/watching-the-events-and-specta/

It's for real, Mike. That's Greipel on the left and Forstemann on the right, and the far right and most of the centre too.

Man how much does one need to eat to gain that sort of muscle mass!

I just heard on the news that Box Hill is a really steep 4% incline. Not been up it myself but I assume they are mistaken as 4% is not really even a hill? Or does it ramp up in sections like Swains Lane?

It's for real, Mike. That's Greipel on the left and Forstemann on the right, and the far right and most of the centre too.

while I admire them on the bike, off the bike that's freakin terrifying!

@andy - thanks for the heads up on Dan Craven's twitter. I do like that young man, wishing him the very best!

Man how much does one need to eat to gain that sort of muscle mass!

One can only imagine some steroidal or HGH assistance.

I just heard on the news that Box Hill is a really steep 4% incline. Not been up it myself but I assume they are mistaken as 4% is not really even a hill? Or does it ramp up in sections like Swains Lane?

yeah, 4% is about right. it's really not a steep climb (maybe 8% max), but there are rolling sections around the back of the hill towards leatherhead where it's steep enough and windey enough that attacks might sneak out of sight and then stick when they start the next climbing loop.

Spain have got a pretty good team. I think they'll be trying to attack around box hill and see if they can get a rider or two away.

It's a long way from Dorking back to the Mall though. Unless some countries decide to combine to breakaway, I think it will be a sprint.

I just heard on the news that Box Hill is a really steep 4% incline. Not been up it myself but I assume they are mistaken as 4% is not really even a hill? Or does it ramp up in sections like Swains Lane?

Never been up it?

It's not steep at all. The Zig Zag Road (that's the name of it) basically takes what would be a bloody steep straight on attack and makes it just a meandering road with a cafe at the top.

I always found Ranmore harder to be honest (going up Whitedown Lane). But that's because it's just a straight on attack on the steep side of the hill. It's too short for the road race though... it would be over in moments and there would be no room for spectators.

Box Hill... it's barely a pimple on the landscape when you consider these guys have come back from the Pyrenees and Alps. This is effectively a fairly flat sprinters stage, and looping around Box Hill is just likely to bore them a little rather than tax them. Though that will be why the attacks will be there, to take advantage of the other riders dropping their guard as they go in circles.

According to Google Latitude, a couple of you have gone down to the Mall, one of you is on Kensington High St (does the race go that way?) and the rest of you are at home.

So few to no-one is going to actually watch it?

To be fair, I'm only at home precisely because I do want to watch it. And at the side of the road it would be "whoosh", and then I'd miss the rest. Couldn't imagine being able to get back fast enough to see the end.

Ah... pictures have just started on the BBC HD channel for it.

Uh-oh... Charles and Camilla meeting Wiggo.

OK, awesome.

Who has the yellow shirt and a "HTFU Wiggo!" sign?

Must be ON HERE.

Probably in this thread. I do recall someone saying that they would make a sign.

Never been up it?

I don't think I have. Though I may have done in the early days of forum outings without knowing it. I don't tend to head south much. I don't feel safe there :)

Seem to be a lot of yellow jerseys in this race.

Hah! I'll stop for a pee pre-park next time- it's what the pros do.

Some great camera work there - A great choice of scene.

as if we've got to listen to boardman all day. only just recovered from his nonsense from the tour

Anyone know if the Coach and Horses is showing the race live on bid screen?

Where's the jobsworth park coppers handing out speeding tickets?