2011-08-14 London - Surrey Cycle Classic

Top of Putney high st.....have to slow for sharp right....bridge on the way back..last 10 mins..

Eta Put bridge...9.10 and noon on the way back..

Awesome, cheers

Just been out to watch the start of the race, here are some photos from Wellington Arch, might go back for the end. Enjoy

Nice pix, gonna try and get to the finish...

Do not lock your bike to the mall or park railings. They are cutting them andeaving the bikes. The official line was park your bike at the top of the steps. Only at the top of the steps is a dozen Sheffield stands for 1000s of cyclists.
What a crock of shite.

This country, etc.

Was in Richmond Park bottom of Sawyers and peloton was doing about 20km/h and just pissing about on way out. Bit of an anti-climax.

Saw Lizzie Armitstead in GB car and Cav in GB kit riding with Sky riders in a white red national kit I didn't recognise

JD got a nod and a wave from John Hegarty in RCS car = Mini me

Who won?

Cav just did

Was in Richmond Park bottom of Sawyers and peloton was doing about 20km/h and just pissing about on way out. Bit of an anti-climax.
Same at roehampton gate on the return. Still, it was fun to ride the loop afterwards with no cars on the road. Traffic management at the intersections north of richmond park was chaotic: Traffic director yelling at the guys holding the stop/go signs. Drivers stopping and yelling at the staff because they can't get where they want to go. One driver was demanding to know how to get into richmond park (in her car).

They definitely need better signage for drivers further out so they don't even get that close to the park, and better training for the traffic mgmt staff so they've got it down on the day.

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and who decided to have the crowds 40yds from the presentation stage with justa small bunch of press and vip's in front? no big screen either and the commentary was shite with no mention of who was working on the front.
every other one day stage race i have been to in this country and abroad has been better thought out. it wouldn't surprise me if the people involved in the event have no experience of cycle race organisation or didn't bother to consult those who have.

cavendish won though and i saw him make the jump to light speed at 150m

It's a shame they didn't use a route that took in the other bigger climbs of surrey (leith hill, whitedown, etc).. might have used some olympic budget to resurface those roads.

Nice morning out, the crowd seperation at the end was a bit wierd though - both for the ceremony and the actual finish line but other than that it seemed okay. I guess for the olympics they'll have the tv feed on big screens?

I went out in Surrey at Headley, no barriers, stewards not interested and stood at the tea hut. Hundreds of spectators where I was and all the cyclists stored their bikes out of the way without being asked, and at the end the police let us ride out. Shows that all these restrictions are unecessary and much better organisation than I was expecting.

was on boxhill ticketed area. disappointed to be honest. was a bit meh in the end. the setting is there for a great atmosphere but they ruined it with over the top h&s stuff. they couldve allowed people on the road rather than sit on what they called the 'arena'. anything wrong with fencing off just one side of the road?

it wouldn't surprise me if the people involved in the event have no experience of cycle race organisation or didn't bother to consult those who have

Saw them leave on the Fulham Road, and none of the barrier staff knew whether or when the roads would re-open to cross North - South.

Because I'm moving, I've had to drive today, and its chaos. Pretty please open the bloody roads again. Londonprepares. For gridlock.

I was at the top of Boxhill at the Cafe, should have been a great location but not many spectators - Think all the talk of limited access put people off

Think this is Mattie Goss & Ben Swift
I also saw Steve Cummings from TeamSky riding around Richmond park - no idea why

Was at the Mall wristband finish area - was pretty shit to be honest.

Nowhere to lock bikes, or leave them, no screen, no bar, no atmosphere and shit commentary. Oh, and I forgot my memory card for my camera, so no pics. Glad I overslept and missed the start now

According to BBC national and local news this may as well have not happened. Not a peep about it at all.

According to BBC national and local news this may as well have not happened. Not a peep about it at all.

yeah bloody poor, ITV London did a piece but rest nothing, apparently 1st game of the season between Manu and West Brom warrants more coverage than this and England becoming the number 1 Cricket team in the world..mind boggles

Thanks to MrDrem for getting us tickets to the Mall though...bloody early start but a fun time had, good job really as feck all on TV about it

They definitely need better signage for drivers further out so they don't even get that close to the park

There was signage miles away. I'm sure I saw some on Euston Road.. somewhere on my commute anyway. They might've needed more of it though I guess.

According to BBC national and local news this may as well have not happened. Not a peep about it at all.

What was it though? Was it even a race or a procession?

okay, that was a strange day.. up at 5.00am at the mall for 6.00am to sign in.. team leaders were late.. bus out around 7.20am.. stoppped several times for emergency road repairs filling in holes.. got to putney bridge and our team leader had no idea what was going on.. despite maps indicating marshall positions and crossing points alot of it didn't reflect this on the route.. we were also +20 marshalls short on our section ??

that all said once in place, noel and I had a good spot on upper richmond road where the barriers ended out of London (by gwendolen road / sainsbury local) the security guys were all very funny.. they had been in position since 3.00am though after being bussed down from lincoln ???.. several streets away other securities guys also been in place since 3.00am wtf!!

spotted a CS grupetto rider on the course just prior to the police bikes speeding thro heading west.. peloton thro without incident.. more crowds later around 11.45am good atmosphere but the odd person wanting to stand in the middle of the road, provoking a reaction generally.. i think there were alot of idiot moments on putney high street with peds jumping the barriers just at the wrong moment..

the chasing group had caught the two breakaway riders by the time they reached us and there were plenty of other groups split up behind which was a surprise, broom wagon(s) was +20 mins behind

obviously we couldn't follow the race just wait until they returned, it would have been better if we had some race commentary at the very least.. after removing all the course signage, back on the bus to hyde park corner, with plenty of hold ups as contractors were re-instating traffic lights in the middle of the road especially on fulham road.. home by 2.30pm

shame there wasn't proper TV coverage I think there would have generated more interest. not sure if their were any hitches, it didn't feel well organised but we got there in the end..

alot to sort out before august 2012 methnks

Some dickhead was on the course during the race

some great shots from my mate, somewhere nr A25 apparently
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