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Almost as disappointing as waiting for a Star Wars film.

Well that was shit

Waiting for a full spinny polo start from the front line.

So how long has it been since this many people were this interested in the start of a TdF stage?

In quiet spots its hardly needed anyway because there will be sufficient gaps in traffic to cross.

I think that depends on whether you have any impairments on your mobility such as disability, or being a older and not quite as quick on your toes as someone under the age of 60, or maybe walking along with a small child or pushing a pram. Fuck those people apparently.

And I'm confused by this notion of either quiet or busy. Maybe things have changed since I was last in London but near where I live traffic volumes don't suddenly shift from cul-de-sac in a residential neighbourhood at 3am and fast flowing dual carriageway during rush hour. There's quite a lot of space in between those two and I can easily think of many roads that fill them.

I do wonder how this will work with visually impaired people. Presumably anyone pushing the crossing button while it's in its default green mode will simply trigger an audible crossing alert.

The design of light-controlled crossings almost universally communicates to drivers that they have a default priority over any pedestrian interest in crossing the road. For as far as line of sight is available there is a green light indicating that they can travel up to as close to the speed limit as other traffic and road furniture allows. This naturally creates a hierarchy that tells people in cars that they are more important in that space than people not in cars. This in turn contributes to the attractiveness of private vehicles as a mode of transport. Light controlled crossings tell pedestrians that they are expected to wait on a pre-defined and limited inconvenience of motorists.

This change in operation of the lights inverts that priority. Pedestrians are always told that they can cross without waiting unless told otherwise. In the meantime, motorists approaching the crossing are told by a red light that they are expected to slow down and wait, like pedestrians usually are, until they are given permission to proceed.

You're right that they probably are of limited effectiveness in quiet spots, but then quiet spots are more likely to be served by zebra crossings anyway. But traffic flow anywhere already varies according to time of day and demand for local facilities. So even in a busy spot there will be times where traffic flow diminishes and the green man authority comes to the fore and puts pedestrians first.

For some people, a road that isn't that busy is one that will be crossed regardless of whether there's a green man or a red man showing. You might not even push the button, just wait for an appropriate gap in the traffic and walk across. But for others, perhaps less able-bodied or encumbered by a pram, they're a lot more likely to wait for an indication that motor traffic is being told to wait for them. Something like this makes that crossing space a lot more equal for them.

Most isn't enough. I know of a handful on signed cycle routes that don't and its ridiculous enough having to wait for a car to come along and trigger them. Or to have to shuffle back because you've realised you've pulled up too far out in the ASL to be spotted.

For a trial like this, absolutely everything should be spot on?

Can't do that, risks dragging everyone past GT and taking him off the podium while handing the yellow to someone else.
Better strategy might be Froome and GT to cover attacks on climb 1 while Bernal and Kwia TT up and set pace. Pouels and Castro to chase to get in for duty on the second climb. Bernal and Kwia to resume on climb 3.

This all depends on nobody pulling a full on Tony Martin, for which I nominate Dan Martin who might be happier with a stage win over a 10th.

I think a big question is what is going to happen with the non-GC riders. The polka dotters will cause upset on at least climb 1 by assisting anyone who takes their wheel. Sprinters and all the spares will hopefully hold on to the off line side and leave GC and doms to fight unhindered.

It would be ridiculous not to. Flat on Thursday, downhill finish on Friday and TT on Saturday. At the absolute outside they call Froome a free agent and he can go as long as it doesn't compromise GT. Actually I suspect that's the orders for tomorrow anyway.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/07/23/new-traffic-signals-in-london-will-to-give-pedestrians-the-green-light-by-default/

This popped up in my Twitter feed today. Not cycling infra but looks good.

Does anyone know if LCC has been consulted over this to make sure that the traffic detection system is going to pick up cyclists?

Apparently he sat up shortly after passing Yates because he didn't feel good about taking advantage of a crash but his DS gave orders to get on with it.

Yates might have been relieved by that.

Is that just tomorrow or GC?

If GC, I reckon that should be 3/1, even if GT Yates his way out of the running.

This is what I've been thinking. 65k is short, but is it short enough anyone attacking on the Peyresourde tomorrow really expect to hold off a a focussed GC peleton.

The best bet would be Movistar, which inevitably means that Quintana gets sacrificed for the better positioned Landa. But without any help on climbs 2 & 3, which are harder, it seems like a doomed effort. There's a lot of combinations of collaborations among the top ten but I can't see any of them benefiting the team that waits for 3+ doms over the first 3k or so. Waiting, that is, at a fairly high pace.

Arguably the most likely person in the top ten for a off the line solo effort is the worst placed Dan Martin who's main interest is more likely to be the stage win. Sky can old off the longest on chasing and force all the others to do the work to protect their position before the final climb.

What's the most likely outcome of this gridding nonsense?

Only one team have more than two riders in the top 20 and a lot of distribution among the various groups of 20 behind them I can't imagine there's going to be much more than a lot of shuffling on the lower slopes of the Peyresourde and business as usual after the first 5k.

Only Movistar have the numbers (barely) to try and launch an off the line attack but the only response I can see to that is everyone else working together to neutralise it. In the meantime we'll see the likes of Luke Rowe (lowest Sky in the GC) rip through the groups picking up team members as he goes until they get delivered to the team leader(s). At which point, with a stage that short, they can just drop off and get in the grupetto if they've cooked themselves in doing so.

How badly have I misread that?

Also predicting this to be the stage Froome claws back time. Attack on the last climb and Geraint to hang on to Ol' Windmills unless the gap starts looking over a minute in which case he'll attack too and make sure he holds on to Yellow for one more day.

I'd strongly recommend looking at volunteering opportunities in areas that interest you. Without any relevant experience, companies will be reluctant to take you on, especially if you're well clear of school leaver age. Volunteering gave me the chance to try a handful of things at the same time and once you've demonstrated a bit of willing and enthusiasm you'll often be trained and tasked with things that could take you a long time to get to in paid employment.

I decided I wanted to work in either food or conservation. Now, after volunteering and then working in both I've decided to focus on conservation for the time being. Food generally involves a type of pressure and more anti-social hours than I'm prepared to commit to so, barring a rare daytime small production opportunity, conservation is better suited to my lifestyle.

I'm now working seasonal work for the local authority's Parks and Outdoor Spaces Team (the same LA I rage-quit my office job from) while saving up to get tickets in woodchipping, pesticides and basic chainsaw felling.

I was too scared of losing a chunk of riding so just mine's in daily segments. Well done though. Hope to get back for a completion in the next couple of years.

Opinion differs to whether its a cross race with some fell running in it or a fell race with some cycling in it.

Either way, I'm scared and excited in equal measure.

I've just had my entry for the 3 Peaks confirmed.

Time to relearn how to run up a hill.

I did not. By the time I woke up again on Saturday morning I was quite physically and mentally drained and could only just focus on getting to Kinsale.

Going home. I have to be on the road up to Cork at 6am to catch a train. Trying to recover enough to make sure that happens.

Got to Kenmare around 7pm last night and has 440 to go. Decided on a roll of the dice to ride through the night but got caught in a storm. Around 2am was nearly hypothermic so put up the tent and climbed in the bag for a couple of hours. No chance of finishing in enough time so scratched and rolled to Kinsale.

Our very own @modan. I've bumped into him and his cousin a few times. Great lads.

Storm Hector is still hectoring me around the Dingle peninsula. Hoping to gain the upper hand at the turnaround.

Shoulders still mangled and knee kicking off now. Not suffering from Aussie Gooch yet, which is nice.

Made it to Tralee, just.

About three hours of feeling like you're crossing the Severn Bridge in a high crosswind. One long section of pan flat road and staying above 12k/h was a struggle. Shoulders absolutely destroyed.