Tour 2007 prolgue and first stage details

[Mike Causer]

Not all /that/ detailed, but...

http://www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/presentation/us/cp_06_02_09.html


This arrived by email, but I haven't found the source yet


"The opening ceremony will be in Trafalgar Square on July 6 followed by
the 8km (five mile) Prologue time trial on July 7.

The riders will head off on the 125 mile first stage into Kent on July
8.

In the prologue, the riders will race past Downing Street towards
Parliament Square on an 8km course.

Turning at the Houses of Parliament, the route goes along Victoria
Street, past Westminster Abbey and in front of Buckingham Palace.

After the Palace the riders will pass through the middle of Wellington
Arch, before looping through London's most famous park, Hyde Park.

Finally the riders will pass back around Hyde Park Corner and along
Constitution Hill before ending on The Mall with Buckingham Palace as a
backdrop.

Stage One begins the next day, carving its way through some of Britain's
most picturesque and historic towns.

The race starts on The Mall, and passes through Dartford Gravesend and
on to Rochester, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden
and Canterbury."



Mike

 

[MartinM]

Mike Causer wrote:
> Not all /that/ detailed, but...
>
> http://www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/presentation/us/cp_06_02_09.html
>
>
> This arrived by email, but I haven't found the source yet
>
>
> "The opening ceremony will be in Trafalgar Square on July 6 followed by
> the 8km (five mile) Prologue time trial on July 7.
>
> The riders will head off on the 125 mile first stage into Kent on July
> 8.
>
> In the prologue, the riders will race past Downing Street towards
> Parliament Square on an 8km course.
>
> Turning at the Houses of Parliament, the route goes along Victoria
> Street, past Westminster Abbey and in front of Buckingham Palace.
>
> After the Palace the riders will pass through the middle of Wellington
> Arch, before looping through London's most famous park, Hyde Park.
>
> Finally the riders will pass back around Hyde Park Corner and along
> Constitution Hill before ending on The Mall with Buckingham Palace as a
> backdrop.
>
> Stage One begins the next day, carving its way through some of Britain's
> most picturesque and historic towns.
>
> The race starts on The Mall, and passes through Dartford Gravesend and
> on to Rochester, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden
> and Canterbury."

That's me sorted; Constitution Hill for the prologue and Tunbridge
Wells Wetherspoons(1)the next day ;-)
(1) drinking Kronenbourg bein sur (all the way from somewhere in the
North East)

 

[Danny Colyer]

MartinM wrote:
> That's me sorted; Constitution Hill for the prologue and Tunbridge
> Wells Wetherspoons(1)the next day ;-)
> (1) drinking Kronenbourg bein sur (all the way from somewhere in the
> North East)

I've booked a room at my Dad's house in Aylesford. I'll decide later
exactly where to go to watch stage 1.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

 

[David E. Belcher]

MartinM wrote:
>
> (1) drinking Kronenbourg bein sur (all the way from somewhere in the
> North East)

Thought the brewed-in-the-UK stuff came from Reading? Scottish Courage
doesn't have a brewery in the NE any more (hence Newcastle Brown is now
brewed under licence in Gateshead in order to conform to its "Protected
Geographical Origin" status).

David Belcher

 

[MartinM]

David E. Belcher wrote:
> MartinM wrote:
> >
> > (1) drinking Kronenbourg bein sur (all the way from somewhere in the
> > North East)
>
> Thought the brewed-in-the-UK stuff came from Reading?

probably; I thought that the Newcy Brown one which isn't in Newcy did
it all now including Theakstons (isn't there even a small one in Masham
any more?)

Stella is from Magor in Wales AFAIK (although down South I can always
find plentiful and cheaper supplies of the authentic Belgian beast)

 

[David E. Belcher]

MartinM wrote:

> David E. Belcher wrote:
> > MartinM wrote:
> > >
> > > (1) drinking Kronenbourg bein sur (all the way from somewhere in the
> > > North East)
> >
> > Thought the brewed-in-the-UK stuff came from Reading?
>
> probably; I thought that the Newcy Brown one which isn't in Newcy did
> it all now including Theakstons (isn't there even a small one in Masham
> any more?)
>

Masham is still very much alive and kicking, but along with John
Smith's at Tadcaster [1](who take care of most of SC's English real ale
production - apart from the Masham output, though some Theakstons is
brewed in Tadcaster - including Directors and Courage Best), would
definitely describe it as Yorkshire rather than North-East.

David Belcher

[1] Cycling relevance - the car park at John Smith's was the HQ for the
Thursday evening TT league I used to ride in!

 

[dkahn400]

David E. Belcher wrote:
> MartinM wrote:
> > probably; I thought that the Newcy Brown one which isn't in Newcy did
> > it all now including Theakstons (isn't there even a small one in Masham
> > any more?)
>
> Masham is still very much alive and kicking, but along with John
> Smith's at Tadcaster [1](who take care of most of SC's English real ale
> production - apart from the Masham output, though some Theakstons is
> brewed in Tadcaster - including Directors and Courage Best), would
> definitely describe it as Yorkshire rather than North-East.

Only in a UK group could a thread about about the Tour coming here
metamophose so quickly into one about ale.

--
Dave...

 

[Simon Mason]

"Mike Causer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> Not all /that/ detailed, but...
>
> http://www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/presentation/us/cp_06_02_09.html
>
>


Video report here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/4697168.stm


--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

[Paulmouk]

"Mike Causer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> Not all /that/ detailed, but...
>
> http://www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/presentation/us/cp_06_02_09.html
>
>
> This arrived by email, but I haven't found the source yet
>
>
> "The opening ceremony will be in Trafalgar Square on July 6 followed by
> the 8km (five mile) Prologue time trial on July 7.
>
> The riders will head off on the 125 mile first stage into Kent on July
> 8.
>
> In the prologue, the riders will race past Downing Street towards
> Parliament Square on an 8km course.
>
> Turning at the Houses of Parliament, the route goes along Victoria
> Street, past Westminster Abbey and in front of Buckingham Palace.
>
> After the Palace the riders will pass through the middle of Wellington
> Arch, before looping through London's most famous park, Hyde Park.
>
> Finally the riders will pass back around Hyde Park Corner and along
> Constitution Hill before ending on The Mall with Buckingham Palace as a
> backdrop.
>
> Stage One begins the next day, carving its way through some of Britain's
> most picturesque and historic towns.
>
> The race starts on The Mall, and passes through Dartford Gravesend and
> on to Rochester, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden
> and Canterbury."

> Mike

Yesterday's Dartford free paper had a front page item saying they will go
along University Way (Dartford Northern By-pass) and cross over the Dartford
Tunnel Approach Road (M25) close to the toll booths.



Paul

 

[Mike Causer]

On Thu, 09 Feb 2006 16:55:34 +0000, Paulmouk wrote:

There's a map now at
http://www.tourdefrancelondon.com/en/the_event/stage_1/

.... but it takes about 5 minutes to download the Flash <spit> if you're on
dial-up.


Mike

 

[Simon Bennett]

Mike Causer wrote:

> ... but it takes about 5 minutes to download the Flash <spit> if
> you're on dial-up.

Non-flash version:

http://www.tourdefrancelondon.com/en/the_event/stage_1/default.asp?nonflash=true#mapanchor

 

[POHB]

Hey, I've got the fastest checkpoint (8.74s) on
http://www.tourdefrancelondon.com/en/games/

Closest I'm ever likely to get to winning a cycle race.

 

[Dan Gregory]

Mike Causer wrote
> Stage One begins the next day, carving its way through some of Britain's
> most picturesque and historic towns.
>
> The race starts on The Mall, and passes through Dartford Gravesend and
> on to Rochester, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden
> and Canterbury."
Boonen & Pettachi then?

 

[davek]

Mike Causer wrote:
> The race starts on The Mall, and passes through Dartford Gravesend and
> on to Rochester, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden
> and Canterbury."

Wooo! We got the stage finish! Excellent news. Except they are coming
into town from the opposite side to where I live, so no chance of them
going past my house.

I wonder if the fact that the local tourism chief is French had anything
to do with Canterbury getting the finish?

d.

 

[John Hearns]

On Fri, 10 Feb 2006 09:42:17 +0000, davek wrote:

> Wooo! We got the stage finish! Excellent news. Except they are coming into
> town from the opposite side to where I live, so no chance of them going
> past my house.
You could move house.

And on the subject of Friday daftness, is the Devil going to come across
on Eurostar?
We of course have our own Paving Slab Fairy. Any plans for supporting Le
Tour?

 

[David Martin]

John Hearns wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Feb 2006 09:42:17 +0000, davek wrote:
>
> > Wooo! We got the stage finish! Excellent news. Except they are coming into
> > town from the opposite side to where I live, so no chance of them going
> > past my house.
> You could move house.
>
> And on the subject of Friday daftness, is the Devil going to come across
> on Eurostar?
> We of course have our own Paving Slab Fairy. Any plans for supporting Le
> Tour?

I'm planning to head for the KOM just after Tonbridge.. I'll be
travelling across from New Malden, possibly with some of my kids.

...d

 

[davek]

David Martin wrote:
> I'm planning to head for the KOM just after Tonbridge..

I was thinking I might go down to the one just north of Folkestone - if
it is the hill I'm thinking of, it might just slow the pack down enough
to get a good look at them!

I've just had more info from a local friend about the route into the
finish - definitely one for a bunch sprint, the last few miles will be
very fast, no chance of a breakaway.

d.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, John Hearns
('[email protected]') wrote:

> On Fri, 10 Feb 2006 09:42:17 +0000, davek wrote:
>
>> Wooo! We got the stage finish! Excellent news. Except they are coming
>> into town from the opposite side to where I live, so no chance of them
>> going past my house.
> You could move house.
>
> And on the subject of Friday daftness, is the Devil going to come
> across on Eurostar?
> We of course have our own Paving Slab Fairy. Any plans for supporting
> Le Tour?

<whispers emotion="shocked">
But they <emphasis>all</emphasis> wear
<emphasis strength="strong">bibshorts</emphasis>!
</whispers>

(Simon, who should be hacking geographical data into an RDF generator at
this moment).

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Morning had broken, and there was nothing left for us to do
but pick up the pieces.

 

[Dan Gregory]

John Hearns wrote:

> We of course have our own Paving Slab Fairy. Any plans for supporting Le
> Tour?

Now that's a nice idea. Give the Angels and the Devil some competition.
Bib tutus anybody?
)
Dan Gregory

 

[MartinM]

David Martin wrote:


> I'm planning to head for the KOM just after Tonbridge..

I assume the big hill heading S from the station towards and over the
A21?