My training has had to take a back seat this weekend in the name of patriotic duty.
A couple of months back, defying all the odds and despite several false starts courtesy of the truly appalling LOCOG on-line ticketing system, I managed to acquire 4 tickets for the Men's Cycling Road Race.
Road cycling is generally 'free to view' on the basis that public roads are just that and anyway it would be impossible to devise any mechanism for ticketing and policing an event over 100 miles long. It seems though that LOCOG may not have done all their homework before devising and announcing the cycling road route. The pivotal aspect of both races was going to be Box Hill in Surrey, the women doing 2 circuits and the men 9. Problem was that Box Hill is owned and maintained by the National Trust who were less than thrilled at the thought of hundreds of thousands of spectators trampling over this beautiful and protected area with its rare flora and fauna.
Eventually a compromise was reached. The iconic climb including the Zig Zags would be accessible to just 15,000, heavily marshalled fans. At least LOCOG could not be accused of pricing people out of the market for this event. My OAP concession ticket cost me a whole £5, only the second advantage I have found, after my rail travel card, of having been declared officially old having turned 60.
So I can say I was one of those who did my bit for Queen and country that glorious day, cheering on 'our boys', resplendent in National colours (me that is, not the riders who had to endure some fashion mistake dreamt up by Stella McCartney).
A great day although 
there was a palpable mood of disappointment when we realised that the huge, Olympian indeed, effort from Miller,Wiggins, Froome and Stannard had not been enough to deliver the Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish to a sprint finish on The Mall where he would surely have won. GB paid the price for being the favorites. No other teams were willing to help chase down the breakaway, seeming to prefer to accept failure themselves rathe than risk a British victory.
there was a palpable mood of disappointment when we realised that the huge, Olympian indeed, effort from Miller,Wiggins, Froome and Stannard had not been enough to deliver the Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish to a sprint finish on The Mall where he would surely have won. GB paid the price for being the favorites. No other teams were willing to help chase down the breakaway, seeming to prefer to accept failure themselves rathe than risk a British victory.
At least I can say I was there. Indeed I have just had it pointed out to me that evidence of my presence by the roadside was captured for posterity in no less an august publication than the Daily Mail. I really don't know what to say about that but here it is. For those of you with less than hawk-like vision I have given a little assistance. Trust me, I'm a lawyer...
But let's hear it for Lizzie Armistead today for her brilliant silver medal ride in the women's road race!
"Oy! Don't you know there's a 30 mph limit on Box Hill? You slow down Mr Wiggins or I'll have to to book you next time round!"
The team protecting Cavendish (no 11)
Team GB lead the chase
One rider needs on the fly medical treatment for a nasty saddle sore
No hills like this in Namibia then?
No comments:
Post a Comment