Thursday, March 28, 2024

Tour of Britain 2007 – Day 5: Stage 4, Rother Valley Country Park – Bradford

-

HomeDiariesTour of Britain 2007 - Day 5: Stage 4, Rother Valley Country...

Evan’s diary from the Tour of Britain 2007 from Rother Valley Country Park … Ever wondered why the continentals think that cycling in the UK is Mickey Mouse? — read-on!

– Reported by Evan Oliphant –

Jolly fun, I believe today, Evan?

“It was very active from the gun, attacks going all over the place, but nothing was sticking, at around 70 K there was a group of about 25 guys up the road and they had maybe 20 seconds; but they really weren’t going anywhere.

“Then, all of a sudden, the race was neutralised; it transpires that the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire had been on holiday when the permits were granted and the race route organised, so he didn’t know about it and demanded that the race be neutralised across his patch. They had us stopped beside the road for ten minutes and explained what was happening, then we rode for 33 K at 25 kph.

“At the end of the neutralisation they restarted the race and gave the group that had been away the 20 seconds they had before the race was stopped.

Rother Valley Country Park
Evan looking as fit as ever.

The continental managers must have loved that?

“Eric said that in any other country they would have just ignored it and carried-on racing, it could only happen here.”At the re-start, the group really gunned-it, Hamish Haynes from our squad was in the group and he was saying that the guys were really psyching themselves-up to go for it from the restart.

“He didn’t want to go in the break at the restart, because he knew what would happen and he’d be needed to work, but they told him he had to go with the group from the restart; he just sat-up immediately, though and came back to help.

“Just after the restart, two police motorbikes crashed, that was a distraction and CSC was at the front blocking, because they had Luke Roberts in the lead group.

“Within a couple of K, the gap was at a minute-plus. All of us, except Dan, plus Tinkoff, Rabo

bank and Chocolade Jacques went to the front and chased like hell, but the gap wouldn’t come-down, Nico (Mattan) couldn’t understand it and said that maybe they’d been helped by a car or motorbike.

“On the last climb, they were in sight and Daniel tried to bridge-across, but he didn’t make it, Eric (DS Vanderaerden) said that there was no point in trying to save himself anymore, as the race was up the road. Over the top we continued to chase hard, but didn’t really get any help.”

Rother Valley Country Park
Daniel Lloyd is having a great race, lying 15th overal at just over a minute.

Was Cavendish still there?

“That’s what we couldn’t understand, Cavendish and Hammond were both there, if they’d helped and got it back, then Cavendish would have won the sprint.

“Maybe they were wasted after the climb; Daniel was feeling-it after the climb and his failed attempt to get across. I was feeling it too, but I dug deep and hung on. Over the top, I did a lot of work on the run-in, along with our guy Burney Sulzberger and the yellow jersey, Trusov; but we didn’t get them back.

“The Spanish rider, Adrian Palomares Vilaplana: from Fuertaventura-Canarias took the stage and the jersey, he had two team mates with him in that group, so obviously that was a great help for him. I’m still 16th, but I’m at 1-08 now, Daniel has dropped-out of the top ten, he’s 15th now at 1-03, it’s disappointing, but it was a really unusual set of circumstances.”

Rother Valley Country Park
Adrian Palomares Vilaplana.

Is it still winnable?

“I think the Spanish guys will struggle to hold-on, there will be attacks from the gun tomorrow; we covered 51 K in the first hour today, and it will be like that again tomorrow.

“CSC will definitely go on the attack tomorrow, it’s a tough stage again and they have Luke Roberts in third position at eight seconds. Before the neutralisation today, a break had gone and we had Daniel in it but CSC had missed it.

“They went to the front and the computer went from 45 kph to 65 kph; we had been blocking for Daniel and were right at the front, so when they turned it on, we were right behind them, but it was chaos behind us.”

How’s that man McCallum?

“When it was neutralised, he was delighted, he said it was the first piece of good luck he’d had all week!”

If it’s not traffic worries, like 2006 then it’s the men with the scrambled eggs on their hats causing the problems, will tomorrow be hassle-free? You’ll find out first, right here on VeloVeritas!

Evan’s diary – Stage Four      Evan’s diary – Stage Six

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Le Tour de France 2017 – Stage 13: Saint-Girons – Foix, 101km. Barguil on Bastille Day!

VeloVeritas soothsayer, Viktor and I have long been critics of Warren Barguil (Sunweb & France) as a ‘one hit wonder,’ with his two stage wins in the Vuelta in 2013 then very little else; but in this Tour he’s certainly been reborn. He was so close to Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale & Colombia) last Sunday after being the hero of the day and today, on Bastille Day he scored the biggest and most beautiful win of his career with a historic stage victory. 

Giro d’Italia 2011, Stage 7: Maddaloni – Montevergine di Mercogliano 110km

We're on the percorso early, today. Montevergine is the destination - the first real mountain top finish of the Giro. At the top it's 1,260 metres above sea level, it's 17.1 K long with a total altitude gain of 856 metres, average gradient 5% and maximum gradient 10%. It's always good to 'work the start' - get some pictures and quotes in the 90 minutes or so between the team buses arriving and the roll out but today we just don't have time.

Gent Six Days 2011 – Now, to Zürich

It's a long way from Gent Six Days 2011 to Zurich, around 800 kilometres - so best get on the road early. We picked up Jesper at the Expo Holiday Inn - where Vik and I have stalked the mechanics at many's a Het Volk - and then we were offski.

Le Tour de France 2009 – First Rest Day

'Armstrong admits "there is tension at Astana's table" - says The Guardian headline today; I'd never have believed that!

At Random

Jordan Kerby – New Aussie U23 TT Champion on His Team for 2014: Drapac

As we’re all too well aware, the sport has lost five top line teams for 2014 with no new teams coming in at Pro Continental or World Tour level to replace them; a sad state of affairs. But bucking the trend and moving up from Continental to Pro Continental level – the only team to do so - is Australian outfit, Drapac.

Andy McGhee – Scottish Star of the 60’s and 70’s

VeloVeritas is sitting down at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome with Mr. McGhee to apologise for pillaging the chicken in 1972 and to reminisce about his career, which included three National Road Race Championships, over a coffee.

Le Tour de France 2010, Stage 12: Bourg-de-Peage-Mende; Bert’s Back!

Le Tour de France, Bourg-de-Peage-Mende, and Bert's back! And we were there to see it, a privilege. L'Equipe today says 'Fin de la Trêve' - that's 'end of the truce, (or respite)'. That's how it looked to us, Contador letting Schleck know that he's just fine.

Mark Stewart – a Team Pursuit PB at the Track World Championships

It was a great World Track Championships for Scotland with Katie Archibald coming home from Hong Kong as World Omnium Champion. But not such a great Championships for Dundee’s Mark Stewart who was competing in the team pursuit and madison. Unfortunately GB missed out on the bronze medal in the team pursuit to Italy whilst Mark and partner Ollie Wood were DNF in the madison. We caught up with the AN Post professional a week or so after the Worlds, back in his Italian base...