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Tour De France Coming To Sheffield!


THYLACINE

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So, the Tour de France starts off in Yorkshire next year and passes through Sheffield.

What a coup!

Does anyone know the route it will take?

Will the Wicker become Sheffield's Champs Elysee?

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I'm not sure if the route within Sheffield has been finalised. There was a report on the local news last week that B&B's along the route are rapidly becoming booked up already. It's a life-saver for some of their businesses, still recovering from the awful weather last summer.

I'm not sure what kind of a face Sheffield will be able to present, half the centre being semi-derelict. Perhaps the Council will copy what happened for the G8 in Northern Ireland, and put dummy photographic shopfronts on showing window displays and partially opened doors revealing the goods inside?

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So the Tour of France isn't even in France any more. Perhaps they should change its name to the Tour de Yorkshire or the Tour de Britain or something as it is wrong to describe something wrongly to imply it is something else.

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Aren’t they coming in from Grenoside ?

If so I would guess at ...

Halifax Road

Penistone Road

Shalesmoor

Gibraltar Street

Corporation Street

Derek Dooley Way

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I'm not sure if the route within Sheffield has been finalised. There was a report on the local news last week that B&B's along the route are rapidly becoming booked up already. It's a life-saver for some of their businesses, still recovering from the awful weather last summer.

I'm not sure what kind of a face Sheffield will be able to present, half the centre being semi-derelict. Perhaps the Council will copy what happened for the G8 in Northern Ireland, and put dummy photographic shopfronts on showing window displays and partially opened doors revealing the goods inside?

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Plans are already under way to surround the Castle Markets area with an inflatable Castle.

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I'm not sure if the route within Sheffield has been finalised.

Well we need to know the exact route, times and dates.

Because I can guarantee that there will be road closures because of it.

Or put more bluntly, - all the people who have motorcycles, cars, vans, lorries and any other sort of motorised vehicle, - those of us who have passed a test to prove we can use the road safely, those of us who have insured, licenced, MOT tested and taxed our vehicles, THOSE OF US WHO HAVE PAID FOR THE ROAD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT while a small minority of cyclists, who have contributed nothing to our road system WILL GET UNLIMITED USE OF IT for free.

I make no apologies for my dislike of cyclists since my brother was nearly killed by one a few years ago, - one who had no idea of the highway code, had a bike not fit to be on the road, was oblivious to other road users and even rode off after causing a serious accident (obviously he seems to think if he doesn't need insurance he can't be held responsible for anything that happens)

For me the Tour de France can stay where it belongs - in France!

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Or put more bluntly, - all the people who have motorcycles, cars, vans, lorries and any other sort of motorised vehicle, - those of us who have passed a test to prove we can use the road safely, those of us who have insured, licenced, MOT tested and taxed our vehicles, THOSE OF US WHO HAVE PAID FOR THE ROAD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT while a small minority of cyclists, who have contributed nothing to our road system WILL GET UNLIMITED USE OF IT for free.

But won't they contribute to the economy? You know - like the Student games? :mellow:

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Very possibly THYLACINE, and look who ended up paying for that!!!

I wonder if they would consider a Tour de Tasmania?

If so they would of course still call it the Tour de France, even though you are a very long way from France.

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The Tour De France starts at different locations every year, Yorkshire bidded for the 2 day start event for 2014, and this is all it will be.

This start event will produce a lot of money for the local economy, next year and years to come. As for disruption, yes there may be some local disruption for a short while as the race passes a particular location, but only like any other similar event .

Come on Dave be a little more positive, overall it will be good for Yorkshire and Sheffield

Don't forget this country already stages similar events with similar minor disruption.

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Me and my family will be glued to the television set on those 2 days and I'll be looking out for a big crowd of SH members, including DaveH, gathered at some prominent location (e.g. outside the Shakespeare on Gibraltar Street) with a sign depicting a large striped marsupial. (See avatar)

Then I will do the same for you at the Tour de France/Tasmania.

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While I have a lot of sympathy with Dave's overall view of cyclists, I tend to agree with Stuart on this particular event. The cost to the city will be mainly in disruption for a couple of days, there should be little or no outlay on facilities like the Student Games.

My wife's cousin has been with her cycling fanatic husband to the Tour on a number of occasions, and she says Sheffield won't have seen anything like it before. The entourage preceding the riders takes an hour to pass by, sponsors vehicles, support teams, world press etc., then the riders, then another long entourage of support vehicles etc. Most of these people will require accommodation, and the huge following of spectators too will need accommodation, food, etc, and hopefully spend some time in the city, spending money in the shops (if they can find any.)

My concern is whether there'll be any longer term benefit. It's a chance for the city to be seen as a good place to visit, but with half the city centre shut down and falling apart, I'm afraid the chance will be lost. If a certain development had been on schedule there'd have been a spanking new retail area. A certain developer, and our beloved council may well have shot themselves in the foot.

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Ever since watching George Formby in the 1935 film No Limit I have always fancied going to the Isle of Man TT races. This is not cycling of course, it is motor racing, but by using the same route on an island every year the disruption is exceptionally well contained.

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I drive and also cycle.

As a cyclist I find some motorists to be either thoughtless, careless or aggressive. Sometimes all three.

As a motorist I find some cyclists to be either thoughtless, careless or aggressive. Sometimes all three.

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Succinctly put vox.

I gave up cycling to work mainly because it was getting increasingly hazardous. Even bus lanes didn't help much, you just got frustrated bus drivers tailgating you instead. The cycle routes may have helped but I'd given up by then. I tried walking to work instead and was twice almost run down by cyclists making unannounced turns and cutting across pavements. At least you can hear motor vehicles coming!

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I've seen 4 cyclists this week over take me as I was waiting at the red lights only

for them to go straight through them. Are they exempt from these traffic lights?

But this afternoon beat the lot of them, I had to drive at 20 mph down a main road where the tram goes

because there was a cyclist stood up cycling in front of me waving his arms about.

I can only think he was waving his arms around to the music he was listening to because he had head

phones on.

I've also had cyclists pull up at the side of me at the traffic lights and lean on the car while tapping his

fingers on the roof of the car.

They weave in and out of the traffic, one minute they are at the left hand side of you then you look

in the mirror and they're suddenly at your right.

Another gripe is when they cycle two by two on a narrow road so no one can over take them which

then creates a line of traffic behind.

Grrrrrrrr, got that off my chest. :angry:

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I've seen 4 cyclists this week over take me as I was waiting at the red lights only

for them to go straight through them. Are they exempt from these traffic lights?

But this afternoon beat the lot of them, I had to drive at 20 mph down a main road where the tram goes

because there was a cyclist stood up cycling in front of me waving his arms about.

I can only think he was waving his arms around to the music he was listening to because he had head

phones on.

I've also had cyclists pull up at the side of me at the traffic lights and lean on the car while tapping his

fingers on the roof of the car.

They weave in and out of the traffic, one minute they are at the left hand side of you then you look

in the mirror and they're suddenly at your right.

Another gripe is when they cycle two by two on a narrow road so no one can over take them which

then creates a line of traffic behind.

Grrrrrrrr, got that off my chest. :angry:

Exactly the point I was trying to make UKL, It was the straight through a red traffic light incident with a cyclist that put my brother in hospital. All of the points you make I have observed.

I don't even like cycle lanes on pavements where cyclists are frequently a menace to pedestrians.

They are a danger on the road and on the pavement, made worse by the fact that many cyclists are children, - there is no minimum age, like 17 for a motor vehicle, there is no compulsory test / licence system, hence little knowledge of what red lights and highway code signs mean.

If we had strict laws and controls on cyclists then yes it would cost them some money, - but they would be much safer and would earn the respect of other road users.

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The provisional route for stage 2 of the 2014 Tour. I think the finish line is somewhere on Attercliffe Common near an unwanted athletics stadium.

http://letour.yorkshire.com/images/letour/Route2Larger.jpg

From that map, It looks to me as if this (link below) is the route in more detail. It gets a bit vague around the bottom of Jenkin Road to Attercliffe Road.

Also can't tell if it goes up Jenkin and back down Newman Road, or the other way round. I suppose if they came down Jenkin, the route would then create a crossing of paths. A bit harsh sending them up Jenkin Road though don't you think ? lol

Just my guess

Google Interactive Map

Edit: Ok now I think

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From that map, It looks to me as if this (link below) is the route in more detail. It gets a bit vague around the bottom of Jenkin Road to Attercliffe Road.

Also can't tell if it goes up Jenkin and back down Newman Road, or the other way round. I suppose if they came down Jenkin, the route would then create a crossing of paths. A bit harsh sending them up Jenkin Road though don't you think ? lol

Just my guess

Google Interactive Map

Edit: Ok now I think

I've heard they're going up Jawbone [ Oughtibridge Lane ] from Bradfield, that will be a bit harsh too.

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I've heard they're going up Jawbone [ Oughtibridge Lane ] from Bradfield, that will be a bit harsh too.

Never thought about how steep that one is. There are a few test in store for them then.

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Guest Toms lass

Hi guys, on this subject we lived in France for 3 years, the tour came past our village. We had never seen anything like it, all the village was out, sat with nibbles

and wine of course. The support came through giving out all sorts of things, the kids thought it was great. When the bikes came through it was so fast if you blinked you missed it. Great fun, hope I can get to Sheffield next year to see it. I hope it puts Sheffield back on the map, history in the making.

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Hi guys, on this subject we lived in France for 3 years, the tour came past our village. We had never seen anything like it, all the village was out, sat with nibbles

and wine of course. The support came through giving out all sorts of things, the kids thought it was great. When the bikes came through it was so fast if you blinked you missed it. Great fun, hope I can get to Sheffield next year to see it. I hope it puts Sheffield back on the map, history in the making.

Somehow I can't see Sheffield Council or South Yorkshire Police approving of people drinking wine in the streets, like they can in France. I can see the sense in not allowing drinking in the street in Britain just because a load of bikes are going to come tearing past, but I'm afraid that removal of the wine is my only enjoyment of this event gone straight away. If the bikes go past so quick what is the attraction in this event? Why bother for just a minute or two? Like many sports, including football, cricket, tennis, golf, etc, etc they are really participation events and not spectator events. The enjoyment is for the competitor, not the observer. That's probably why I have never been interested in watching sports. However, if someone can make lots of money from people who claim to be sports people but in reality they merely watch it, then that's good business.

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From an episode of Keeping up appearances.

Ounslow "I do a lot of sports"

Wife "No you don't. You don't do any sport or exercise"

Ounslow "Yes I do, I do a lot of sport"

Wife "what sport do you do then?"

Ounslow "Horse racing"

Wife "You don't do horse racing, you slob out in that armchair and watch it on telly, but you don't actually have anything to do with horse racing"

Ounslow "Yes I do have something to do with horse racing, I have a bet on it"

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I see Harry Gration is peddling his tandom through Bradfield and Oughtibridge today, he's had quite a week

from his early starting point.

I believe he is taking the same route as the Tour de France will be taking in July. I can't remember his co-bikers

name on the rear saddle but it did make me think . . . Would Christa Ackroyd have done this ? I very much doubt it,

too much hard work for no money and she could get a little " scruffy ". ;-)

I wish Harry and his co-biker success for the hard work they have put into this , all for charity.

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