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marty
12th July 2008, 14:51
just watching the repeat on sky3 - some brilliant motorbike riding on the descent! fantastic roads!
EJT
12th July 2008, 23:33
Yeah have to be pretty skillful to be on a motorbike at Le Tour. Having somone with a camera hanging off the back, looking out for idiot fans running across the road, trying to keep ahead of the riders on fast downhill twisties...Wish I could get a job doing that!
MisterD
13th July 2008, 08:01
I know a motorbike forum is probably not the best place to say this, but sod the motorbikes (:jerry:) - how f-ing fast is Mark Cavendish under his own power?!:first:
Grub
13th July 2008, 09:19
... trying to keep ahead of the riders on fast downhill twisties...!

Our very own Wannabiker used to be a professional cycle racer and so I am reliably informed that the motorbikes can't keep up with the pushies on some of those downhills, they have to rely on the helicopters. Apparently, there's lots of muffler and peg scraping goes on while they try and often it ends up in motorcycles binning.

I agree about the idjit spectators ... there seems to be a difference this year? I noticed that they all seem to be behind barriers on the climbs - on day two at least. I always thought that the lead motorcycle should have had road-wide canes sticking out each side to clear the road with. Would have made a coool sound too, like putting an ice cream stick on your bike spokes ... :devil2:


- how f-ing fast is Mark Cavendish under his own power?!

It blows me away that they can have an average speed for the day, which includes a few hill sections, of 44km/h! Have you ever tried to get a pushies to 44km/h on the flat???? C'est impossible.
marty
13th July 2008, 09:47
i'm a roadie with a couple of ironmans under my belt, averaged 40km/h at the tauranga half one year, hit the wall about 15k into the run though! i remember coming along Marine Parade past Tay St at 46km/h, disc/spinergy combo humming nicely, thinking 'i am SO going to pay for this...'

40k for 200km with a cat 2 climb is something else....
Manxman
13th July 2008, 18:04
I know a motorbike forum is probably not the best place to say this, but sod the motorbikes (:jerry:) - how f-ing fast is Mark Cavendish under his own power?!:first:

Damn right, and he's from the Isle of Man - woohoo! [Proud]:yes: now x3

Allegedly, he got his speed trying to get away from the local chicks...