The Anonymous Widower

London’s Secret Cycle Race

Today, they have held the London Surrey Cycle Classic.  I went down and had a look round.

You’d have thought that it was more run for the benefit of the Great and Good, as the publicity wasn’t very extensive and it was only by chance I heard it was on.  I think it was on a traffic report on BBC Radio 5 Live.  And I don’t drive!  I didn’t see any detailed maps in the papers and although Transport for London has a route map, times of the race were all very sketchy.

I went to The Mall and there were quite a few people there, but little information. There wasn’t even anybody selling a souvenir program!

One thing I did pick up was a lot of discontent from cycling enthusiasts. All were complaining that they didn’t get tickets for the events in the velodrome for the Olympics and the serious ones felt that the Box Hill route was wrong, as no spectators would be allowed as it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest.  The original plan was to go up to Hampstead.  After all they are the London Olympics not the Surrey Olympics.

Perhaps there are two races or classes in London; the Great and Good and the Hoi-Polloi.  Obviously the latter can’t be allowed to spoil the party of the former.  I suspect that most of those planning the cycling for the Games live in Surrey, that haunt of Manchester United supporters.

No wonder we had some little local rioting last week!

By the way the Great and Good think that this event is so special for them, that it is not being reported on television or radio. Or at least it’s not on my cable system!

August 14, 2011 - Posted by AnonW | Sport | Cycling, London, Olympics