Olympics 2012 route run 10 September (possible)

[Wanderer]

Some of the people at LOCOG, where one of my sons works, were disappointed to have to sit around in windowless Portakabins on Horse Guards Parade while the London-Surrey Classic was on - ensuring it passed off OK, liaising with the services and so on - and they are proposing riding the course on Saturday 10 September.

I don't know what level the LOCOG riders are, but I suspect they aren't club cyclists, more the 9:30 starter for the London-Brighton charity ride type. I'm guessing of course. My son certainly isn't a club rider. So it might be a bit below ACC, or just of interest to 15s and 16s.

When I say "course", they are skipping the Mall-Richmond Park and Richmond Park-Mall bits because they just don't see the point on a Saturday when the roads in SW London aren't closed off, and there might be Fulham or Chelsea traffic to cope with. Nothing else on the route will be closed off either, and of course the Olympic 2012 route does follow main roads in general, so it won't be like the Surrey lanes club-run, but at least those who ride it will know what the course will be like for the pros. Apart from the crowds, the bunched peleton, the speed, the sweet shop stops, the lunch and coffee breaks, the traffic, the Fulham Road bit, the massed sprint and the pee stops, that is.

Whether everyone decides to do Box Hill once, twice or nine times, I just don't know.

At the moment it looks like a 9am meet at the Roehampton Gate car park, but if you're late, there are one or two MapMyRide maps you could download and you'll catch up soon. I'm doing it, as a gesture of paternal loyalty. Is anyone interested?

John

[Wanderer]

Starting a bit earlier, it seems, if there's any interest. 08:20 meet, 08:30 start, Roehampton Gate car park, Richmond Park. Wear a Barbour, or get wet!