Cross-Solent ferry operator Wightlink is counting the days until hundreds of cyclists invade the Isle of Wight for the final stage of the Tour of Britain on Sunday 11th September.
The ferry company will be carrying the teams of professional riders, their support vehicles and race infrastructure as well as many amateur cyclists keen to watch their heroes.
Stage 8 will start at 11:00 on Ryde Esplanade and criss-cross the Island before finishing at The Needles at around 16:00.
Wightlink CEO, Keith Greenfield has said:
“It’s going to be an incredible day as the Island welcomes more than 100 of the world’s best riders. Ahead of them is a challenging route including a steep climb over Tennyson Down to the finish.
“We expect plenty of cycling fans to travel with us that weekend and they should book their tickets in advance as we are bound to be busy.”
Ryde is looking forward to hosting the start of the race and promises a carnival atmosphere for spectators. There will be family entertainment including Raw Samba, Shademakers carnival performers and drumming workshops.
Wightlink will be running extra FastCat foot passenger services between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head on Sunday 11th September.
This article tells me there is not a great deal of interest in this event, if wightlink is touting for customers with only a week to go, and all the disruption is for a hundred lycra boys?
moanmoanmoanmoanmoanmoan imo.
Welcome to the Isle of Whinge.
Honestly, the Island is turning into some kind of weird “One Foot In The Grave” theme park full of Victor Meldrew look-alikes complaining about everything and bleating “I don’t believe it” anytime something remotely fun happens here”
I don’t believe it is turning into such a place at all. It has been that way for years, but then nimby moaners now have somewhere to voice there drivel, and there is a new generation of keyboard warriors over here.
Glad someone is excited to welcome the lycra brigade ….
(Nothing to do with profit of course ?)…
Personally it is only going to cause a lot of people problems getting to and from work ,,,, yes me included…..
Yes it is a rolling road block, but depending on when people start work it affects a lot of retail staff ….. carer’s etc not everybody work’s 9 till 5 …..
And if you go and watch it don’t blink or you will miss it …..
leave early! job done!
When your a community nurse or carer than that statement is from a bellend. Cretin. How can they start early when their care round starts at a certain time . I use to work in the community and even during the festivals in ryde was denied access by Marshall to get to calls . It’s a small island and when all main roads are blocked off its crazy.
What a farce this is.
The Island will be a NO GO ZONE for motorists on
Sunday 11th September
Motorists pay to be on the roads, cyclists pay nothing!
GOOD, IT WILL MAKE A NICE CHANGE.
(all the old codgers will have to postpone their weekly outing to the garden centre or the tip for a couple of hours). woopy do……IMO.
God help when you become an old codger because yes believe it or not time passes for everyone , I just hope you don’t get a sympathy vote then you obnoxious twat
What will you do ? SHOULD you be lucky enough to grow old ……
See you in the garden centre !!!!!!!
Or the tip !!!!!
Somewhere is a village is missing its idiot. Let us know where home is fella, well see you safely home.
I don’t think you’d call some of the men I see at the tip old codgers, at least YOU wouldn’t to their faces!
So you like a bit of rough do you Starling ?
Good for you girl…….LOL. x
no they don’t, car tax covers emissions, do your homework!
electric vehicles do not
The vast majority of adult cyclists are car owners. When they are cycling their car is parked at their home, but they are still paying “car tax” on it.
if that is true and most cyclists are car owners, why do they cycle like they have never seen a copy of the highway code…
Well said, …trouble is, rational thinking and facts are lost on many commentators here!
Wonder how many breakdowns or staff shortages there will be on the ferries that weekend?
Hopefully lots!!:)
No staff sickness, urgent maintenance or adverse weather, they will make sure they milk every penny and the floating bridge/turd will be running as well no breakdowns of staff shortages …
I have yet to meet a single person who is “welcoming” this ridiculous waste of time. Never mind it will hopefully pour with rain with gale force winds and thunder, it will be even more difficult to see the pot holes then. Wightlink desperate for some cash in trying get people to support it. No chance.
I imagine that’s because nobody can get a word in edgeways when you go off on one of your rants.
Please let us all know where you are going to be sitting in your car blocking the course.
Still waiting for you to have the balls to come and have a drink with me at Harbour House in Ryde? If you’ve got any balls mate tell us your real name and where you live on the Island? Do this and ai’ll buy you a sandwich as well. It’s not difficult.. Chicken probably sums you right up!
Vendetta time. You need to calm down sunshine or you will burst a blood vessel. Getting personal doesn’t make you look good at all.
Freddie the keyboard bully boy…lol what a tool ….get a life will you
I ‘welcome’ it because it brings a bit of fun and excitement to the island……and it goes right past my front door !
I will be, you absolute moaning halfwit. Get a life. Don’t forget your drinks date in Ryde. Prat.
Wightlink didn’t organise this event
Hopefully someone will mow them all down
I cannot believe that anyone in the right mind feels this way let alone puts it in print. What’s wrong with you? It’s not even remotely funny.
Agreed, not remotely funny, ‘mowing them down’! … actually quite a disturbing comment/attitude when you think about it!
So just how am I meant to visit an elderly relative currently in care on the opposite end of this rotten little island on 11 Sept?
On any ‘normal’ day it’s close to a bloody nightmare as it is.
And all for what exactly?
I know I am not the only one affected.
Pedestrians have right of way over cyclists, says so in the highway code…nudge nudge wink wink.
Anyone up for a mass sunday stroll?
Have a protest, you’ll get your stupid face all over the world’s TV. Let everyone know what a absolute prat you are. I’ll be watching or are you all talk and no action? By the way, the ‘normal’ road rules are suspended during the road closure for the race. I’d love to see you arrested too. This could be a lovely place to live without the limes of you moaning, whining and spoiling people’s fun all the time. Why don’t you move and let the rest of us get on with having a whinge free life.
if pedestrians have rights of way, you best get on Shanks Pony early doors shag!
What’s the bettings their won’t be any cancelled crossing due to “technical issues” or ” staff sickness” that weekend!!!
By gearing up they mean increasing the fares.