Le Touquet beach race

[Giles]

Alrighty! Just come back from a very cold weekend at le Touquet. The dash read -9 on Saturday morning! There was a cracking atmosphere in the town, restaurants and bars were heaving and not a hint of trouble.


After all the snow saturday night, this was Le Touquet Sunday morning.

1100 bikes stood in their compound overnight. This row of bikes went on and on and on for about 400metres!

The first batch of riders to the beach were the pro riders, who took up their place at the front of the starting blocks.


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Following these guys were the other thousand or so!!

What was really interesting to see was the huge visible difference between the amateur riders and the pros. The pros were higher, significantly faster, fitter, and just carved up the rest of the riders on the course. An hour and a half into the race and the pros were still absolutely hooning whilst others were struggling to kick their bikes over and clearly, completely bolloxed and on their chin straps.


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Great weekend!

 

[darkhorse]

It's a cracking event, been a couple of times

 

[earthmover]

A mate of mine & his son were in it. They said it was rather chilly.
Mark

 

[Giles]

yep, they must have been bloody freezing! I took my gloves off to take the odd picture and my hands just instantly hurt! now imagine hooning down the long straight at 100+ mph in motocross gloves

I saw quite a few of the pro rides had muffs on their bars ...

 

[earthmover]

At one point Tony got involved in a pile up and had to have a minute. When he came to restart his back wheel wouldn't turn as it had frozen solid!
Did the first two Weston beach races, and quite fancied a crack at Le Touquet. Not now though, with age, comes wisdom.
Mark

 

[Losttheplot]

Not now though, with age, comes wisdom.
Mark

After doing weston 3 times on sidecars i'm inclined to agree with you

 

[Timolgra]

Not now though, with age, comes wisdom.
Mark

And old twin shocks

 

[Dansin]

That does look far too bloomin' cold. Was Despres racing? He posted about it on Twitter yesterday morning.

 

[Giles]

Did the first two Weston beach races, and quite fancied a crack at Le Touquet. Not now though, with age, comes wisdom.
Mark

I wouldn't want to fall off 30 seconds from the start All well and good being at the front of he pack, but the blokes in the middle must have barely been able to see a few feet infront of them!! Hurtling into a wall of spray / sand / snow ..... just trusting your fellow racers and hoping to god there's not a stationary bike infront of you

 

[Giles]

Here ya go Timothy .... If i win the lottery I'll buy you one of these ....

 

[Timolgra]

Here ya go Timothy .... If i win the lottery I'll buy you one of these ....

Feck me Giles that's gorgeous, thanks

If I win, I'll take you on a cruise

 

[Demonbaker]

Just got back fro Le Touquet, its the coldest one i have been to and one of the quietest. Shame not to see loads of bikes heading in and out of the town.

 

[Giles]

Shame not to see loads of bikes heading in and out of the town.

I was actually there 'at work' to spread the word of love to the uk bikers to have fun but not get into trouble on the way home.

Sadly the weather probably kept so many away ....

 

[earthmover]

I wouldn't want to fall off 30 seconds from the start All well and good being at the front of he pack, but the blokes in the middle must have barely been able to see a few feet infront of them!! Hurtling into a wall of spray / sand / snow ..... just trusting your fellow racers and hoping to god there's not a stationary bike infront of you

Quite prophetic Giles. Just found out that Tony's lad, Will, did just that. Got "spin cycled" off the start, run over by six bikes, now in a French hospital with concussion, 3 broken ribs, punctured lung, badly bruised thorax and a broken thigh.
I hope you're as good with the numbers on Wednesday, Tim might get Cyril's bike after all.
Mark

 

[Giles]

Jeez

Well wish him and his family well from a spectator who thinks they're all heros ....

 

[daj]

I went to that every year, for 10 years during the 80's. It used to be huge then, bikes and bikers all over the show. A lot of the residents would 'move out' for the weekend. Fantsastic event. Kees van der Ven was THE man.

Great times

 

[stormbringer]

We had booked euro tunnel for very early Sunday but did'nt even get of the drive due to the snow,heres to next year?
changed the tunnel booking at no charge for the last day of the tour de france in Paris .