“I can’t stand it because they don’t understand the bigger picture" - Tour of Britain director defends race route amidst criticism
CyclingMonday, 11 September 2023 at 18:19
It's fair to say that this year's Tour of Britain hasn't been the most exciting edition of the race's history. Race director Mick Bennett however, has hit back amidst some heavy criticism of the route.
“It’s hard to hear,” Bennett said in conversation with Cycling Weekly. “I can’t stand it because they don’t understand the bigger picture that we have had to deal with. “Because the country is in such a difficult financial situation, we're in such a state now that local authorities are being bled of the funds from central and local government."
Read also
Five flattish stages to start the race were all won by Jumbo-Visma, causing some critics to label the race 'boring'. “They don't have the funds to commit to closing the roads and lots of lots of these stages, Suffolk for example, put an amazing amount of resources in and you'd think you're on totally closed roads, but they're still rolling," defends Bennett. “Because the country is in a situation where, you know, local authorities are prioritising spending elsewhere, they're going to say, well, that's our priority and we fully understand that.”
A smaller race was also another point of concern with just 96 riders in the peloton at the start of the race. This problem at least, has a simple answer believes Bennett. “It's purely and simply Brexit,” he said. “Just to give you an example, it took some teams five hours that rode the World Champs to get their vehicles, technical teams through customs at Dover, and that was only three weeks ago. And they go, 'Hang on. You know what? It's not worth it'. So they didn't, but that's purely and simply down to Brexit.”
claps 2visitors 2
Just in
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
May 12, 11:09
0
Popular news
Latest comments
- Almeida is doing great this year but Ten Dam should go back to earth - Remco is way above him - just look at the palmaresChrisBe23-06-2025
- And all of that suddenly improved in 2023/2024 offseason.. right? Cut the crap please…
UltimateOpportunist23-06-2025 - Just as all of those things that you have mentioned have evolved, so have advances in medicine and pharmaceuticals. Everything that pro riders do now is highly advanced, and that includes their doping practices.
santiagobenites23-06-2025 - You can compare Omrzel to his own rivals, but not to Pogačar
Llywelynglyndwr23-06-2025 - I think of these comparisons between riders as being one of the most cruel things in cycling. It's what has meant that no French cyclist has won the Grand Boucle since Bernard Hinault (correct me if I'm wrong). It's what made it so cruel for Wout van Aert, when he was struggling and Van der Poel was doing so well. To compare such a young rider like Omrzel to Pogačar is what could be the end of his career, I'm serious. That being said, I can't say I don't want to see a repeat of the 2020 Tour de France, with Pogačar finally feeling what Roglič felt.Llywelynglyndwr23-06-2025
- It would be a perfect match - psycho rider on psycho team.
ScottG23-06-2025 - Show us on this doll where Pog touched you.ScottG23-06-2025
- i think he has got his head on straight. But still the tour is no place for riders who want stages in the mountains. UAE and Visma are going to go hammer and tongsabstractengineer23-06-2025
- I don’t think he’d beat a crashless Rogliç and he’d probably have a tough time with some youngsters tooMistermaumau23-06-2025
- My assumption is that right now, the ability to train your body to take in huge amounts of perfectly legal fructose/glucose mixes, while doing the high altitude training that creates naturally what they used to do illegally, mixed with the unbelievably data driven analysis of output and recovery, means that we are seeing legal ways to drive performance in the human body beyond what doping once provided. After all, people now react to Merckx’s doping as “yeah, but those methods weren’t really effective,” but it was still doping. I honestly think that what is legal now outperforms the typical illegal cases of the past. I also see how some riders don’t want to be that kind of automaton, so tightly controlled in comparison to the past.RidesHills23-06-2025
You can tell they have failed when they blame brexit. The go to excuse for the stupid and weak willed
All that did is take back the authority of the UK from the EU. If the UK government decides to be stupid with it, that's not the fault of Brexit. Given the governments within the EU seem to be moving towards their own version of Brexit (given the people's voting patterns), it seems those staying in the EU think that's worse than leaving!
-An American
I was at the finish line in Harlow, it great to have it here and see the race in person
Brexit... Yup we need a recount (a confirmation referendum)... on top of the sports commitment, science and access to a decent croissant.
Companies are being crippled by the lack of access to well educated and hardworking Europeans who have already paid for their degree level education or have had it paid for by the state.
Remember the number of Spanish and Portuguese Baristas in Costa or Starbucks back in 2008-2009, they are now integrated in our economy at a relatively senior level and are generating serious revenue for companies and HMRC in the UK. They have no plans to go back to their homeland as they are settled with spouses and kids. Spain and Portugal paid for their education!
Just sayin!
Spain and Portugal didn't pay for their education neither mine. We paid 23% vat plus 30% social security etc. we leave because of the countries policies. Im in USA. and i would never achieved what i have if i would stay there
Brexshit. The gift that keeps on taking.