Originally Posted by
atbman
British climbs are much shorter than traditonal European Tour ones, but also tend to be steeper. In an earlier incarnation, the Kellogs Tour IIRC, they sent the riders up Rosedale Chimney in Yorkshire. Only 0.9m but 33% for a sizeable portion of it..
British team mechanics warned the continentals about it and the gears they'd need, but were, so legend has it, ignored. Fair few of them had to get off and push. Also, so legend has it, took more notice of aforesaid mechanics for rest of race.
The Caerphilly hill climb on stage 5 in Wales may be short but it's very steep and the cruel thing about it is that riders know once they've done it once they have to go round and do it again five minutes later.
Great finish to the tour today in London. The crowds were amazing, Wiggins gets his first ToB win, and Cavendish wins another stage in a great sprint finish.