omg, are people so lazy nowadays that they throw a tantrum when they have to detour round a closed road! it's a privilege not a right. Im sure it would only havr added at the VERY most 10 minutes to their journey.

is it me or are people in this country so sad that they cant except people having a few hours fun because they need to go "shopping" PATHETIC FOOLS

Does this event bring any benefit to the local economy?

The idiots who did this might want to consider the consequent loss of revenue to the area if the event was stopped - I wonder how many competitors who were messed about this year will bother to enter next year

Agreed with all the points above! Its awful and pathetic!

BUT how come roads get closed for this sportive yet premier calendar races have to put up with only a part closure!!

I can't believe that such a prestigious event which brings a substantial amount of revenue to the area has been sabotaged in such a selfish way. Do the protestors not realise how much training many of the participants would have undertaken in the leadup to this event!? Such a selfish act could have resulted in serious injury to many of the riders. We should be encouraging events of this nature to Scotland (e.g. Tour de France!). Therefore, I sincerely hope the perpetrators are tracked down and dealt with appropriately!

In the three years that this event has been running, BBC Scotland has consistently reported on the inconvenience to local residents rather than the enormous benefit brought to the area, the local business community and the monies raised for various charities. The reality is that the people who are complaining don't care about the economic benefits because it's an extremely affluent area. They've always used the excuse of not being able to get to church but they can cycle can't they?

This is a marvellous event and should be held in the highest esteem but no doubt the leading story on Reporting Scotland will not be about the possible risk to life, criminal damage and outright idiotic and illegal behaviour but rather about some 4 x 4 driving incomer who couldn't pick up his Sunday papers for a couple of extra hours.

Will they really be able to clear every last tack off the road, or are motorists going to find themselves affected by this in the next few days also?

hopefully the people who did this will get a load of tacks in their tyres, selish tw$£ts

"hopefully the people who did this will get a load of tacks in their tyres"

Yeh i'd love to see their faces if they got tacks in their tyres.

will they be the same when the commenwealth games is held and closes roads?

Idiots.

To be fair to the locals, there are not any other roads for them to use, have a look at a map!!! BUT, it brings huge benefit to the local community, most people are friendly, the roads are only shut for a short time early on a Sunday, and it is EXTREMELY well run

I was one of the lucky ones and manged to get through without a puncture. But the sight of so many cyclists having to fix punctures (many more than once) over such a relatively short distance was disheartening and a little surreal.

There is obviously great resentment about the road closures from a significant minority. If this event is to continue successfully, maybe a different solution to road safety needs to be considered. The time window needed for closures is presumably governed by numbers of cyclists and an estimated minimum speed. Perhaps some sort of rolling road closure for the contentious areas (which appear to be around Loch Rannoch) should be considered? At least then local residents could be assured that the roads are closed for the absolute minimum necessary time...

RAC MSA RALLY of Scotland 19-21 NOV 2009

Will the idiots stop the one...

There is a rolliing closure. I think the closure lasts for only 3 hours at any one point. Indeed, there was some discussion as to whether the delay in the race would put the race onto open roads as the closures would be lifted. Talking to people at the end, it seems that the police kept the closure in place for longer (oh the irony).

I certainly will not be cycling over those roads for quite some time. The tacks are not going to disappear overnight.

IME, the locals in Pitlochry were very friendly and welcoming. However, I did see an old woman on Sat collecting signatures in petition against the road closures. Shame, but I wonder if they will run it next year - seems to much risk to me. To misuse Mao - kill one, friighten 10,000, ACRE - puncture a (fair few) frighten 10,000.

Thing is, the area hardly looks like a congested built up area does it? On an average day there are probably 3 farmers that drive over those roads! Bloody old people! Also, the roads were closed for longer as a consequence of the actions of the chavs (assumtion, could have been an old woman) who should be made to sit on a pile of tacks for an hour and a half as punishment.

Actually, who was first over the finish line? As this sounds like the work of Dick Dastardly and Muttley, pulling a classic Wacky Races stunt to take a one-two for Team Mean Machine.

Clearly an emotive issue for a few locals, who determine to disrupt what seems to be, otherwise, a popular and successful event.

I've never done it, or indeed ventured north of the border into Scotland, but do wonder at such an event.

Just how is this going to be reported locally? Are the ACRE going to be castigated for their actions, assuming it was their disruptive doings? Is such publicity going to be warmly received by all of the local community?

i was looking at doing this but didnt pull my finger out.

3 of us were going to drive up saturday, do the ride Sunday and drive back monday. thats 2 nights in a hotel, meals, drinks and no doubt we'd have seen some local sights and spent more money (farm shops and such!).

i reckon we'd have blew (excuse the pun) between 200-30 each over the 3 days.

if this is the kinda sh1t we'd have to put up with then screw em, ill spend my time and money else where.

muppets

I think it's pathetic as well because they are delaying the time the road is closed for anyway so they have to wait longer to 'go to church' and also the BBC runs a service for people who are unable to go to church. I believe it is called song of praise?.

"Some campaigners are angry because they believe their freedom of movement is being restricted"

what a load of BS cars aren't a naturally occuring object, humans did have other ways of getting around before the car was invented.

I'm a runner as well as a cyclist and we constantly have issues with closing roads for events. I'm disappointed with the small minded individuals who can't see the benefits to the whole community and country of sporting events, however big or small they are, and can't put up with a small amount of inconvenience. They are the people who enjoy watching the olympics then whinge when we dont win any medals. How are we supposed to win medals if we don't support the lower levels of sport?

I rode the Etape yesterday, much of what I think has already been said, But I would like to thank the oganisers did a brilliant job, they kept us safe and informed. They promised to get the race under way in a set time and they did, they moved signs and cleared the road as well as they could.

A big thanks to them, they reacted well and I hope they appreciated the gratitude of all the riders.

Thanks guys!!

Would like to echo the thoughts of 'The Wrong Bike'. Little point in repeating what has already been said but feel I must say something because I am just so angry at the whole affair.

Organisers did brilliantly under the circumstances, and the Mavic guys who were getting absolutely swarmed at the top of the climb - fair play for not running for the hills.

Was heading for smashing last years time - 2 punctures in quick succession - race over - even threw my bike into the ditch in a childish tantrum. Really hope they catch those responsible for this dispicable act.

I rode yesterday's event, and I pulled a tack out of my tyre.

But I won't let it put me off - I'll be back next year if the event is.

One thing... If the police find someone, I'd be tempted to launch a civil action against him/her. Any other riders fancy that? 200+ law suits for criminal damage (tyre £24, tube £3) might make him/her think again...

Fylo - not to mention the cost to the organisers, loss of income next year if people don't enter, who knows how much you could tot up?

But I think the best punishment would be to chain them to a lamppost in Pitlochry and not let them go till they've fixed as many punctures (at their own expense) as there were yesterday.

Good for all posters saying they won't be put off next year, after all, we don't want the numpties to win, do we?

on the plus side its always nice to see a load of roadies frothing at the mouth

I rode the Etape yesterday too, and was one of the many who suffered punctures due to tacks.

I can see some of the protesters points, the roads were closed to cars, cyclists not taking part in the Etape and pedestrians, and for the houses along the side of Loch Rannoch that road is the only way to leave their house. BUT, I would like to point out that the majority of the local people in the houses, came to their front fence and cheered us all on, many thanks to those!!.

So in short, a few people try to sabotage a race for what they think is the benefit of the whole community, when in actual fact, the majority of the community support the event and the income that it brings to the area.

Many thanks to the organisers for doing a great job under the circumstances, and the local community for making us all feel welcome.

We as a cycling community need to get behind this event and show them that a few tacks this year will not stop such a great event, and that the actions of a mindless few can't work. The local council have already agreed to back this event until 2014.

Next year I imagine the roads will be closed for longer, as the police will check the roads before allowing the riders to ride.

So the ideal bike for next year is a cyclocross frame fitted with Schwalbe Marathon Extremes?

Part of me says don't let those bumpkins get away with it, but I'm so glad three of us opted for the Dragon Ride and didn't waste hundreds going up there and not likely to in the future.