Cymru Gran Fondo

Andy Edwardscp · May 2007

All reading cc riders survived the course, one crashed and was taken to hospital but is apparently OK nothing broken and even managed to drive home the next day. I however took a staggering 8.5 hours to ride the fondo course which is almost exactly the same time as it took me to do the Super route last year. Must ride my bike more. Feed stations were good and route was good the neutral service car however only offerred me more flap jack despite me wanting a lift back to Bala!!!!

genki · May 2007

Thanks to everyone involved in organising this event.

I went prepared for the worst, but I think we got off lightly compared to 'true' Snowdonia weather!

Like many others, I was so damp and kanckered after the first 100 miles I opted for the easy option home. This had nothing to do with the fact the wheels I'd sucked for the previous 30 miles where also turning left[;)].

My only disappointment was not getting gold despite pushing hard all the way round. I had no idea what the time standards were beforehand and missed it by 13 mins but they only gave out one to the under 40's anyway I think.

Bathory · May 2007

Only did the very short ride. I was the one crawling along on my MTB. Thought it was very nice that everyone who passed me said hello. I wish there had been a ride of around 60 - 70 miles as 100+ is a bit beyond me and 38 is too easy on a road bike (in normal weather).
85 mile Dragon ride next - I will be the one crawling along on my road bike on that day so keep saying hello as it does cheer me up.

kenbaxter · May 2007

Blimey lot of complaints here.

œ25 quid for that amount of organisation (and as much awesome fruit cake as you could eat) is a bargain. If you want to feel ripped off go take out a loan and do a couple of triathlons.

Awesome route, AWESOME FRUIT CAKE, weather ... what weather? Never heard of a jacket? But, was NOT going to turn right over the big one! Loved every minute, pleased with 6:32 given the weather, back next year for gold!

Well done to the organisers and helpers. My "only gripe" is turning into the finish and finding it at the other side of the car park and having to pick my way through parking cars. A more "formal" start/finsih line would make the event feel much different.

DID I MENTION THE AWESOME FRUIT CAKE?

Bathory · May 2007

Hi Ken, it was œ25 for the very short ride aswell - no fruit cake, no drinks - not even red bull, no flap jacks and no body on the course at all. All I saw was sheep and cow s**t. Not that I need any drinks or food on a 38 mile course but if everyone else is getting it for their money then why should I be charged the same amount for a couple of sign posts.
As for the finish those two girls stood out there in the rain for hours, it was just a bit less windy that end of the car park.

SteveR_100Milers · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Bathory

Only did the very short ride. I was the one crawling along on my MTB. Thought it was very nice that everyone who passed me said hello. I wish there had been a ride of around 60 - 70 miles as 100+ is a bit beyond me and 38 is too easy on a road bike (in normal weather).
85 mile Dragon ride next - I will be the one crawling along on my road bike on that day so keep saying hello as it does cheer me up.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Think we passed you at a T junction fairly early on? One on a Giant and one on a Focus in brown and Blue waterproof (ha!) jackets?Exchange of stupid grins of "what the f are we doing here!" [:D]

Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!

pjm-84 · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Only did the very short ride. I was the one crawling along on my MTB. Thought it was very nice that everyone who passed me said hello. I wish there had been a ride of around 60 - 70 miles as 100+ is a bit beyond me and 38 is too easy on a road bike (in normal weather).
85 mile Dragon ride next - I will be the one crawling along on my road bike on that day so keep saying hello as it does cheer me up<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I left at 9.00am and recall passing a guy on his MTB. Was this you?

Paul

oldwelshman · May 2007

I passed guy crawling up the last big climb of the 100 mile ride on a mountain bike [:D] then I turned right.
By the way Ken I only saw bread pudding and no fruit cake and I limited myself to 10 pieces [:D]
Think if I had slightly less I may have got gold !!
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pjm-84

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Only did the very short ride. I was the one crawling along on my MTB. Thought it was very nice that everyone who passed me said hello. I wish there had been a ride of around 60 - 70 miles as 100+ is a bit beyond me and 38 is too easy on a road bike (in normal weather).
85 mile Dragon ride next - I will be the one crawling along on my road bike on that day so keep saying hello as it does cheer me up<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I left at 9.00am and recall passing a guy on his MTB. Was this you?

Paul
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">[:D][:D]

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kenbaxter · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by oldwelshman

By the way Ken I only saw bread pudding and no fruit cake <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Sorry. Will save a few for the others next year.
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
and I limited myself to 10 pieces [:D]
Think if I had slightly less I may have got gold
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Nah. Its you lightweights that give the sport a bad name. 10! 10!!!! Gotta train harder buddy.[;)]

jimmoffatt · May 2007

I rode the Gran Fondo version and managed to get a gold, mainly because I am an old git and only had to get back before it went dark [:)] Enjoyed the event except the climb over the moors after the second feed. 39 x 26 and about 4mph. Hell on a bike [:0]

A few comments to the organiser:-

I did not know about the i-team website (found it with the link to the provisional results) with the course details etc and an email to everybody a couple of days before the event with a link to the site would have been helpful.

Agree with oldwelshmans comments about a hot drink at the end. It would have been easy to have something as we handed the timing chips in.

I was with oldwelshman in Caernarfon when a car came through the coned/traffic light section and nearly wiped us both out but that is not the organisers fault. However, a few more marshalls would have been welcoming and that section was always likely to be a problem.

I missed the last turn to the changing rooms and had to ride to the end of the town centre and come back through. Annoying but my own fault because there was a sign to turn left, I just didn't see it. A car/marshall came after me to tell me I had missed the turn otherwise I would still be out there now. Many thanks to whoever it was.

Lots of positives as pointed out by others. Great changing facilities, fantastic route, well organised and I will be back next year to tackle the big one.

Unknown · May 2007

Well that was my first attempt at a organised ride, I thought it was very well set out, mainly quiet good surfaced roads, not alot you can do about the weather. I did think bank holiday weekend was a strange choice (as a rule usually have alot of other comitments on those weekends with family)

Its made me realise i'm not as fit as I thought, when you see people flying past and your doing 17mph.

Does anyone know where the photo's are published that were being taken?

Thanks

Matty1235

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1111280/

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1111281/

JonSkids · May 2007

Photos should be on sleepmonsters <s>soon</s>. Edit - Just checked the site - by the weekend

moto-1 · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jimmoffatt

I rode the Gran Fondo version and managed to get a gold, mainly because I am an old git and only had to get back before it went dark [:)] Enjoyed the event except the climb over the moors after the second feed. 39 x 26 and about 4mph. Hell on a bike [:0]

A few comments to the organiser:-

I did not know about the i-team website (found it with the link to the provisional results) with the course details etc and an email to everybody a couple of days before the event with a link to the site would have been helpful.

Agree with oldwelshmans comments about a hot drink at the end. It would have been easy to have something as we handed the timing chips in.

I was with oldwelshman in Caernarfon when a car came through the coned/traffic light section and nearly wiped us both out but that is not the organisers fault. However, a few more marshalls would have been welcoming and that section was always likely to be a problem.

I missed the last turn to the changing rooms and had to ride to the end of the town centre and come back through. Annoying but my own fault because there was a sign to turn left, I just didn't see it. A car/marshall came after me to tell me I had missed the turn otherwise I would still be out there now. Many thanks to whoever it was.

Lots of positives as pointed out by others. Great changing facilities, fantastic route, well organised and I will be back next year to tackle the big one.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I can see we need to have a bigger note/link on the entry central site to where all of the GFC information & news is posted at http://www.i-team.cc (Results updated today to sort errors that were pointed out to us.)

I can see we could also have an opt-in newsletter (to get around spamming)

All comments on this thread and all of the messages of support that we have received by email have been really usefull and will be used to improve things for GFC3, so thanks again.

Guy Watson
_________
^^oª-o-1

Looking for a training or riding partner? - try our 'Bike Buddy' service:
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Bathory · May 2007

Yes that would have been me you guys passed. I started just before 9.00 I think. I can remember two guys in dark waterproofs at the T-junction. I was just stopping to check on my list of directions as I didn't want to end up on the longer rides in error. My computer wasn't working on my MTB as I have only used the bike twice in the last two years and I didn't have a clue as to how many miles I had done or how far the split in the rides were.

pjm-84 · May 2007

Yep

I remember seeing you and thinking ..... what[:0]! And then I spotted the number wrapped around the handlebars and I thought that guy certainly whats to make this even harder![:0][:0][^]!

I would have said Hi as I passed. Big guy in a blue waterproof and I-team shorts on a red 5.5 Madone.

Paul

SteveR_100Milers · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Bathory

Yes that would have been me you guys passed. I started just before 9.00 I think. I can remember two guys in dark waterproofs at the T-junction. I was just stopping to check on my list of directions as I didn't want to end up on the longer rides in error. My computer wasn't working on my MTB as I have only used the bike twice in the last two years and I didn't have a clue as to how many miles I had done or how far the split in the rides were.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

we started at about 9-15, stopped briefly to say hello to someone on an MTB at a T junction which basically the route crossed over the main road and carried on climbing. One was in a dark green jacket I was in a blue one, one a carbon focus, mate on a carbon Giant.

Caught a big chap in a fairly bright (think Subaru Impreza) blue jacket later on, lord knows after how many miles or time, brain had ceased lower level functions by that time. Did it have yellow tyres, or was the another time in space???[:D]

Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!

oldwelshman · May 2007

Guy.
Is it still possible to get the DVD for carriage cost? I was unaware of the DVD availability and paying at registration for carriage.

Feel free to browse and donate:
http://www.justgiving.com/davidbethanmills
My winter and summer bike pics

http://oldwelshman.myphotoalbum.com

JonSkids · June 2007

Hi oldwelshman

Yep DVD is available - PM sent

Bathory · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pjm-84

Yep

I remember seeing you and thinking ..... what[:0]! And then I spotted the number wrapped around the handlebars and I thought that guy certainly whats to make this even harder![:0][:0][^]!

I would have said Hi as I passed. Big guy in a blue waterproof and I-team shorts on a red 5.5 Madone.

Paul
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

*********************************************************************

I thought 38 miles would have been to easy on a road bike - big mistake due to the weather. Still looking back on it now it didn't seem that bad. Then again I wasn't out there for 7,8,9 hrs. Great effort I though from everyone who got on a bike that day.

Cymru Gran Fondo

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