your favourite personal cycling moment of 2007?

Mark Alexander

Steve, i'm on you're side mate, respect for the 7 Guinness'
been there, suffered that.

oldwelshman

I am glad I never met uo the night before with Steve, I suspct we would not have made the start line!!

Bunnyman 5.5

Surely the greatest thing of all is to drive your defeated enemy before you like cattle, and to hear the lamentation of his women.. :twisted: :twisted: 8) :P ..anyway:..
In first place-an epic mtb ride in august on a lovely sunny day over the Helvellyn fells, down to Patterdale via Grisedale Tarn, then up to Boardale Hause, down into Martindale and back along the shore of Ullswater 8) ...AWESOME...I'd been mtbing for less than a month and had to walk several bits, fell off on the Ullswater path bit
several times....wear your scars with pride!

Second-my first ride at GT. Did the Red which seemed like a bowling green after the the Lakes. Another lovely sunny day-with enough cake there ain't no mountain high enough or climb hard enough!

Third-Riding along a back road near Greenlaw after an epic ride from Melrose to Dunbar through the Lammermuirs and back , watching an absaloutely amazing sunset and the stars start to come out. But I can think of so many highlights....even bad weather can make for great rides [like my last ride at GT on 21st october]. May the Force be with you!

ricadus

Attacking on the final climb into the finish of stage 4 of the Giro Sardegna which went through a hilltop village before a flat run in to the finish. Got to the top of the climb about 150 metres in front of the bunch and was guided through the narrow streets of the town by 2 motor bike marshalls – it being a market day and so the place was somewhat crowded – and I'm there trying to hold off the bunch as the marshalls wave people out the way off the narrow streets and I'm grinning to myself thinking this is just like on the TV, watching the Giro at Briancon or somewhere.

Got caught in the final km, though, and had nothing left for the sprint, but it was worth the gamble anyway. Wonderful memory.

shazzz

Lots of people getting in to cycling this year which is good news!

For me:
4 - under 30 mins in first ever 10mile TT then getting progressively faster.
3 - riding up Hardknot and Wrynose without putting a foot down. I walked part of each during the FWC but went back a few days later and was victorious!
2 - riding the Tour of Flanders cyclo-touriste ride. The site of the chapel at the top of the Kapelmuur with people cheering and screaming at the sides of the road brought a lump to my thoat...
1 - watching the TdF prologue and grand depart in London town - truly fantastic.

richa

For me it's the... Col de Peyresourde.

Though that'll be the descent to the finish of the Etape not the climb up it of course...

ColinJ

It's funny - after reading about everyone elses fine cycling achievements in 2007 I felt that I'd had a really poor year in comparison, but thinking about it there were some nice rides in there...

Some of the highlights -

Jan:

A Mere 200

Feb: North-West Passage 200

Mar: 2 weeks cycling on the Costa Blanca (1100 km). Red Rose Ride 200 on return

Apr: Spring Into the Dales. A short but very scenic local audax which I completed in my fastest time yet.

May: Hilly 100 km ride with forum mate Warburton.

Jun: Old mates from schooldays up for MTB weekend. Pain in the Pennines extended to 200 km. A C+ forum ride. Something special (see below).

Jul: Watching the TdF peloton go by in Kent.

Aug: My extended Pendle Pedal.

Sep: Singlespeed riding in North Warwickshire.

Oct: Season of Mists. Sister event to Spring Into the Dales - short, but hard! Another forum ride.

Nov: More Warwickshire singlespeeding.

Dec: If the weather stays like this - a lot of turbo-training !


And the winner is... The something special alluded to above. On June 28th I rode from Hebden Bridge to Coventry - 227 km, 3,500 - 4,000 m of Yorkshire and Derbyshire climbing - lovely! I rode an even harder route back a week later when I had to go up and over the fearsome Ewden Bank :shock: because Snake Pass was shut.

Not a great year because I've been overweight throughout and been plagued by backache, but I've enjoyed myself and done some things aged 51 that I'd never have even contemplated when I was in my 20s so that can't be too bad. I'm aiming for a better 2008 though...

flattythehurdler

3. Taking over bankrupt LBS in Jan.
2. Still being in business now.
1. Half killing myself to go sub 6 hours on bike leg of Austrian Ironman. Managed to average 30.4km/h, offficial time 6 hours and 5 seconds. B'stard. :shock:

flattythehurdler

Oh, and at the risk of being shot down, the stage where c'ntador and chicken went mano a mano up that climb in the Tour. What a fantastic stage that was.

Ken Night

flattythehurdler wrote:

Oh, and at the risk of being shot down, the stage where c'ntador and chicken went mano a mano up that climb in the Tour. What a fantastic stage that was.

It was the Peyresourde, and Contador had Hincapie waiting at the top to tow him to the finish had he dropped Rasmussen

they'd been at it the day before too

Where is your LBS?

flattythehurdler

Manchester suburb (withington). Only a hobby for me , but keeps three people in work and is , at present, breaking even. Has given me a whole new respect for small businesses. Also has weaned me off my predilection for cycling bling and tat. Now I can get it I don't want it. Bummer for friends and family at Christmas though. I don't need or want anything.
Actually another cycling highlight was the lads in the shop rebuilding and refurbishing my training bike as a surprise birthday present. Now that was very nearly a tearjerker.

richk

1. Watching my son riding a bike without stabilizers for the first time
2. Me riding a bike for the first time in 21 years (it lasted 12 minutes before I got off & walked home...- I can go a bit further now )

noggincp

getting to the top of the Bealach na ba (eventually)

next I minght even do it without walking :oops:

Special K

first time up Alpe d'Huez (102 minutes! :oops: )

heavymental

Probably Alpe for me too. I managed it in 1hr 3 mins. The descent was probably one of the best buzzes I've had on a bike. Lovely smooth road, not much traffic and descending off a legendary climb. Doesn't get much better. Although riding along the Combe Laval in the Vercors was pretty special too. My whole Alps trip was great infact! Sunny, hot and some great rides.

term1te

5th Every sunny day I was out on the bike.
4th Discovering the route over the Schelten Pass http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/The-tow-passes
3rd Just finishing L’Etape de Legende in September
2nd Coming a very surprising (no, completely astounding :shock: ) second in a 75 km off road race
1st Breaking two PBs in one race. 100 km in 2 hours 47, and 100 miles in 4 hours 29 (Cyclotour du Leman)

Mapman

april 30th Going round the block First time on bike since double break of femeur in Feb LOVELY

Bronzie

BEST:
Fri 01/06/07 - taking 2nd place in the Devil at Welwyn Track while my 11-year-old son looked on from the stands with admiration in his eyes.

WORST:
Fri 01/06/07 - taking 2nd place in the Devil at Welwyn Track when my son pointed out "Dad, you sprinted like a muppet". Kids are so bloody honest. :roll:

Lbaguley

Burton wrote:

Completing the London Cyclosportive, 1st time over 70 miles in one ride. Awesome feeling at the end despite the rubbish weather at the start.

Yep, me too! My previous longest was the L2B three weeks before.

Gary R

seeing my 3 yr old daughter riding for the first time!!! She's so tiny to be on two wheels!

Anonymous

Done FWC twice this year...one a training reccy, one the actual event - never walked both times....just!

Done Wild Wales Challenge...got up Bwlch Y Groes without walking either...not much got up it that day for waht i saw...that was a real acheivement for me aswell.

Polkadot was great, the best event I did last year....LOVED IT

And finally ascending the 40km climb of Mount Teide...getting to the top of that was more releif than I can put into words :shock:

gregdacat

Took the silver medal in the 2007 Ohio State Senior Olympics 20km road race.

First road race I have ever done at age 51. The guy that won was away from the start. I traded pulls of a minute or so for most of the race with the rider who took third. I knew he could out sprint me so I attacked him on a small hill about two miles from the finish and time trialled it to the finish line. He almost caught me but I held him off by about 50 yards. Made it all the sweeter that I am from Kentucky and took a medal in Ohio. I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, this is just like on TV." Too much fun. Gotta do this again next year.

Ken Night

Heavymental wrote:

. Although riding along the Combe Laval in the Vercors was pretty special too. .....

I've got some more of the Combe Laval if you want...did you do it this way?

Did you also ride along Gorges du Bourne?

I had some great times in the alps in the summer too-though the pic below was taken in May last year, I keep going back to Jean-Charles cafe in Villard Reculas (the back of the Alpe) close to where this was taken-went to watch the Prologue on his tv there after finishing La Marmotte....



In fact, here is the whole album-May 06, but visited many of the places again this summer

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/ ... 0May%2006/

onehipwonder

5th Doing a social club run from Kingston to Rye on a Saturday in November with the sun shining, staying the night in a hotel, having a really good evening with the 8 others that came along although rather overdid it getting to bed at 1am. Then cycling back to Kingston. Good hangover cure. About 160 mile round trip.

4th Britsh cyclosportive.

3rd. Working backstage as a runner for team Liquigas at the Grande Depart opening ceremony and the rest of the weekend was really special.

2nd Completing my first century ride at the Dartmoor Classic despite the atrocious weather.

1st Completing the mammoth Liege Bastogne Liege in August, my first cycling trip abroad and easily the most gruelling day on the bike to date. 147 miles with 5 of the worst climbs in the final 40 miles.

Worst - Crashing after 5 miles at the Dartmoor Classic, breaking my right hand shifter thus being unable to use bottom 3 gears. Mechanic offered to take me back to the start at the first feed station but glad I toughed it out.


Got to say that getting into cycling 18 months ago has got to be one of the best things that i have ever done and got me back into exercise 2 years after a hip replacement. Joined a great club and met some friendly people who have offered lots of encouragement and support.

Sorry if post is a bit long but am at work bored and tired (Ricky Hattons fault)

pst88

I taught myself to ride this year completely on my own, at the grand old age of 24. My best moment would have to be that first ride out of the house, down the end of the road, round the park... once I was going I just didn't want to stop.

simonm77

1. Starting cycling again
2. doing the L2B in june
3. Just being out on my bike

nolf

Discovering I'm faster than 2nd+ years at Uni who are naturally sportier.

A 3 hour solo bike ride on Tuesday- 0 degrees, no traffic, late morning bike ride. Brilliantly smooth roads the whole way and brilliantly sunny. Covered 90km and felt fantastic after.

5 hour bike ride in Summer where I went from the top of the Bwlch Y Clawdd to the top of the Rhigos in 25 mins.

fenski

5. A moment with the view from the top of the hill above Dunning heading towards Pathstruie.
4. An early season ride up and over the hill from Weem to Tummel Bridge.
3. Descending from Ben Lawers Visitor Centre into Glen Lyon
2. Getting to the top of Bealach Na Ba during the Bealach Beag
1. Getting to the top of the Col Du Tourmalet after an early morning ride in perfect weather.

I had a bit of a cycling lay off this autumn, after these recollections I can't wait to get back on the bike next year!

simon_e

Some impressive achievements among the above. Quite inspiring, I have to say.

My highlights for 2007 are much more modest, but here we go:

1. Builth 25km Merida marathon in July. Having started quietly I passed loads on the long first climb. Spent most of the time with no-one in sight. Suprised to find I finished 4th out of 96 starters, first veteran (aged 40+), riding a 10 year old rigid steel mtb with the original tyres. Never done anything similar before and my 'training' was the commuting (6 miles to work & back, though not on those tyres!). It made me wonder what else I could do.

2. At the local Family Bike Day in scorching weather my 5 year old son, who is tiny for his age, did lap after lap of the 1km cycletrack, which is not flat, on his Islabikes Cnoc 14.

3. Rather low key but long-awaited was my first road bike for 12 years, a Giant SCR 2. It has spent most of the last month in the garage However, I'm planning some decent rides and trying a TT in 2008.

snakehips

Being given a new Tifosi CK7 as a present by my family at my 60th birthday party , then doing the Dunwich on it a few months later.

Snake