Cheddar Challenge

Nervouselk

Attica wrote:

Just had a fantastic day out on the Cheddar Challenge - anyone else do it?

Thing is the drafting fairies were out in force today, I found myself in several groups where there were a handful of us prepared to do some work and then up to a dozen red faced hangers on who wouldn't, or more probably couldn't take a turn at the front.
I know with that sort of route profile it's going to encourage this sort of behaviour but frankly it was epidemic today and I just wanted to say that it really pi$$ed quite a few people off.


<rant end>

I bet you hung on and drafted for the first hour or so of it while we the fast group came by and caught you up sitting in our draft, didnt see you helping at the front.then spat you out on the first climb.

If you take offence to people not helping you and you are trying to make a race of it stop doing all the work. tactics 101?

attica

:roll: Here we go again.

Actually I was near the front of a fast group when we took a wrong turn (before Wedmore) only got a few yards off course but I lost a lot of places then, Fred Baker et al hurtled on past and yes they (you?) were fast, well done.

I was working at or near the front of groups for the whole first leg (100kkm) after that.

What? You mean you didn't see me? That might be because you don't know me from Adam you silly thing you.

attica

Right

The scars from the flaming are healing
Who is gonna come and play this year?

Le Commentateur

I'm fairly new to cycling, and quite ignorant of riding ettiquette

It's not so much ettiquette as physics, sharing the workload for the group to achieve an optimum time. No attacks or riding off the front when the climbs begin -- it's not a race -- but then it shouldn't have be a solo time trial either. Unless that's how you want to ride the event, of course.

Brits have issues socialising with strangers, so I can understand the hesitant attitude to contributing to the collective momentum. Perhaps it's a cycling expression of the fend-for-yourself approach we see becoming dominant in politics, pensions, education, healthcare, etc.

attica

Well said LC

Anyone out there taking part in this years ride?

attica

Oops, double post

Mendip rouleur

Yes I'm entered for the 100 miler, I'm looking forward to a nice relaxed ride after the Wild Edric a couple of weeks ago, where I was either panting like a dog going up or hanging on for dear life going down. The first 60 miles of the Cheddar Sportive are a delightful spin (apart from High Ham, and there's food at the top of that so it's not so bad!).

And yes they have re-surfaced the road going down into Wells. Rode it last week, and though there are still a few holes near the bottom, most of the descent is pretty good.

I'm planning on drafting for about 98 miles, then come steaming out from behind my lead out train as we hurtle down Shipham Hill to the finish. Renshaw is definitely up for it, and Hincapie says he's a maybe.

(Only joking....see you there!)

attica

Mendip rouleur wrote:

And yes they have re-surfaced the road going down into Wells. Rode it last week, and though there are still a few holes near the bottom, most of the descent is pretty good.

That is very good news, I was hanging on for dear life on that descent last year, quite horrible being that airborne at speed.

Mendip rouleur wrote:

I'm planning on drafting for about 98 miles, then come steaming out from behind my lead out train as we hurtle down Shipham Hill to the finish. Renshaw is definitely up for it, and Hincapie says he's a maybe.

Haha, that's a great image, although I doubt you could sprint down that hill, I've hit 47mph coming out of the last bend

Le Commentateur

I'm going to do this one next year (if I remember), as I grew up in the North Mendips area and cycled alot of the lanes there as a kid. I'm hoping to pop down in October for the Tasty Cheddar audax -- only 101kms but quite varied and scenic.

attica

Gorgeous weather today so I thought I'd get out and do a fair bit of the last 40 miles as a recce.

Two points to warn people about, as Mendip Rouleur said, they've resurfaced the descent into Wells, but they've not improved the overall surface drastically at all, I really didn't enjoy that descent again.

Secondly, the road between Charterhouse and Shipham has really suffered over the winter, there's a lot of potholes just after Tynings Farm followed by a drain cover on the apex of a left bend (90 degree job) which could well be lethal in the wet, the road surface is actually quite good on the RHS of the road with the obvious inherent problems if you meet oncoming traffic, it is quite a quiet road though...

Oh and the hills haven't got any easier since last year.

Hope this helps folks, see you out there

skinsey

Did this ride yesterday having travelled down from Cheshire to do it.

Apart from sign-on being a bit slow, and consequently the 'off' being delayed by 30 mins, I have to say it was a mighty fine day out. The weather helped of course, but the great groups that formed in the first 60 miles, the testing-but-not-too-difficult hills in the next 40, the countryside generally, and the fact that there seemed to a lot of friendly folk both doing it and manning the feedstops, all contributed too. There also seemed to a pretty high standard of rider.

All in all, my most enjoyable sportive for some time.

attica

Yep I had a fantastic ride, got my tactics somewhat more in order than last year at the start and hung out at the back of a stupidly fast peleton for the first leg, immense fun travelling at that speed in such a big group. (was I drafting you this time NervousElk?)
Then I found myself in a group of four with two guys in Royal Navy shirts and another chap, we worked together riding through and off for most of the section between the first and second feed stations, I've got a big ride coming up next weekend, so with that in mind I bailed at the 100k point. Absolutely lovely day though.

gert_lush

I was going down cheddar gorge when everyone else was going up, I wondered why there were lots of people out with numbers on, now I know, I tried to say hello to everyone Somehow this event passed under my radar but looks good so hopefully next year.

itboffin

gert_lush wrote:

I was going down cheddar gorge when everyone else was going up, I wondered why there were lots of people out with numbers on, now I know, I tried to say hello to everyone Somehow this event passed under my radar but looks good so hopefully next year.

Create yourself an account on here http://www.cyclosport.org/ then add all the sportives you might be interested in to you calendar which has a handy reminder, dont forget to post your times

Setting my goals for next year think I might try and do one event a month :shock: