White Rose Challenge

andy_from_embsay

Managed to beat the silver time on the middle ride. However faulty timing at Malham (it wasn't working), seems to have messed this up on my certificate with, showing that I took just over 6 hours to complete the short ride technology hey...

You needed to tell the folks at the end that you did the middle ride then they changed it to the correct route.

suze

andy_from_embsay wrote:

Managed to beat the silver time on the middle ride. However faulty timing at Malham (it wasn't working), seems to have messed this up on my certificate with, showing that I took just over 6 hours to complete the short ride technology hey...

You needed to tell the folks at the end that you did the middle ride then they changed it to the correct route.

Bit late for that now....Having just battered myself riding around the dales, telling the youth who handed me a slip that I'd done a longer route wasn't entirely on my mind... :roll: I still have the personal satisfaction and I'm not too anoyed.

I'll never learn and I'll still be back next year. The pain never ends

andy_from_embsay

You'll probably find if you email the sportident people they can change the results they publish anyway.

Croz

Did the medium route and had a good ride. My parents live near Ilkley so it's an ideal sportive for me. After spending my youth (and many later years) riding the Dales this took me on roads that I haven't been on before.

I really enjoyed the bit from Halton Gill over the Malham, Langbar is a real sting in the tail. Ouch. Stopping to chat to my parents and girlfriedn and mates who were out in Burnsall meant I mised out on silver by 5 mins...or if I'd spent less time eating in Malham, but then probably would have run out of fuel!. At least in my own mind I did it

Excellent sportive, will be back next year and recommend to anyone, challenging route but good back up and very friendly all round. Cheers

lactic

This was my first ever 'real' sportive, (I say first 'real' as I don't count the Evans Cycles Ride It event I did last year as a 'real' sportive) and what can I say other than brilliant

Did the medium ride and having seen the time standard was 6:15 for a silver decided I'd try and get within that but I reckoned it was gonna be tight. Set off at the same time as a group of local club riders (sorry can't remember the club name) and tried to tag onto the back of them but after a couple of miles it was clear they were too quick. Was really struggling to keep my heart rate and breathing under control at the start, nerves and excitement I suppose but eventually settled in after 10 miles or so. There was a fantastic descent somewhere before the first feed with a tight right hand bend at the bottom, hit 52mph down it, not familiar with the area though so don't know what it's called I'm afraid.

Had chatted with a few riders and ridden with them briefly but couldn't find anyone riding at the right pace then a few miles after the first feed joined up with someone (hi Hannah if you're reading this). Turned out to be a perfect riding partner with me being a bit quicker up and down the hills and Hannah being quicker on the flat. With about 20 miles to go it was starting to be a real struggle but looking at the time, we were on for a silver so we pushed on, nearly ground to a halt up Langbar :shock: but we made it and in near identical times too, even though we didn't start together, of 5hrs45mins So I'm over the moon to have got a silver and of course as I was only 20 mins away from a gold so I suppose that means I'll have to do it again next year and get that gold

They say you know if you got fantastic service in a restaurant if you don't really notice it and that's how I feel the organisation of this event was. I signed on, got my chip, someone even put it on my wrist for me, then down to the start and someone dipped the chip in the machine and away you go, at the first feed there was plenty of everything and the same at the second, directions painted on the road at all the important places, it all just blended together perfectly and I don't think you could ask for anything more really. So to all the people who organised and ran this event I'd like to say a huge thank you and that I think you should all be very proud for putting on such a great event.

jrab

Great event. Very tough - it's not the big hills that get you, but the string of steep little ones. And then there's Beamsley Beacon / Langbar....!

Really well organised, as ever - a credit to all the hard work. Even missed out on the forecast showers, turned out to be pretty much perfect conditions.

Couple of comments - maybe the finish checkpoint could be somewhere on the north side of the river - got badly held up by traffic on the bridge waiting to pull out into the stream of traffic on the A65. Would have been frustrating if we'd been 10 mins closer to Gold time.....

Did anyone else find the drink at Grassington too concentrated? I use SiS and High5 regularly, but after filling my bottles there the drink just seemed way too heavy and sickly sweet, was thirsty for the rest of the ride. Remember the same thing from last year, and my mate commented on this also. I guess it's made up following the instructions, but when I make it myself it seems much more drinkable. With hindsight I should have only 3/4-filled and topped-up with water, but we'd already set off before we realised.

Cheers for a great day's riding.

Richard Barker

ModusOps

This was my first Sportive ever and I thoroughly enjoyed it so thanks to everyone involved.

Was super nervous on Sunday morning, my impatience to get going saw me head off for a mile and a hlaf without my number tag. Rode back, and then on my second restart managed to miss the left turn before the otley bridge and headed off up the hill on the otherside of the town. one puncture, 4miles and realisation of a missed turn later, I was ready to give up. However another guy had missed the same turn and ridden up the same hill.. He helped me with my puncture and we rode back down the hill together to find the route.....

From there on in, we averaged about 15 mph all the way through the short route so I was really happy with our performance but not our navigational skills!!

Still, I made an friend on the day, we rode around chatting and chasing all the way, langbar was a nasty surprise, (slightly harder than Cliff Hollins Lane!). My only mission was to make it up without stopping (which I did) so again I was pleased.

I will definitely be competing again next year, albeit on the medium route I think.

Once again, thanks to all those involved, it was a brilliant day.

---

cjessop

This was my first sportive too! I did the 182km and it was a real challenge. As I live locally I made the mistake of riding to the start which wouldn't be an issue only I live at the top of a mile long hill, funny though it felt alot easier than usual last night on the way back.

Really enjoyed it, look forward to next year (although not sure my husband is who I dragged along for the ride!).

The organisation, food stations and route/directions were great; a big thankyou to Derek and co for all their efforts.

CJ

andy_from_embsay

Results are on sportident website.

nolf

Bit of a bitchy e-mail from sportident.
Having spent a while hanging around with the organisers I was under the impression that the dib in system wasn't working at the Malham feed!

giner1961

A thank you to Derek and his helpers for putting on the event.
good day out, if that's how it could be described weather warm and dry, and thankfully the sun stayed in.
Whooping decent in to Hawes no brakes yee hah, had a near death expirance coming out of Hotton in ribblesdale seen as a motorbiker over cooked it on a corner coming the other way and came across on to my side of the road, i hugged the hedge and he missed by 12 inches, if i had been a car he would be dead now.
Did the long route with eddy, just the two of us basically all day both finished in 6h25mins avg speed 17.3mph so not a bad time and gold standard.

Booboocp

Just got back from taking in the signs, so will post results on the website after eating.

What I found when bringing in the signs confirms what I was beginning to suspect, having been at the Dave Lloyd Challenge.

It seems we are going through a NIMBY stage with sportives, because not only were many signs missing (OK I would expect a few the day after) but many were actually cut off and turned round (they were tied back on with string). This is a worrying trend and I would call upon my fellow organisers to think carefully about this - I certainly will take steps next year to make sure it does not have a large impact on the event.

MatthewBulmer

Some useful suggestions here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12631816

Captain Fagor

This must be my bogey event. Had a bad day in 2007, and another one this year. None of it the fault of the organisers though.

My poor preparation on the run-in to event day was not helped by missing a sign (or missing a missing sign, I'm not sure) in Otley, right near the start! Visited Pool and Leathley amongst other places. I re-joined the course with six miles more on the odometer than I should have had.

General fury kicked in, followed by overcooking some hills, followed by a general malaise and resignation. My hydration and fuelling (and whatever limited form I might have had being dehydrated and near empty stomached at the start) went out the window. Didn't bother dibbing at first feed, and wussed out onto the medium course. And even that turned into quite a difficult ride! A comfortable silver time for the medium course (including diversion) but even that I'm really only interested in the long course. No sense of achievement whatsoever. Almost ashamed to come back to the start line as a "medium courser", which paints a worrying picture of my frame of mind! Very disappointed.

However, spending a bit more time looking at the scenery, the area is really rather nice in places. Might be tempted to visit the area and ride the long course on my own one day. Just need to find a hotel that does breakfast early on a Sunday.

Don't be discouraged by old misery guts here, Booboo - you did a fine job of organising things (as usual), and even had some eye candy laid on at the start!

andy_from_embsay

That's crap for you, Derek - all that hard work and people go out of their way to ruin it. I don't even see what objection they can have - 1000 or so cyclists passing through spread over about 4 hours is hardly life changing - and I didn't see anyone weeing against the wall this time!.

I'd really appreciate a Garmin track of the route that I could download from the website as I've got a 705 that beeps and tells me which way to go - I did my own but I'd got the route slightly wrong in a couple of places so obviously stuck with the signs - no problems because I pretty much know the route anyway. If you need one doing for future events, by the way, I'd be glad to knock one up for you.

andy_from_embsay

I know the sign you missed, Cap'n - it was the left turn just before the river. It was there but it was on a lamp-post on the rh side of the road and easy to miss. I think a few people missed that one.

Booboocp

Results now on the website:

http://www.whiterosechallenge.co.uk/Time-Standards.php

giner1961

well happy, going by the results finished 6th on the long route and the other riders that beat me are younger by 7 to 20 years yeh ahh, so maybe not such an old duffer as i thought

bledington

I'm also well happy, just cos I finished - 3rd from last. But I did finish.

It was a great day, lovely people and well run

Thanks

Hugh_P

Did the short route this year. Missed the turn in Grassington and carried on to Threshfield and Cracoe where we picked up the Medium/long route adding about 3.5 miles to our ride. I also had the pleasure of having my arse slapped by a car passenger as they passed me at speed on the road to Cracoe.
Despite the missing signage and extra miles we had a great time and managed silver. Well done and a big thank you to Derek and the rest of the organisers/helpers.

muffin top

Derek and Team,
A very BIG THANK YOU for a well orgainised and well run event.

Although I must have been one of the last riders to reach Grassington, after a late start and a puncture, there was still plenty to eat and drink.

The road markings were great - especially where the yellow signs had been removed!

I rode the 80 mile route this year. I particularly enjoyed Littondale and the ride over to Malham (with a great series of false summits climbing from Halton Gill!)

I finished in about 7 hours, which I see was one of the slowest times. However this was a personal success:
- I managed to pace myself right from the beginning
- I didn't get cramp
- I felt good for the first 50 miles (bewteen 55 and 75 was a struggle: hot, sore, and tired)
- I cycled up Langbar (on my triple)
- I felt I'd got a bit left in me for the last 5 miles

I guess a few riders crashed on 2 sharp bends, judging by the fresh tire/skid marks on the descents to the Washburn (between A59 and Greenhow) and Malham. The first is bounded by grass, so nothing but hurt pride, but the second had a stone wall - ouch! I hope all riders got home safe, with bikes undamaged. Note: both of these descents/bends were clearly maked with warning signs. I struggled to get round the second one myself, and I was taking it steady.

andy_from_embsay

Various photo galleries being posted on cyclingimages - but the photographer appears to have moved spots to avoid me! What I can't understand is who was it taking pics on the climb up Malham Moor just before noon? And i think the same guy was near the top of Norwood at maybe 9:30/9:45?

richymerrell

Tough ride, and the hardest sportive I've ridden, with Langbar Climb at the end particularly brutal, with tired legs!

Rode the long route, and finished in 7hrs 17, getting Gold.

I was one of those that put some fresh rubber down at the sharp left hander coming into Malham. Had to stay in a straight line or it would have been off and managed to not hit the wall and scrubbed just enough speed to make a fairly gentle landing into the old rickety gate. No damage done, and the rider following me did exactly the same thing!

Great, well organised event!!

andy_from_embsay

That's a very popular bend to fall off on - at least two of my mates have come off into the same gate - and they knew it was coming!

AGuppy

Anyone got the link for the guy who took the photos on the first climb and the last descent into ilkley?
cheers Guppy

slojo

AGuppy wrote:

Anyone got the link for the guy who took the photos on the first climb and the last descent into ilkley?
cheers Guppy

www.cyclingimages.co.uk

Booboocp

andy_from_embsay wrote:

What I can't understand is who was it taking pics on the climb up Malham Moor just before noon?

That was a young lad working for me!

The images will be online tomorrow...

I'll post a link when done.

dmb101

excellent route really enjoyed it, brill feed stations well sign posted. The marks on the road were superb really helped.

look forward to seeing you all next year

Booboocp

All the Malham images have now been uploaded here:

http://www.derekbphotography.co.uk/portfolio61704.html

andy_from_embsay

Odd - he definitely took my picture but I'm not there!