Bealach Mor
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There is different ways to look at it...
I cycled Ventoux....22kms at 7.5%...very tough....
Then I cycled Mount Teide in Tenerife and Pico Nieves in Gran Canaria...40+km climbs...I found this tougher than Ventoux with the sheer length although it was shallower...
I suppose the toughest is long and steep...Ive did a few steep long climbs...Mortirolo, Gavia, Valley of the Tears/Pico Nieves (from Ingenio) in Gran Canaria...and they were brutal...
Ive been over Hardknott around 10 times...Ive been over the Bealach around 3 times.....and IMO this is where sheer steepness overwhelms length....I've did tons of mountains/hills....and on the 2008 edition of the FWC I suffered more than any other time...in that heat....I was one of the very few who made it that day but I swear I almost died....the Bealach could never do that to me.
But enough of this.....as Bilbo said thats for a different thread....and The Bealach Mor wholey deserves a thread of its own.....its a stupendous event.0 -
Sjaak wrote:
BTW When was it you cycled the Mor? Good conditions? Done any other sportives in scotland that you could recommend?
2007,wet,cold andwindy from the West, had a nightmare, 2008 better weather, wind from the East climbed Bealach in 47 mins and died on the last 10 miles into Kinlochewe. Have done the Cairngorm 100 and would recommend it, not nearly as hilly as the Bealach or FWC. Have cycled the route of the Caladonian Etape in Perth but not the actual event, Schallion the only real climb and nothing compared to the above. Have done an Audax from Galashiels 200k twice. Would definitly recommend cycling in the Borders, beautiful countryside and lots of quiet roads. Have also done the Skye Mor this year and it was hard mainly because of the wind a bit like cycling round the Applecross Peninsula for 100 miles, up and down! Have cycled round about Aberdeenshire and it's a bit like a Large East Lothian, lots of farm lands and lots of back roads,with a Coastal road as well.
Anyway Nuff said and apologies for highjacking post. :oops:0 -
Just got home....that was "fun"..... :shock:
Don't care what anyone says there NOTHING harder than that climb today. I got blown off my bike twice.....
Still beats working.0 -
Yeah, a headwind like we had today just makes is so much harder. Scary descent as well. Could barely keep it on the road along the straights, never mind the corners.BigG67 wrote:Don't care what anyone says there NOTHING harder than that climb today. I got blown off my bike twice.....0 -
Rain of biblical proportions
Wind in your face all the time (or so it seemed)
The climb was utterly horrendous today.
Well done to all those hardy souls who braved it0 -
Total kick in the guts....I got 5 miles past the water station at Applecross (so braved the worst of it all) and my rear mech hanger sheers off with no rhyme or reason.....very very sad
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BigG67 wrote:Total kick in the guts....I got 5 miles past the water station at Applecross (so braved the worst of it all) and my rear mech hanger sheers off with no rhyme or reason.....very very sad
Even worse, I bet you were too late for the bacon and egg roll at Tarvie on the way home?
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Yep...God's punishment for being me I suppose.... 0
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That was certainly pretty tough yesterday! Even so, I made it up the climb in 39mins with a 39/25. The gale and rain at the top made it a true test. Was down to a pretty low RPM at points. I believe a lot of people that can normally ride it ok had to get off. The wind nearly blew me off the bike at one point. All in all, I really enjoyed it, despite the conditions, and despite cracking at the 70mile point (although I got back ok with the help of a smart gel). Finished 20th overall, although I was told by the marshalls I was 4th at one point, so must have lost a lot of time in the final 20 miles. Not too bad considering i've had such a crap season.0
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touchy wrote:Well done! What time did you do?
How did you find out what position you were? Did you wait around at the end? i cant find the results on the internet yet?
Thanks! Came in 5 hours dead. I think if I had been with a group and not riding a lot of it solo then my time would have been better. Results were posted up on that computer screen in the hall at the finish. Don't think they are up on the net yet! How did you get on?0 -
Results are on the Sportident website, but in alphabetical rather than chronological order.0
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I got on really wellsmithy1.0 wrote:How did you get on?
Was my first ever event so i wasnt expecting much.
Got on well over the hill but started struggling after about 60 miles on the on the short sharp hills around the coast. After sheildaig when it flattened out again i got back into my rhythm and got to the end in 5:28 (with 48 for the hill). Really pleased with that because i wasnt even expecting to beat 6 hours.0 -
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The organisers won't want to put them up in order of time finished in light of the recent difficulties with some of the locals. (That said, that the locals were very supportive, lots out cheering and no sign of anyone making a protest)
If you are interested in your placing, there is a link at the top of the sportident results which allows you put the results into an excel spreadsheet - then use the sort facility in the data drop down tab to sort in order of times
I finished 24th :shock: , which I am well chuffed with
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Interestingly there was more support in Applecross than anywhere else. A sign that the residents perhaps don't share the views of the community council and wanted to show that.
I really enjoyed it. The headwind up the Bealach made the climb interesting and the crosswinds on the way down made the descent interesting. I was aiming for under 6 hours and managed 36 mins under so pretty happy with my time More problems but still living....0 -
There's only times online for 375 riders, indicating that 225 dns'd - I guess the weather forecast had a lot to do with that.
What a day! Waterproof overshoes did exactly what it said on the label, albeit for a mere 23 min and 20 seconds. Second wall of defence being the waterproof socks turned out to be a mistake as water won't seep out once it is inside and feet will start resembling them bagged gold fish 'fresh' from a funfair.
The best part I thought was the bealach descent managing to maintain a speed of over 50 km/h (up to 63 km/h max) in torrential rain and incredibly strong cross winds down into applecross. The ascent, well, it was memorable. Visibility inside a cloud turns out to be less than 20 yards and wind was a bit too strong for my liking. Many thanks to the rider who stopped my water bottle from rolling further down the 'hill' when a gust of wind blew me off balance when fumbling to get it back in its cage. Not too sure how pleased he was though when it ended up under his front wheel though... apologies.
5 hrs 22, 7 min short of target but rather pleased.
Edit: Yes, support was terrific. Many thanks to the marshalls, locals and other supporters for a warm welcome from a chilly ride down from the mountain into applecross. Thanks to the organisers for another great event.0 -
Sjaak wrote:There's only times online for 375 riders, indicating that 225 dns'd - I guess the weather forecast had a lot to do with that.
A fair proportion of that 225 will have taken the (new this year) option of cancelling and getting a refund some time ago. It's a problem with having to enter an event 10 months before it takes place: the racing and TT calendars for example aren't even in place at that time.
I know of loads of people, myself included, who took the refund this year in order to ride elsewhere on the day.0 -
Steve928 wrote:Sjaak wrote:There's only times online for 375 riders, indicating that 225 dns'd - I guess the weather forecast had a lot to do with that.
A fair proportion of that 225 will have taken the (new this year) option of cancelling and getting a refund some time ago. It's a problem with having to enter an event 10 months before it takes place: the racing and TT calendars for example aren't even in place at that time.
I know of loads of people, myself included, who took the refund this year in order to ride elsewhere on the day.
I didn't know that. Was it also possible this year to transfer an entry to someone else?0 -
'Fraid not:
Refunds of entry fees will only be paid if withdrawal is notified at least twenty eight days prior to the event. Any such refund will be subject to a £5 deduction for administration. No transfer of entries is allowed.
http://www.handsonevents.co.uk/Events/Rules.htm0 -
More problems but still living....0
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I thought the event was great fun. It was my first ever cycling event and didn't disappoint. I'm certainly glad I wore my waterproof from the start, although I was still pretty damp after about 30min!
Sadly I made a bit of an error setting off early as I soon ended up solo at the front. I stayed there for about 4 hours before a couple of guys from Edinburgh overtook me... Being on my own I was really helped by the local support (and even the photographers shouting at me up the pass!)
I hope I'll be able to enter again sometime, although living about 9hrs away doesn't help.0 -
With the exception of the conditions on the climb and descent, I thought conditions were pretty well set for fast times. I limped in 6 minutes off my pb but had my best placing in the field so can't be too hard on myself. Could barely see from about the railway crossing to Lochcarron.
Did anyone else have to negotiate the motorbikes on the way down? Was worth it to see them get lifted by the local constabulary at the bottom.================================
Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
I was passed by the motorcyclists on the way up. I waited at the top till they headed down as I didnt want anything more to worry about on the descent than the wet and the wind. Enjoyed the day I was blown off the bike turning into a strong gust on the ascent of the Bealach then enjoyed fantastic views over the sandy beaches of Applecross bay. Really enjoyed the last bit over past the Torridons. That was my chance to blast it. The finishing time wasnt important to me as it was my first time trying the Mor. Hope to give it another go next year and maybe I'll spend less time munching the flapjacks, sweeties and bananas and go for a time, but then again that might not be as much fun. Hats off to the marshalls though it couldnt have been much fun standing about in the rain all day.0
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wakemalcolm wrote:With the exception of the conditions on the climb and descent, I thought conditions were pretty well set for fast times. I limped in 6 minutes off my pb but had my best placing in the field so can't be too hard on myself. Could barely see from about the railway crossing to Lochcarron.
Did anyone else have to negotiate the motorbikes on the way down? Was worth it to see them get lifted by the local constabulary at the bottom.
A motorcycle rider with a pillion passenger tried to get passed me and two other riders on the switchbacks. It tried to do to so by revving its engine and speeding towards our rearwheels to frighten us out of the way and would then brake sharply. I thought it was a bit unusual behaviour for a marshall, but when they did finally pass they did not wear hi-viz jackets, so they were civvies? We were all too focussed on the final 200 yrds to notice really and get too upset about it - but rude behaviour it certainly was.0
