Puncheur

gattocattivo
gattocattivo Posts: 500
edited March 2010 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Anyone doing this down in Sussex on Sunday?

I am. Did it last year as well and enjoyed it, although having the finish right at the top of Ditchling Beacon is harsh.

Comments

  • matty boy 80
    matty boy 80 Posts: 74
    Will see you there Sunday, look out for me groveling up the Beacon at the end[/b]
  • Brakeless
    Brakeless Posts: 865
    I'll be there, forecast is good, looking forward to it.
  • flanners1
    flanners1 Posts: 916
    I will be there with four mates, forecast is good i.e. no rain but COLD and -3 overnight. Could be icy.......
    Colnago C60 SRAM eTap, Colnago C40, Milani 107E, BMC Pro Machine, Trek Madone, Viner Gladius,
    Bizango 29er
  • shakey88
    shakey88 Posts: 289
    I'll be there on my new synapse hi mod.
    #Gonna be a good one
    Ditchling beacon here i come! :D
  • flanners1
    flanners1 Posts: 916
    Going to use my Winter bike I think, 'aint risking it!!
    Colnago C60 SRAM eTap, Colnago C40, Milani 107E, BMC Pro Machine, Trek Madone, Viner Gladius,
    Bizango 29er
  • matty boy 80
    matty boy 80 Posts: 74
    Yea same as that
  • gattocattivo
    gattocattivo Posts: 500
    Me too. Heavy winter bike with mudguards = less chance of a puncture + lower gears for the climbs.

    I got silver standard last year. Will try for gold this year, but don't think I'll get it (unless I can infiltrate a fast group).
  • matty boy 80
    matty boy 80 Posts: 74
    I got silver last year got no chance this year
  • shakey88
    shakey88 Posts: 289
    4 hrs 18 mins today
    Must admit i found the going tough,what with the icey winds,black ice and poor road conditions(plus the lack of miles in my legs :( ) but i did manage to get up the beacon without keeling over which was what it was all about for me :D
    How did you guys get on?
  • gattocattivo
    gattocattivo Posts: 500
    4 hours 22 for me, only two minutes faster than last year. In fact, I think I actually rode a bit slower than last year, but stopped for less time: I only stopped once (at the feed station to eat a banana), the time on my computer was 4 hours 12, so once you subtract the time spent at traffic lights and junctions I probably only stopped for about 5 minutes.

    I was in a group for the first ten miles or so and three of them came crashing down at the first big ice patch. We had to walk it round there, but even that was quite tricky (someone else fell over while trying to walk with the bike). It all got split up after that, by the hills and the junctions.

    I felt alright for the first 45 miles or so and was coming past loads of people on the climbs, but taking it cautiously on the descents. For the last ten miles I was running on empty and just wanting it over. I felt awful coming up the Beacon and was crawling up in a really low gear, but still overtook everyone I saw: I guess everyone must have felt like sh1t by then. I hate the way you keep thinking the top is just around the bend and then you get round the bend and find it just keeps going forever.
  • flanners1
    flanners1 Posts: 916
    4hr 21min for me, Not happy with that as got a flat. Looking at it would have got 4hr 8mins without, wanted gold but there you go. Found it tough it was cold, windy and treacherous in some places, got up the Beacon on a 53/39 which was the wrong choice. Feel rather drained this evening. Thought it was really well run the grub was free and plentiful and jolly good. Will be back for gold next year!

    Never done the Beacon before that is definitely Alpinesque.
    Colnago C60 SRAM eTap, Colnago C40, Milani 107E, BMC Pro Machine, Trek Madone, Viner Gladius,
    Bizango 29er
  • jimycooper
    jimycooper Posts: 740
    my first sportive and really enjoyed it :)

    4.36, but was stuck with some slower guys from my club for the first 20 miles, but then was let loose 8)

    i loved how you could go from group to group to suit your own pace, brilliant event.
  • gattocattivo
    gattocattivo Posts: 500
    The official results are up now:
    http://puncheur.co.uk/results_2010.htm

    I've stuck them into a spreasheet and done some number crunching (cos I'm sad like that) and it looks like it was much tougher this year than last year. Last year just under 20% got Gold standard, this year it was less than 5%!

    Last year's median time (i.e. the time of the person who finished bang in the middle of the field) was 4:26, this year it was much slower at 4:49.

    Last year I was 114th out of 254 starters (so I 'beat'* about 55% of the other riders). This year I was only about two minutes quicker, but came 52nd out of 291 (beating 82%).

    * yes, I know it isn't a race
  • flanners1
    flanners1 Posts: 916
    I like that, I couldn't do it but like the stats
    Colnago C60 SRAM eTap, Colnago C40, Milani 107E, BMC Pro Machine, Trek Madone, Viner Gladius,
    Bizango 29er
  • shakey88
    shakey88 Posts: 289
    gattocattivo wrote:
    The official results are up now:
    http://puncheur.co.uk/results_2010.htm

    I've stuck them into a spreasheet and done some number crunching (cos I'm sad like that) and it looks like it was much tougher this year than last year. Last year just under 20% got Gold standard, this year it was less than 5%!

    Last year's median time (i.e. the time of the person who finished bang in the middle of the field) was 4:26, this year it was much slower at 4:49.

    Last year I was 114th out of 254 starters (so I 'beat'* about 55% of the other riders). This year I was only about two minutes quicker, but came 52nd out of 291 (beating 82%).

    * yes, I know it isn't a race


    Nice stats GC. Gives me a whole heap of excuses as to why i was so slow! :D
  • Road Red
    Road Red Posts: 232
    Interesting stats.

    I wonder what impact the ice would have on the timings?

    After encountering the first lot of ice I was taking it very easy going done all hills from there on. This would certainly have added to the times overall, no idea how nuch though.

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