Verenti Dragon Ride - Are we up for it ?

cwm

and i thought 9hrs would get something lol!

Looks like the only thing i gonna get is a cold 8)

might be able to pass off as a 60+ and just scrape in

Road Red

The event was originally advertised as having medals for all finishers.

However, the organisers seem to have allowed addtional entries to meet demand (or make more money). So I assume all of the shorter route people will pick up medals while the last 500+ on the longer route (regardless of time will not get one).

Over 3,500 on the entry list and now taking entries on the day as well.

If they took in the additional entries they should have ordered more medals.

nickwill

Road Red wrote:

The event was originally advertised as having medals for all finishers.

However, the organisers seem to have allowed addtional entries to meet demand (or make more money). So I assume all of the shorter route people will pick up medals while the last 500+ on the longer route (regardless of time will not get one).

Over 3,500 on the entry list and now taking entries on the day as well.

If they took in the additional entries they should have ordered more medals.

Most events have a significant number of non starters and a number of non finishers. My guess is that most if not all finishers will get a medal. To be honest with you I don't quite get the whole medal thing. What do you do with it when you get home? I would rather have a certificate to shove away in a drawer to look at when I'm old and decrepit.

Pirahna

Medal prospects are out for me this year. My wife fancies having a go at the long route and I've been talked into riding with her, so I'm looking for a sub 8 hours. The upside is I get to bugger off and do my own thing on the Ardechoise in two weeks time.

If it's wet it'll be a quick blast round the short route then down the pub.

ketsbaia

Oh, why does it have to rain? Come on Verenti, sort it out.

Legshaver

I hate riding in the rain too, but let's face it weather forecasts are always spot on aint they. :roll:

Looking forward to a super ride again.

jnr_h

The weather forecast i am looking at is just sick!
Maybe even wetter than tour of the weald.....
I am not amused.

bendertherobot

You need to look in better places. The actual forecast for Wales is showers.

The weather models currently show around 1-2mm accumulated precipitation for the entire day. That's really just sunshine and showers.

You might get wet, in fact you probably will AT SOME POINT. But it ain't anywhere near as bad as you might think.

And a lot can change.

bendertherobot

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-bin/ ... HIV=0&WMO=

jnr_h

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?acti ... =#forecast

All about whose model you believe.
I have found this site pretty reliable in the past but am really really hoping they let me down on this one.

bendertherobot

jnr_h wrote:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx7;page=4;type=free;ct=22498~Pencoed;sess=#forecast

All about whose model you believe.
I have found this site pretty reliable in the past but am really really hoping they let me down on this one.

It doesn't match up to the most current models.

And, besides, why are you planning on being in Pencoed at 1 pm?

bendertherobot

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/ ... a=Bridgend

Use the slider to see where the rain comes from.

One of our "team" for Sunday works as a senior met office forecaster.

Even his advice is "we'll know when or if it starts falling from the sky."

galatzo

jnr_h wrote:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx7;page=4;type=free;ct=22498~Pencoed;sess=#forecast

All about whose model you believe.
I have found this site pretty reliable in the past but am really really hoping they let me down on this one.

Check who's picture is in the top left hand corner - nothing to worry about

Abdoujaparov

I've cycled in "heavy rain" that was actually a couple of short showers. Light rain shouldn't be a problem at all - probably get a little wet and nothing more.

jnr_h

bendertherobot wrote:

jnr_h wrote:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx7;page=4;type=free;ct=22498~Pencoed;sess=#forecast

All about whose model you believe.
I have found this site pretty reliable in the past but am really really hoping they let me down on this one.

It doesn't match up to the most current models.

And, besides, why are you planning on being in Pencoed at 1 pm?

I was hoping to pull like Spartacus on the flats and climb like the Pirate in his prime.

alp777

jnr_h wrote:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx7;page=4;type=free;ct=22498~Pencoed;sess=#forecast

All about whose model you believe.
I have found this site pretty reliable in the past but am really really hoping they let me down on this one.

The above link is for Monday! :roll:

Sundays forecast is pretty good http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx7;page=3;type=free;ct=22498~Pencoed;sess=#forecast

bendertherobot

It's "improving" says my Met Office team rider:

Here's what he says:

UK Model is taking upper forcing across SE England on Saturday night, triggering medium level instability in the high thetaw plume that's moving out of France and into Southern North Sea, then moving across Central/Northern ENgland on Sunday. It's here that the thunder/lightning is most likely.

As it's medium level instability rather than surface based instability then most computer models will be over predicting rainfall amounts - ie GFS takes a signal for raindrop formation at 15000ft and thinks thats what's going to hit the ground...but in this situation there will be a big 5-10000ft thick layer of dry air through which that raindrop will have to fall to hit the ground and during that descent it will just be evaporated back into the atmosphere...without actually hitting the ground.

So the spectacular GFS totals that are appearing on the basic datafeed sites like Paedocheck and Accuweather are likely to be at the very top end of the range of probabilities.

That said there is now a bit of consistency emerging from UK model re SE England then Northern/Central england for being the rain zones, bit it's still a bit early to say with confidence that Dragon ride will be a waterproof free day. Chances are there'll be a few light showers/drizzly bits at the tops of the climbs and not much else.

I've left the Mr Crud racerguard clips on my forks just in case.

This time tomorrow it'll all be a bit clearer.

bendertherobot

Incidentally, there's a DIVERSION in place.

Nothing too much to worry about.

Normally you stay in the right hand lane and turn right at J35.

You can't. They blocked it.

Instead take the left hand flow lane. Then turn 180 degrees back on yourself at the next roundabout (400 yds later).

It's all signposted. And should ease congestion.

narbs

Derek the Weather was quite positive earlier.

Fingers crossed.

bendertherobot

narbs wrote:

Derek the Weather was quite positive earlier.

Fingers crossed.

Bring the right jersey

narbs

bendertherobot wrote:

narbs wrote:

Derek the Weather was quite positive earlier.

Fingers crossed.

Bring the right jersey

I'll have two

bendertherobot

narbs wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

narbs wrote:

Derek the Weather was quite positive earlier.

Fingers crossed.

Bring the right jersey

I'll have two

You can show me your new one, you can even have your pics taken in it.

But there's only one you're permitted to wear

juggler

jackfeeder wrote:

So for my age group 40-49 the following would apply?
You beat 6.25 get gold, beat 7.00 you get silver and if you don't beat 7.40 for bronze you get f*** all?
Or is it between 6.25-7.00 is gold, 7.00-7.40 is silver and over 7.40 is bronze?
I do hope it's the latter.

Nope you get 5 mins leeway for being 21 yrs older! UCI event timings dont seem to take account of the poor road surfaces in the UK or the narrow winding roads. Also the 'scene' in France is more geared to the 'racers'. The organisers have their right to determine the standards, but these seem to exclude the majority of the the entrants.. Dan Lloyd fresh from the Giro d'Italia did 5:48 last year, gold standard was 6:20....Maybe it's just personal as the Gold standard is no longer a target for Sunday, but what's the point of making the Gold time for the first 2%? - anyone who can do that is probably a racer on their day off/training ride.

johncp

Don't want to depress anyone but Dan Lloyd was on a training ride. I seem to remember CW had a comment from him that he was just riding to the powermeter :shock:

bendertherobot

Johncp wrote:

Don't want to depress anyone but Dan Lloyd was on a training ride. I seem to remember CW had a comment from him that he was just riding to the powermeter :shock:

I passed him twice last year. One of those times was on a hill.

He was stopped at the time but I did pass Dan twice. Fame.

galatzo

See you all there

Good luck.

IronHorse100

...last year was so damn hot, second time over the Bwlch I realised why it was so named as I saw several folk revisit their breakfasts: "BBBWWWWLLLLLCHHH"

ketsbaia

Forecast looks slightly better now. Don't mind a couple of light showers.

acidstrato

could be welcomed to be honest, its very warm and humid outside, the type of weather where you cant be fucked to ride

I can see it being very dry tomorrow, keep them bottles brimmed boys

wicked

acidstrato wrote:

I can see it being very dry tomorrow, keep them bottles brimmed boys

Lets hope you are right! Still have not decided if I am doing 130 or 190km so think I will let the weather decide