Dutch sportive Hell...

pottssteve

Hiya!

I've just signed up to do my first ever sportive, the Hell of the Marl:

http://www.helvanhetmergelland.nl/index.php?pageId=104

Because I'm old and fat and don't get much chance to train I'm doing the 85km option, however, I generally ride distances of 40 - 50km so I think it will be a challenging enough start to the season. I'm also hoping to get onto the 100km Amstel Gold sportive which takes place a couple of weeks later.

As a complete novice I'm looking for any advice regarding riding in sportives. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Best,
Steve

rc856

Is there an English version
Does it have time limits like the Etape?
If not, I guess you just need to get the miles in? When you finish your usual 40kms, are you pretty done in?
Can you does some turbo trainer work at home if you can't get out and about?
Any friends/clubs that will get you used to riding amongst others?

Good luck....and enjoy!

pottssteve

RC856 wrote:

Is there an English version
Does it have time limits like the Etape?
If not, I guess you just need to get the miles in? When you finish your usual 40kms, are you pretty done in?
Can you does some turbo trainer work at home if you can't get out and about?
Any friends/clubs that will get you used to riding amongst others?

Good luck....and enjoy!

RC586,

Thanks for the advice. No, there isn't an English version, I have to use Google translate as I don't speak Dutch.

There isn't a time limit (thankfully). After 40km I am usually OK, hence I don't think it will be too much of a problem. I don't have a turbo trainer so I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get out and about when I can. I have persuaded a work colleague to ride it as well though, so we can pootle around together...

Cheers,
Steve

rc856

Company always helps. I usually have family stuff that stops me getting out but I'm trying to be more insistent with the wife and make sure I get out!!
Heading to the Pyrenees in June and I'm going to join a local club to have people to go out with.
What does your sportive cover? Any famous climbs/pave?

neeb

Try to push your regular rides from 40-50km up to about 60km and you should be fine. It's usually not too difficult to keep going for 50% longer than what you are used to in an organised event once the adrenaline kicks in. Twice as long might be more of a problem.

Do you have experience of riding in a group? If not, you should definitely try to get some. If as you imply you are not very fit, you probably won't be near the front mixing with experienced racers, but you need to know how to follow a wheel to some extent, be aware of the people around you and not make any unpredictable moves that could cause a crash. Basically, follow the line of the person in front of you (especially on corners), and be very careful when moving out of that line to change position.

Riding with a friend is fine if you are both at about the same level, but you need to agree before hand what you will do if you find out that one of you is much stronger than the other - will you stick together or split up? However well intentioned, it can be very frustrating going at 2/3 of the speed you feel you are able to maintain because you are with someone else who is slower, and it's also a good way to get chilled if the weather is cold and you are not used to riding at that speed.

The best thing you could do is join a suitable local club and get experience of group riding. I know myself that this can be particularly intimidating if you don't speak the local language, but at least in the Netherlands most people should be able to speak English.

ademort

It does not look to difficult to be honest. There is no time limit but you do have the oppotrunity to have your times measured on the clims. There are also plenty of places to stop along the way and as it,s a tourtocht then it should be a fairly leasurely pace. As others have said a bit of company to ride with is a good idea but dont worry i do plenty of these type of Tourtochts in the Netherlands and always meet people along the way you can ride with. Dont look to ride with any clubs as they are a pain in the arse. Every time one of the members gets a puncture the whole group stops. It,s really not enjoyable when you might have to stop four or five times to wait for others. Hope you enjoy it anyway and please let us all know how you get on.
Ademort

pottssteve

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the positive and considered advice.

RC856 - no famous climbs or pave, but some pleasant areas of Belgium. It's the constant change of slope, the wind and the road calming street furniture that cause the problems here! Good luck with the Pyrenees.

neeb - I had considered some of these points, but it's good to see that I was thinking along the right lines. There is a local club but I didn't fancy joining, partly as they all looked about 85 years old and also because due to work and other commitments I know I wouldn't be able to do club rides very often. I tend to go out one evening after work for an hour or so, and early at weekend (7am at this time of year). Consequently I don't have any group riding experience so will certainly take it carefully. The roads are not closed for this event so I'll have to be careful anyway. My colleague who's also doing the sportive is younger than me but I don't know how fit he is. I will certainly come to an agreement with him that we don't have to ride together if he or I is much faster or slower. I did 50km this morning in 2 hours dead over a very undulating course. I had been doing around 43km for the last couple of months so this is a step up for me; I'll certainly work on building up towards 60 - 65km as you suggest.

ademort - thanks for the advice and information. I will certainly update you; I think this is the fist year that this sportif will be run.

Cheers,

Steve

fungus_the_muffin_man

Alright my fellow monkeytowner

Are you going to do the Tour of Flanders? I'll be over to do it so you can have a ride partner or 2 if i can keep up with ya.

pottssteve

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

Alright my fellow monkeytowner

Are you going to do the Tour of Flanders? I'll be over to do it so you can have a ride partner or 2 if i can keep up with ya.

Hello, Fungus,

Sorry, I'm not doing the Tour of Flanders; it's the same weekend as the Hell of Marl Land. There will be a big screen set up at the finish line for riders to watch Flanders after we finish.
Good luck; I hope you enjoy the ride. By the way, the chips come with mayonnaise over here so don't forget to bring some curry sauce with you.

Steve

fungus_the_muffin_man

So I'll get the curry sauce and some gravy added to the to take list

pottssteve

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

So I'll get the curry sauce and some gravy added to the to take list

You can leave the Boddington's at home though; the Belgians have beer sorted!

neilr4

pottssteve wrote:

Hiya!

I've just signed up to do my first ever sportive, the Hell of the Marl:

http://www.helvanhetmergelland.nl/index.php?pageId=104

Because I'm old and fat and don't get much chance to train I'm doing the 85km option, however, I generally ride distances of 40 - 50km so I think it will be a challenging enough start to the season. I'm also hoping to get onto the 100km Amstel Gold sportive which takes place a couple of weeks later.

As a complete novice I'm looking for any advice regarding riding in sportives. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Best,
Steve

Hi Steve,

I have lived in Holland for 9 years up until 8 years ago (moved back to Ireland) and have ridden Amstel gold sportief 150km on 2 occasions. At the time I was pretty fit (unlike now ;-)) the terrain is pretty severe in Limburg so bare that in mind. I have never heard of 'The hell of the marl' but I must say the the dutch organise their events very well!! Mergeland is also in Limburg so will be run over pretty much similar roads as Amstel.

Good luck and if you need any help with translation let me know. I speak fluent dutch and my wife is a native so if we can be of any assistance............

Neil.

pottssteve

neilr4,

Thank you very much for your kind advice and offer of help. I moved to Maastricht in August and since my bike arrived in October I've ridden around the area a few times. As you say, there are some hills around Limburg, it's constantly rolling terrain. I regularly ride loops out to Valkenberg and down towards Belgium and have been down the Kautenberg (not up, yet!).

I've persuaded the Dutch colleague of mine to ride the sportive as well for company. I've also just fitted mudguards on my bike, partly for myself and partly as a courtesy to other riders, as I usually ride alone. The Hel van het Mergelland race has been running for a few years (Tony Martin won it last year, I think), but this is the first year for the sportive. I'm also hoping to sign up for Amstel Gold, if I can get in....

Fungus - I have a curry update. You can get bottles of curry ketchup here - it's very nice with chips!

Cheers,
Steve