Dragon Ride 2011

oldwelshman

Nearly finished before the rain, unfortunately gotsoaked as I started so far back, I must have started off about 4000 !!
Thought I would get ride with a group some point unfortunately not.
Did 90%of ride alone and was in group for short while on bwlch.
Not sure of official time for75 miles but think just under 3:30 as had av speed 20.2mph with just over 4100 feet climbing. Not really that hard, prefer the old route.
Held upa bit by cars going down Bwlch nothing too drastic.
Saw large bunch ride through red light in port talbot at cross roads !!
Got to finish and had to get AA to sort out my car

oldwelshman

Nearly finished before the rain, unfortunately gotsoaked as I started so far back, I must have started off about 4000 !!
Thought I would get ride with a group some point unfortunately not.
Did 90%of ride alone and was in group for short while on bwlch.
Not sure of official time for75 miles but think just under 3:30 as had av speed 20.2mph with just over 4100 feet climbing. Not really that hard, prefer the old route.
Held upa bit by cars going down Bwlch nothing too drastic.
Saw large bunch ride through red light in port talbot at cross roads !!
Got to finish and had to get AA to sort out my car

Lazarus

Have to agree with Oldwelshman the Dragon had lost it's fire this year on the 75. Way to easy....

bendertherobot

By contrast the Gran is, well, even harder, but, somehow, dunno, not as much fun.

Just got back in. A moving time of 7hrs 13 min which I was quite happy with. Comfortably bronze on actual time, don't think I will sneak silver (had to help mate fix bike otherwise would have done so).

oldwelshman

PersonallyI do not think the long route is harder as it goes up the bwlch same way twice and misses out Penderyn and Cray and Deffynog. This is why I chose to turn right
I also think the number of entrants this year was maybe too large as it took forever to get off the start line for medio and gran fondo ride. I was there 7:45 and think I got away around 10am. after looking at some bikes.
At least on old route for both rides you had to go up both the bwlch and rhigos. This year for medio there was only one climb of any note, the bwlch.
Good to seemarshall at the ropey bend on the descent of Llangeinor to catch falling riders

bendertherobot

oldwelshman wrote:

PersonallyI do not think the long route is harder as it goes up the bwlch same way twice and misses out Penderyn and Cray and Deffynog. This is why I chose to turn right
I also think the number of entrants this year was maybe too large as it took forever to get off the start line for medio and gran fondo ride. I was there 7:45 and think I got away around 10am. after looking at some bikes.
At least on old route for both rides you had to go up both the bwlch and rhigos. This year for medio there was only one climb of any note, the bwlch.
Good to seemarshall at the ropey bend on the descent of Llangeinor to catch falling riders

The up and downess of Ystradgynlais etc seemed to make it harder, for me anyway.

Krys

I thought this year's Dragon was a fiasco - and blogged it accordingly here http://www.thecyclingmayor.com/?p=1925. Essentially due to the complete failure to get riders on the road, I wasn't underway until 9:45 - and just before we reached the route split they closed it... So NOT happy!

bcss

on the medio I somehow miss 6km and 400 meters (garmin with elevation correction says 1,300) of climbing, though can't remember to have taken a tunnel rather going over the hill, am I the only one?

agree with most critique, over 1h wait in the cold wasn't fun, also the food stations were not on the level of other, much cheaper sportives

1st time and probably last, don't think it's worth the hassle for what you get

acidstrato

glad i didnt enter now :roll:

Abdoujaparov

Had a great day out and glad that almost the whole ride was dry.

Thought the stretch by the coast and before it wasn't great - nice views but terrible road surface and my group got a bit hectic at that point.

Also punctured around that time which was a shame but actually took the pressure off a little and I enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Ended up with 6:51 ride time - prob about 10 mins of feed stops and 10 mins for the puncture. So without the puncture I reckon I'd have missed gold by 1 min. Unfinished business for next year!

de_sisti

I was in the 4th group to be set off at 8.08 am. I thought the feed stations were adequately stocked,
with sweet and savoury (crinkly crisps).

Sad to see riders throwing empty energy drinks bottles on the road (as if they were in the tdf)
and riders going through red lights.

9jan11

Only paid £10 to enter and thought I just about got my moneys worth.

Pros:

it didn't rain as much as the forecast and wasn't as windy as the other sportives I've done this year.

Roast spuds with salt!

Cons:

An hour plus wait to start a ride is a joke. They should limit the entry to 2000 at most if this is the best they can do - if it had been raining for that hour...

Unimaginative route - Bwlch is a good climb but to include it twice, both times from the same side is just silly.

The mountains are great but somehow you don't spend very long in them before you're back down to some housing estate and busy road.

Contrast that to rides on Dartmoor or Exmoor where the majority of the ride is scenic and very challenging.

Too long - this route doesn't deserve 123 miles it's just too bland

Wouldn't be too pleased if I'd paid £35 for that.

Will they be able to sell 4000 places in 20 hours next year? I won't be paying even even a tenner.

twotyred

Got to junction 35 about 7:05 so just managed to miss the worst of the traffic. Fortunately saw a friend towards the head of the start queue so sneaked in with him and so got away in the fifth bunch. They really really have to sort out the starting. Not getting off until 10:00 is ridiculous!

Must say if I'd been doing the medio I'd have been disappointed only getting in one climb. Like Abdujaparov I was underwhelmed by the coastal section and the delights of Port Talbot. Twice up the Bwlch from the same direction was deja vue all over again. The food at the feed stops was crap as usual-.much smaller events do this so much better.

Despite that I had a good ride round the Gran Fondo in 7:42 helped no end by the rain holding off until I'd finished. My Garmin made it 196.64km not the advertised 200km

Will I be back. I don't think so.

Surfr

Well personally I had a great day. Set off with about 12 clubmates around 8:40 and we split into 2 good trains, but the slower train which I was in decided to stop at the first feed stop to fill bottles?!? how anyone could have drunk that much during a furious 60K of chainganging I'll never know. Anyway, off up the Bwlch and everyone in my group decided to jib and do the kiddie route (medio fondo) so I set off on the gran fondo route on my own and never saw another clubmate until the finish line. 7:45 for me and my first time on the Dragon. I'll be back next year but I did think that doing the Bwlch the same way both times was a bit of a cop out. There must be alternatives.

Oldwelshman, 20MPH avg? bloody well done. I managed 16.5 over the 200Km but I'm no climber. I spun my way up everything in 39:25 as I didn't know what lay ahead.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/90412718

Runner2Cycling

I got to the start at about 7:15 and was in about the 8th group away - not sure why the groups were so small - they could have doubled the group size without causing any problems - this would have reduced significantly the waiting time for those near the back.
I thought the whole event was well managed - signage was spot on and I didn't think the feed stops were that bad - I was in and out within a few minutes on each and was able get what I needed.
As for the route, I tend to agree with those who thought climbing the Bwlch twice a bit unimaginative when there are so many other hills in the area.
Apart from these small gripes, I had a really good ride, getting round the Gran Fondo in 7:44 (probably around 7:30 actual moving time). Thankfully, apart from a light drizzle up and over the Bwlch 2nd time, I escaped the rain.
I made the distance 195.8 km on my Garmin.

dru

Did the medio today.

Got to the car park at 6.45, met up with club mates and set off to the line at 7.45

Despite us seeing other club members further up the field we took our place in the line at the back at 7.50

We started at 9.10

Only when we got to the front did we realise that the groups going we only about 50 (rather than the 100) and also the guy on the PA was pleading people not to 'keep cutting in'

Out on the ride, had a great time, with a fast first section and really enjoyed it until coming up to Cymer, where unfortunately I dropped my gillet.

Fortunately got a shout from a group behind and managed to turn around (Thanks to who ever shouted and who ever picked it up - a virtual pint is on it's way )

This meant I was about 2 min behind the rest of the Cardiff Ajaxers going up towards the Bwlch, managed to get back with them by the top but had gone too deep doing it.

Did the medium route and enojyed the ride back to Pen-coed, despite the howling wind and rain.

Garmin had it short by 7 km but managed to get the ride in in just over 4 hours, so happy with that.

I agree that the route was not the most awe inspiring, and the start proceedures were a joke, but am glad I did it - would I do it again, probably,v but only because I'm local, so it literally the entry fee and no other ancillery costs.

9jan11

Well personally I had a great day.

If you thought that was great come and do the North Devon Black Rat it will blow your mind - amazing scenery, many varied climbs and very little traffic.

Be warned however it is much, much tougher than the Dragon.

I have no vested interest in this ride other than I live on Exmoor and think it is the dogs for cycling.

benno68

I got away at around 9:50, I agree that they need to sort the wait out and letting 100 riders go would be fine. Suffered with a bit of cramp at the start of the Rhigos and twice more along the route but managed to cycle through it.

I'm hoping my timing chip worked as it the timing mats didn't seem to beep when I went over them (I hadn't bent the chip either).

My cycling time for the Gran Fondo was 7:22. Not sure of my actual time but will be around 7:40 ish I hope.

Well done to all who got around, think I could do with some coaching from Oldwelshman!

Mingsta

Just got back after a long wet drive.

I enjoyed the ride, but to echo the thoughts of others, an hour and a half wait to get the start line is unacceptable and going up the Bwlch the same way twice kind of sucked. The food at the stops was also rubbish, too much sweet stuff. But after last years debacle (where they ran out of sports drink) I've learnt not to rely on Dragon food stops and carry my own. No pasta at the end either, which broke my heart.

Still, I preferred this years route to the previous, this the long windy slog through the brecon beacons in last years middle section almost finished me.

Its clear that a lot of effort has been put in to organising the dragon ride, but there's been some notable issues in the previous few years. Most of the big ones seem to be related to the logistics of managing and feeding 6000 riders.

7.20 moving time, 7.40 total time for me. My speedo read 123 miles at the end.

Swansea_Dave

Well, I enjoyed every minute of the ride yesterday (but it was my first sportive ride so I have no comparisons to draw from). I had never cycled more than 80 odd miles previously and the 120 mile route took me 8.38 total time. I was fine until about 110 miles and then gritted my teeth til the finish.

Got away at about 09:15 after a long queue to start. That bit was a fiasco but the rest of the organisation was fine.

Timing mats didn't bleep when I went over them. When riding over them in a group I'd say they seemed to bleep for maybe half of the riders so the results could be interesting.

Boleynboy

Parking and getting away was fine but I got there at about 6.45 and missed all the traffic.
Route signs, marshals and feed stops were fine but that is where praise ends.
Gran fondo route was uninspired to say the least, and not a patch on last year. Going up the Bwlch twice in the same direction (the second ascent in the rain) was quite literally a drag.
Timing chip did not work, and mine seemed to be one of many, free pasta was cold and tasteless, and the goody bag was a plastic bag full of tat.
Second Dragon and it will be my last.

Surfr

Regarding the timing chips, Mine wasn't beeping and neither were a lot of people I spoke to. Glad I had my garmin in that case, and looking at Garmin Connect this morning, so did a LOT of other people

BigGar35

....

simon johnson

I had a great time, despite my (lack of) form/training going into it. Did the 200km but got dropped by my clubmates on the first ascent of the Bwlch, and subsequently, and strangely given 4000 cyclists, spent a lot of time on my own until the last feed stop.

Still, my gadget read 6.50hrs including a short ride to get to the start, but doesn't include feed stops - 10 mins or so - not too shabby. With a bit of preperation and getting in with a strong group I reckon I could knock that down by 30 mins.

Had a terrifying moment descending the Bwlch the second time in the wet when a lone sheep decided to step out into the road, luckily it just stood there staring at me!

slogfester

As per my earlier post, the Medio turned out to 110km/1200m, 10 km and 500 m (of ascent) less than quoted. Thats a large error. Will the UCI tolerate that?

Start was a joke. 1hr20min of standing around. The road will smell like a toilet for weeks! Feedstop 2 was overwhelmed when I arived. 7 min scramble for a banana and some water, queing for 1 loo; more pissing on hills.

Marshalling/signposting was very good. Route was pretty dull for a sportive with lots of traffic. Unsurprising given it took over 2 hours to get all riders going. Hats off to local drivers who got caught in it though as they were very tolerant.

Overall, its hard to believe it will get voted 'favourite sportive again'. I wont bother next year.

BruceyboyNotts

I just looked on the official Dragon Site website and there is a link to the results (Which doesnt currently work because it's not formatted correctly). However, if you use:

https://www.raceplus.co.uk/raceplus-ind ... _id=DRAG11

That has the results on it. Although not mine as clearly my timing chip didnt work!! Just have to go with my Garmin time of 3:42 for the 120km. It would have been nice to have an official time though.

:evil:

ras_undy

No timing for me either on 129 ride, infact doesn't even have my name on the list.

mattpage

If you go to Results Query via the Results link you gave you can submit your time or query the times posted.

I'm not listed either and it looks like it missed some mats for other people giving shorter times.

6.05 on the 200km for me (Garmin connect: http://bit.ly/jjZVze). Enjoyed the route, but I think last years was harder and a little better.

Krys

So let me get this straight... Having looked through the replies etc it would appear that the solution to a good Dragon is

Arrive much earlier than advised Park outside the venue Go to the toilet outside the venue beforehand or by the road during. If you absolutely must use the toilet bring your own loo paper. Bring your own food and drink Record your own time (yes, as suspected, my chip didn't work either)

(Having arrived so early, you might be at the front of the queue and thus at least get to enjoy the entire route, not miss the cut off time.)

Makes you wonder what the entry fee paid for doesn't it really?
(oops, apparently I'm still cross this morning...)

Edit: have also filled in the Results Query bit

Gooner69

ras_undy wrote:

No timing for me either on 129 ride, infact doesn't even have my name on the list.

Neither am I

Can only echo the comments re long queues etc. The main one for me was only 4 toilets in the main car park, i think they could have done better than that.

Route was ok, strangely i enjoyed the run into Oggy bay, then Porthcawl despite an iffy road surface. But we did spend a little too long in urban areas and on dual carriageways.

I doubt i would be persauded to do it for a fourth time.

Edit, i have filled in the query results form will see what comes back.