Dartmoor Classic coming up.....

symo

I really miss Devon.

This is an ace sportive run by the best CC in all the kingdom! And Colin Lewis is funny as hell when you ride with him.

geordieindevon

JST wrote:

Current forecast is looking ok, sunny spells, 19 deg C and light SE wind. Could all change by Sunday though!

Just seen the local forecast on Spotlight....25c on Sunday!! :shock:

There is a big warm front coming up from Spain so it will be a hot one....better than wind and rain I suppose but 25 will feel pretty hot when you are on a bike for most of the day.

I am on the 100km and looking fwd to it...triple at the ready!

JST

Fog

Flambes

Another tough one. It never gets easier. I was 10 mins slower than last year, getting 6.18 for the 106 miles

Next year sub 6 (yeah right).

Pork and Merrivale horrible as usual.

And chapeau to the chap who did the 106 on a single speed belt drive. Madness, utter madness, he started 30 mins later then me and finshed just ahead (the sort of feat that just makes you want to give up!)

Brilliant organistaion by MDCC, no delays getting away. Great atmosphere, great marshalling.
Well done to all concerned.

lazybloke

1st time at the classic and would you believe it i forgot to bring my climbing legs.
Died on every hill and seemed to be overtaken by everybody and thier granny, made up some time with some daredevil descending.

Main thing though , is What a fantastic event.

Having done the etape caledonia this year and encountered a really well run event but little in the way of a goodie bag or value for money (I know it was closed roads).

Then the dragon ride and the less said about that complete waste of money the better.

How good it was to come to an event where You the rider seemed to be the centre of attention, and what value for money.

Well done to all involved with running it.

JST

Yep 'twas a great day. The fog gave way to scorching sun when we got up on to the moor. I had a good ride and managed 4.11 for the 100km route which I am very pleased with. Pretty shattered now though!

There were a few interesting car/bike moments particularly up the steep section of Holne hill where it was congested with people riding and walking and cars trying to get up, and Moretonhampsted was virtually at a standstill because of the volume of holiday traffic. What surprised me, being my first sportive, was that lots of people were riding in the middle of the road and two, three, four abreast seemingly unaware that there was traffic behind them!

Well done to the MDCC for doing a great job. Looking forward to next year and maybe the 100 miler :shock:

vs

Now that's how you do it!

What was not to like?
The route was superb, although very tough.
The marshalling was fantastic, I felt as if I never even had to look for a sign. Great flags.
The one control, with in and out lanes, at Princetown, visited twice, was genius; loved the quiche. The extra water stop was also very welcome today.
Parking was no problem.
And of course the weather...

I have no idea how you cycle that on a single speed in that time. What a guy!

Gooner69

Went down today and handed out some leaflets/did a little promo work for the rat event in Sept.

Firstly this (DC) had to be the best smoothest organised event village i have seen.

Secondly it was well marshalled, and easy to follow the route (we drove sections)

Thirdly the North Devon Rat route is still prettier

Congrats to the MDCC on a superbly sorted event.


Orignally posted this in the Dragon ride thread, thought it deserved mentioning here.

Bowden2017

It was indeed a fantastic event. My first sportive. And I'll be back next year for another crack at the 100 miles and go for silver.
Outstanding organisation from all at MDDC

Krys

Fantastic event - and superbly organised. Proof that it can be done with that number of riders. Everything the Dragon got wrong (so wrong!) the Dartmoor Classic did perfectly. It was a very hard day in the saddle - I did the 106 miles in 8:14, which could have been worse - and it was a brilliant event, even if I am not a brilliant rider *grin*.

And just to prove I write positive reviews as well as negative ones : http://www.thecyclingmayor.com/?p=1998 for your reading pleasure

Mendip rouleur

[/quote]How good it was to come to an event where You the rider seemed to be the centre of attention, and what value for money

+1

Lou Lusardi could do worse than go and sit down with the MDCC and learn how to run a proper event, quite simply their organisation and delivery are perfect. I have ridden a lot of sportives and this one is the best, by a long way.

Great route, great marshalling, great foodstops, great parking, more toilets than you know what to do with. I could go on but I might never stop, and after 106 miles today I need some food and sleep.

But you know what the best thing is?

The people. Proper cycling people doing an event for cyclists.

vs

Forgot to mention, weren't there just loads of people out clapping and encouraging - ahh to be in Devon, don't get that in South Wales either.

vs

Gooner69
Thirdly the North Devon Rat route is still prettier

that's a given - it's Exmoor by the sea!

JamieW

had an amazing day.... torched though..... i am currently the same colour as the tshirt. HOT HOT HOT

as ever the MDCC has seen where the event has fallen down in the past ie. parking in a small village and improved again and again. everything ran really smoothly and i can say now that all being well that i WILL defo be back again next year for my 4th in a row.

well done to all the organisers and thanks to the marshalls. best sportive in the UK i reckon

Paul C, Devon

Managed to get around the 105 mile route in 8.06hrs - 20 minutes faster than last year so pleased with that. First time in 3 yrs that I did not suffer any cramp!

Yes great organisation, good food stations and nice goody bag as well - woo hoo!

Very tough route as always - Pork and Merrivale were hard but the people clapping on the roadside really helped.

Saw one chap on the roadside on the descent to Moretonhampstead being looked over by a few people - I think he must have crashed - anyone know if he was Ok?

Pumpkin Positive

Where can I look at the results for this year? Are they available on the internet somewhere?

Thanks

Lookyhere

It was as usual a fantatstic event and any profits going back into cycling.... instead of some body elses school fees

BUT if this event is to continue then people need to be a whole lot more careful what they do with gel wrappers, throwing them out on the road is just so selfish, the ride goes through a National Pk and areas of outstanding natural beauty so cyclings detractors will use this to try and stop this amazing ride.

The rider who crashed, carried on and finished, if it was the YOGi rider i saw.

Devonsent

It was my first Sportive and it felt suitably punishing! I managed a respectable time (4:59 for the 65 miles) despite my almost total lack of training, no excuse really as I live along part of the (100 mile) course. The Holne to Princetown section almost finished me off, with some serious hills.

I have nothing to compare it to, but it seemed very well organised, roll on next year.

gert_lush

What can I say, another great Dartmoor classic, my 4th year this year and as ever well routed/signed/ and even more marshals then previous I think, and they are always happy! There is not much else I can say that others have not, when I did it for the 1st time 4 years ago it was my 1st sportive and I didn't realise how spoilt we were with organisation..and it just gets better, was super impressed, in my opinion i have not done an event that comes close since.
I hope they don't try and make it much bigger as I think that's when it may start causing problems with traffic flow,parking, feed stations etc. 2500 seems a good number!

managed a PB with 6.09 for the 105 miles so super happy with that, have improved every year but its getting harder...may call it a day when I finally get under 6hrs..i'm sure its gotta be possible (for me, I know others do it easily)....think I need a new bike

Agree with the Gel wrappers comment, although sometimes I think its purely by accident when people get something out a pocket and an old wrapper comes out, still doesn't make it ok

looking forward to next year already....fingers crossed for fine weather again

jimmurray

On my way back after marshalling I picked up about 30 gel wrappers on the road from Princetown to Moretonhampstead. The vast majority been folded i.e they had just been 'chucked'.

RossW

Lookyhere wrote:

It was as usual a fantatstic event and any profits going back into cycling.... instead of some body elses school fees

BUT if this event is to continue then people need to be a whole lot more careful what they do with gel wrappers, throwing them out on the road is just so selfish, the ride goes through a National Pk and areas of outstanding natural beauty so cyclings detractors will use this to try and stop this amazing ride.

The rider who crashed, carried on and finished, if it was the YOGi rider i saw.

That it was, At princetown? If so he is fine I think acording to our club site

Plymtim

A great event my third time but first at 100 mile, had cramp on & off for the last 50 miles (nice) was looking like i might get a medal until i punctured 12 miles from the end, managed to trash my spare tube..... a big thank you to the Australian rider who not only gave me a new tube but fitted as well.

imagine17

For the detractors this is the reason why people do Sportives! Loads of people all shapes and sizes of varying ability enjoying their bike with others. No elitism, no snobs. Superb camaradarie out on the course. Third time I have completed the 100 mile and compared to about 4/5 other Sportives I have done, Dartmoor is by far the best organised.

Great organisation, great route, great marshalling, great weather, great event. Many thanks to those who give up their time to put it on. Will be back again next year for a silver which I missed by 5 minutes.

jamlala

Superb event for the second year in a row. Managed the 100kms in 5.19 which I'm dead chuffed with. Aim for next year is a silver which means getting under 5 hrs. Training for hills in Essex is a nightmare although I did manage all the climbs without walking and THAT is what I am most chuffed about.

Threw a spoke about 6 miles from Princetown and was collected, and patched up by a support vehicle for which I am eternally grateful and was able to finish the last 30 miles on a wobbly wheel. Ironically I threw a second spoke cycling to the car park after finishing, so lady luck shone on me.;

Superb event, can't fault it at all. Love Devon, and love the Dartmoor Classic.

MrChuck

Great, hard event. This was my second time and I found it harder this time I think, the approach to Princetown for the 2nd time nearly did for me!

Fantastic organisation and marshalling, shows others how it should be done. They'd also put flyers around asking people to come out and cheer, with the route and expected times for people to be passing each point- a really nice touch I think.

Lastly, nobody does events for the goody bags but the waste involved in producing bags full of tat and brochures infuriates me, so it's nice to see one with actual useful stuff in.

Yeoer

This was my first event. What can i say, I knew the ride was going to be hard and it was... extremely well organised and the guys should be proud of how smoothly it ran.

My goal was under 5 Hours so with 4:46 is was very pleased, surprised me how mentally hard it was, i really had to dig deep to ristist getting off and walking, holne hill was memerable!!!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94973918

Spent too much time in the feed station, but time just wized by.

Finished totally spent! Would i do it again..? hell yes were to i sign.... highly recommended.

Thanks to guys for a great day.

Alex-Leigh67

First one for me as well. Did the 100k with my bro who is one of the "not very thin" riders on the sportives!I thought it was a great course, superb marshalling and organisation, good food and a very friendly atmosphere.

I've done lots of MTB races/24 hour events and I don't enjoy them much any more. So I was surprised at how good this was.. Only slight niggle was Race Timing mistiming me into/out of food station so I lost 15 mins and a gold! Ah well something to go for next year.

Was the fella strapped to the spinal board about 30k in (bottom of the first proper descent in the woods) okay? Nasty it was in there.

I'll definitely be back and already signed up for the circuit of kent. Didn't even like road bikes much a year ago!

Alex-Leigh67

Oh I did a write up as well: http://pickled-hedgehog.com/?p=2325

Just been looking at the photos. Found one of me ahead of a whole bunch of Yogi riders yomping up one of the big hills. I may have to buy that one