Kendal Sportive 25th March

essjaydee

Anyone else doing this one :?:
Just signed up and praying for light winds
http://www.cyclosport.org/event/25-Mar-2012/UK/kendal-sportive.html

dd1

Signed up for this a few weeks ago with a couple of mates.

First one of the year so hopefully weather will be kind.

Not ridden round there before so looking forward to it

essjaydee

Just received rider instructions

Route looks good with some good climbs, so should be a good ride 8)

Long route :?:

dd1

Planning on doing the long route.

Have done a couple of 100km warm up rides over the last few weekends, but not many hills down here in Cheshire.

Looks a good route apart from the max gradient of 25% !!!

nickwill

Starts about 1/2 a mile from my front door, so could hardy miss it. It will provide a low key way of checking how the Fred Whitton training is going. If you haven't done the Deepdale/ Kingsdale climb you are in for a treat ;-). It's a nice route. I reckon a lot of people will be caught out by the last couple of climbs of the day. The climb up to Grayrigg will be a test if anyone has hammered the rest of the ride and there's a nasty sharp little kick up after that just before you get to Kendal. Hope the weather is as good as it was this last Sunday!

essjaydee

Climb through Dent from 22.5 miles to 27 miles looks cheeky!
Is that Deepdal/Kingsdale?

styxd

Is it possible to enter on the day? Dont fancy getting up that early to ride in the rain, but if its nice and sunny I could be tempted.

nickwill

essjaydee wrote:

Climb through Dent from 22.5 miles to 27 miles looks cheeky!
Is that Deepdal/Kingsdale?

It certainly is. It's seriously steep (perhaps 30% in the odd stretch) and has some amusingly placed gates. If you don't know the area though, Barbondale, Dentdale and Kingsdale are stunning. The forecast is looking spot on as of Wednesday morning:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2645826
Roll on Sunday!

essjaydee

Thanks Nickwill.

Fingers crossed for the weather

andy_nD

Just back from riding this. My first sportive in the area (I'm just a southern softie visiting the in-laws). Great ride and a fabulous route. No really ridiculously stupid climbs and mostly traffic free roads. Hats off to the organisers for a well signed route, and for arranging such amazing weather for the day.

Only one minor quibble was the change to the route over the final 5kms or so.. I was expecting to follow the (mostly downhill) main road back into town, but instead they'd put in an extra 100m climbing? Very cruel indeed...

I'll definitely be back next year with a view to breaking 5 hours (just pipped to the post today, grr..)

nickwill

andy_nD wrote:

Just back from riding this. My first sportive in the area (I'm just a southern softie visiting the in-laws). Great ride and a fabulous route. No really ridiculously stupid climbs and mostly traffic free roads. Hats off to the organisers for a well signed route, and for arranging such amazing weather for the day.

Only one minor quibble was the change to the route over the final 5kms or so.. I was expecting to follow the (mostly downhill) main road back into town, but instead they'd put in an extra 100m climbing? Very cruel indeed...

I'll definitely be back next year with a view to breaking 5 hours (just pipped to the post today, grr..)

Cruel, but it saves multiple traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and general faffing, plus you must admit it's a pretty scenic stretch of road with great views to the Lakeland fells, or were you chewing the handlebars like I was..!
Managed to get round in 4 hours 50 minutes and I reckon the easier route through town would have saved little if any time. Re 'ridiculously stupid climbs', the ride up Deepdale/ Kingsdale is one of the steepest and most demanding climbs in the Dales. I think it's wonderful and definitely not 'stupid' but the sort of climb that would sort out a 'southern softie'. I can only conclude that you are being a bit hard on yourself there.

SportiveRater

Sounds like a good day - and the scenery up there is stunning, especially in this weather - will keep our eye for it next year (we had thrown our hats in with Cheshire Cat)

Cheeky self promotion I know but if any rider wants to rate and share their experience on our site that would be great.

essjaydee

It was a fabulous day. Deepdale/Kingsdale beat me into submission.....twice , but I'm no racing snake. The route was very quiet and relatively traffic free, and the views simply stunning 8)

Big thanks to all the organisers for a brilliantly run event, your all stars

I'll definately be back for more.

rolf_f

What was the turnout like? I was tempted to do it but living in Leeds I'd have spent probably about 5 hours driving for 5 hours riding! Instead, I did 5 much less scenic hours around West Yorkshire but without the driving. I'd be tempted next year if the turnout was good.

nickwill

I think there were about 200 starters across the two distances. It was a sell out so in that respect the turnout was good. Unlike a lot of sportives there always seemed to be someone in sight so the numbers seemed greater.

dd1

Great day yesterday, organisation was spot on and a fantastic route.

Managed to get up Deepdale/Kingsdale, just, not sure I would have if conditions hadnt been perfect.

Struggled near the end as cramp started to set in but thoroughly enjoyed the day.