Etape Caledonia - how hilly?

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Comments

  • madturkey
    madturkey Posts: 58
    First ever sportive, only learnt to ride a bike 4 years ago (at the ripe old age of 34) so pretty happy with just finishing. Time of 6:27 with position 3697 and I reckon I could go 30 mins faster with a bit of forethought, and having the confidence to actually eat and drink whilst in motion :oops:

    Start group Z was a real mish-mash as loads of others had missed their start times, I saw someone with a two digit start number in that group.

    Climbs not that bad, having a Tricross with a 34 on the back meant that I could spin hard on Logierait and went past quite a few people. Gear problem on the KOTM otherwise I would have got sub 10 mins on that. Red mist on the sprint so ranked 1700, all the people I passed on that probably thought I was some sort of idiot.

    Hopefully back next year, although my next challenge is LEJOG in September!
  • milleman
    milleman Posts: 181
    Sorry to hijack this thread slightly, have registered my interest for 2013 (and booked the hotel!) but can anyone recall when you can actually enter?

    Thanks
  • gasman_dave
    gasman_dave Posts: 129
    It was about mid-September as that was when I had to book the hotel. Book early to avoid hassle.

    Dave
  • VeloPeo
    VeloPeo Posts: 23
    Just checked my e-mail. Pre-sale for this year was 19 Sept 2011

    My first one this year - despite the weather I had a great time. Was meant to be about cycling with my wife who's quite new to road cycling but she pulled a muscle after about 15 and pulled out at the first stop. After that it was about setting the best time I could.

    For various reasons I've hardly trained this year so this was my first ride over 50mi since August last year - so a time of 5h47 was pretty decent considering I spent time shepherding the missus to the first stop. After that I put a good ride together with an on-bike time of 5h08. Finished in the low 3000s but was 1100ish on the sprint and 2100ish on KOM

    Would love to come back and nail it from the start - think a sub 5h time is very achievable next year
  • navrig
    navrig Posts: 1,352
    I broke my arm mid March and lost a lot training time. It meant that in the run up to the event the maximum distance I covered was 43 miles.

    Completed the Etape in 5:57 with about 20 mins for food stops and a cramp stretch.

    Sub 5 hours next year.
  • steve_muzzy
    steve_muzzy Posts: 259
    Just seen my photos, my jacket was like a sail it seems with everyone loving the nice slipstream behind me !

    Sub 4 hours next years target...

    And a map of the course


    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177760603
  • Muffintop
    Muffintop Posts: 296
    steve_muzzy wrote:
    Just seen my photos, my jacket was like a sail it seems with everyone loving the nice slipstream behind me !

    Sub 4 hours next years target...

    And a map of the course


    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177760603

    That's ace mate! I never broke 29mph coming down Schiehallion the wind was so bad by the time I got there (my wee leggies peddling all the way down!)

    Mx
    FCN: Brompton: 12, Tourer: 7, Racer: 4

    http://www.60milestonod.blogspot.com
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    steve_muzzy wrote:
    Just seen my photos, my jacket was like a sail it seems with everyone loving the nice slipstream behind me !

    Sub 4 hours next years target...

    And a map of the course


    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177760603

    Your overall pace seemed very similar to mine. Given the conditions, I was surprised how many people were riding with "sails" for jackets. I max'd out at 36.7mph
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • Omar Little
    Omar Little Posts: 2,010
    My top speed down Schiehallion was 7 mph less than last year strangely however my average speed (according to strava at least) was faster. Really surprised when i saw that, i think it must be because i was on my own going down whereas last year it was pretty busy so i was probably on the brakes more

    There is a video of the descent here, brings back the memories although maybe not quite the strength of the wind

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_9vwcV0CfE
  • Pigtail
    Pigtail Posts: 424
    A lot slower for me on the descent this year. Top speed 59.9 kph compared with 71.1 kph. I usually do miles, but for some reason I have Strava set in kilometres. The segment descent proper was timed at 9.07 compared with 8.18.
  • steve_muzzy
    steve_muzzy Posts: 259
    meanredspider wrote:
    steve_muzzy wrote:
    Just seen my photos, my jacket was like a sail it seems with everyone loving the nice slipstream behind me !

    Sub 4 hours next years target...

    And a map of the course


    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177760603

    Your overall pace seemed very similar to mine. Given the conditions, I was surprised how many people were riding with "sails" for jackets. I max'd out at 36.7mph


    I was in such a quandary what to wear, ended up overdressed and my winter gloves ended up on my pocket so rode a lot bare handed, given how little rain actually hit me I should have rule 5 ed it and mtfu with just a base and long sleeve top

    Dunno of you can see my other activities but some of my great races are on that garmin page
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    I wore my Assos Airjack softshell - I think it was just about perfect for the conditions: warm enough but breathable, tight and rain resistant. I never thought I'd be wearing it in May, though, at the moment, I'm wearing almost nothing else but this jacket
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • Stedman
    Stedman Posts: 377
    Just got back from Scotland after spending a further week in the Highlands and the most significant thing that I noticed was that when asked why I was up in Scotland, when I said I had just taken part in the Caledonian Etape, all Scots knew that this was a big cycling event!
  • Muffintop
    Muffintop Posts: 296
    Are we saying Caledonian Etape or Etape Caledonia? I know officially Etape Caledonia is the official name but the Caledonian Etape does roll of the tongue a bit better.

    Mx
    FCN: Brompton: 12, Tourer: 7, Racer: 4

    http://www.60milestonod.blogspot.com
  • Alain Quay
    Alain Quay Posts: 534
    yeah, the guy with the tacks made the ride a household name
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Alain Quay wrote:
    yeah, the guy with the tacks made the ride a household name
    ... not to mention shoot a hole in the little local opposition there actually was, boost support for the event all over, raise its profile and popularity, and make the council even more determined to support it. Talk about own goals :D

    @Muffintop - Etape C was reasonably neat until the Etape Cymru came along to ambiguate it, Etape Cal is also neat but just doesn't roll off the tongue somehow. Most folks around here (particularly the Scottish general public mentioned by Stedman) don't have the slightest idea what an étape is, so it's just the Etape, sacrilegious as that might seem to Real Cyclists. ;-)
  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    Etape Caledonia video has appeared on the Etape Series youtube channel, anyone from here on it?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8T4R4_n ... e=youtu.be
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Rather a lot of none-too-lean none-too-young guys in red jackets glimpsed briefly :oops:

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