Wiggle Ups and Downs - spare entry?

andy_nD

Does anyone have a spare entry to the Wiggle Ups and Downs (epic route) this weekend? Looks like I've missed the boat and it's all sold out now..

Many thanks in advance!

mikey_mike1982

I too am looking for an entry to this - mikey.lynch@gmail.com, Mike - 07541310387

Cheers

Sammyw23

FYI - they are talking about cancelling the Epic route on sunday due to the weather. Just thought I'd let you know in case that makes a difference.

nunowoolmez

what a kop out. a bit of rain shouldn't stop a ride. I am going to this & will be annoyed if the long route gets shortened. Honestly...

KentPuncheur

nunowoolmez wrote:

what a kop out. a bit of rain shouldn't stop a ride. I am going to this & will be annoyed if the long route gets shortened. Honestly...

Unless they have been advised so by their liability insurance cover or the police?

Le Puncheur was still ridden in equally horrific conditions earlier this year. Will be a bit upset to miss out on the 100 miles, having done a few 100km sportives and training for this..

bikergirl17

the king of the downs 2009, which covers some of the same route, was in some nasty weather. it def wasn't fun and I wouldn't voluntarily start in a rain storm again.

separately, i did write to the organiser about 3 weeks ago, and he indicated there was a wait list and would get back to me if spots opened. haven't heard back, which only suggests that anyone cancelling hasn't contacted wiggle, likely because there isn't any pt (eg refund).

bruceman

EVENT CANCELLED

"Dear Rider,

We have taken the decision to cancel today's Wiggle UPS & Downs Sportive due to extreme weather conditions.

The Met Office had upgraded their serve weather warning to amber and the course has experienced heavy flooding and several fallen trees over night. These factors combined and with rider safety at the forefront of our mind we have taken to decision to pospone the event to a date later in the year.

Information on the new date will follow in the next couple of days.

Kind Regards
UKCE"

NoMoreShadows

bruceman wrote:

EVENT CANCELLED

"Dear Rider,

We have taken the decision to cancel today's Wiggle UPS & Downs Sportive due to extreme weather conditions.

The Met Office had upgraded their serve weather warning to amber and the course has experienced heavy flooding and several fallen trees over night. These factors combined and with rider safety at the forefront of our mind we have taken to decision to pospone the event to a date later in the year.

Information on the new date will follow in the next couple of days.

Kind Regards
UKCE"

Given the weather and the debris (ie trees etc) on the roads a sensible decision.

FransJacques

IF they started it around 1pm they would have had some nice sun :-) Just did 2 hours in Rich park and I was going 20km/h at full tilt in the drops it was so gusty. Good fun.

KentPuncheur

I too went out in the afternoon, disappointed (although understanding) that the sportive had been called off. Apart from the wind, conditions were perfect (actually the headwind made grat training conditions) and I was wondering what the fuss was about...until I hit the bottom of a quick descent, through a puddle (more like a pond!) which was a flooded stream, water deep up to my crank, and came straight off into a hedge...soaking wet and bruised!! Needless to say, I was a little thankful I didn't have to face the Surrey Hill descents after that experience!

TheStone

I didn't have a place on the Ups and Downs (was suppose to be away at the weekend), but was initially surprised they called it off.

Then I went out on Sunday morning and it was truly miserable. Many probably would have finished, but not fun at all.

thepawbroon

I had a place on the Standard and was really looking forward to it. It would have been my longest cycle by far (previous was 65 km about 10 years ago!). Anyway, as the sh1tty weather progressed over the last 2 weeks, my training suffered. And I got soaked just loading up my bike etc into the car. Then a blessed relief came Sunday morning with the cancellation

UK Cycling Events put some route photos up on facebook, and the flooding was really bad. It was the right thing to do for sure. They have suggested a new date of 20th May, luckily I can make that date

KentPuncheur

According to their Facebook feed, UK Cycling Events (UCE) have rescheduled this to the 20th May. Shame as it clashes with the AMR Castle 100 ride, but as I haven't entered it yet, I'll stick with the Ups and Downs.

For those that cannot make the 20th May, they are offering an exchange for one of two other UCE events (TBC soon).

I imagine that there will be quite a few Ups and Downs entries that people will want to sell so for those interested, stay tuned...

FransJacques

Good for them, that's a very practical approach and it's kind of generous they're not chocking the geese who lay them golden eggs by scrapping entries who do not ride the make-up date.

At £20 a go it's nothing to sneeze at.

Mccaria

It will make for an interesting 8 days. Up and Down on the 20th and a week later the King of the Downs.

nunowoolmez

Saw the photo's, definately the right decision! Nightmare weather! Sadly i had already booked the VC10 ride from Princes Risboro for the 20th & will probably not be able to make the Mega Meon. I already can't make The Long One due to work. Oh well. So it's likely i'll have a space going spare to sell for the 20th. Or if someone fancied doing the long one or mega meon i could select that one instead for any would be takers.

FransJacques

Who was out today? I did it and man was that hard. B/c of the rougher surfaces and constant ups and down it was harder than the HHH. Ride time was 5:25, will have to see what my total time was.

Had 1 snakebite over that really rough red patch of pavement :-( Who else was caught out by the choppy surface on that red bit?

nunowoolmez

yeah i was out. possibly the worst road surfaces i have experienced. The judders going through yor hands & arms were unreal! Did the epic & total time was 5:56, a week after the Fred i'm happy with that. Got the Evans Ride It! King Of The Downs 113 miler next week, could be a struggle! However, felt quite comfy with plenty of energy left on Whitedown & climbed it quicker than i usually do so i guess i'm benefitting from all these miles & climbs! Other than the rubbish roads it was a nice ride today.

boondog

I was out on a training ride and shared part of the route , so saw quite a lot of riders coming over ranmore.
Can you recommend the route , apart from the condition of the roads ?

pechacheli

I got a puncture however not from the pot holes which was a bit odd! The road conditions weren't brilliant but after all the rain we've had in the last month i was just glad it was dry otherwise it would have been a miserable ride especially the climbs... Just misssed a sub 4.40 for the standard!

Mccaria

I almost got caught out on the red bit of road. From the approach it didn't look that bad, but I got bumped around and thought i was going over, ended up on the grass verge - shaken about but at least upright.

The Epic is a mix of a good start and end but a fair bit of flatter, busier roads in the middle which got a bit repetitive. Worth it for the start and end though.

FransJacques

Ouch, harder for sure than the HHH. Avg speed was almost 1km/h faster than last year so I'm happy with that: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/180514922 Elapsed time was 5:38 so 2 feed stops + 1 puncture = 13 min more than ride time.

A great course and now that I've Garminized it I'd defo do that for a training ride in the future...

thepawbroon

I did the Standard, the first time I have attempted anything like this distance (previous max was CTC Swindon at 55km) so I was pleased just to complete the route. I think the time was 6:44 which is OK I guess, considering I'm carrying about 3 stone too much belly.

Route was great I think, the Ranmore climb came a bit early for me, I nearly chucked up my porrige on the way up! But after that I settled into my own pace. Didn't mind the rough surface too much as I was on a CX bike I use to commute in London. I had to walk up Whitedown from just after the hairpin, legs and lungs had enough by then.

Organsiation was first class, some lovely roads and views on the way too.

Five of us from work started, as part of the training programme for a London to The Hague charity ride next month. Various results:

Lance - fell off on the red potholes, still thrashed us;
Elliot - turned up on a borrowed Raleigh Banana Ebay job, found it to be stuck in one gear, still finished the Standard;
Anna - 2 punctures early on, went home early;
Zaynab - first ride (other than spinning) for years, made it round the Fun.

Hopefuly do something similar later in the year.