Tour of Wessex 2012

IanPV

My bet would be David Vaughan at 5:06:03

I was riding with him and Markus Allen (5:06:07) and we were first on the road (I had a puncture and broke a spoke with 30km to go so came in solo 11 minutes later). Graham Moir got lost at the second feedstop and took a long way round, but overtook me whilst off piste. I think the london phoenix gang started later but were very fast with times around 5:10.

My bet is that pedro martinez (5:04) took a short route option looking at his times for days 2 &3 but that may be unfair, ditto the other sub 5 hour times.

Flambes

Just did day 1, which was a real eye opener compared to other sportives, just for the pace! > 22mph average to the bottom of Cheddar Gorge, in a good group with including someone with a Las Vegas Top, another with a Garmin Outfit, someone with no rear mech cable, a Sid Valley rider, and a really fast chap in blue who had loads of bananas in his pockets (I was on a Trigon with a grey / black camouflaged top)! Group disintegrated up Cheddar, I was going for a Strava time, so put a lot of effort in, some folks ahead some behind, but then found myself alone for the next 70 miles. Not good.
Big group caught me up with 10 miles to go, including "Sky" rider and some of my original group! Lesson learned, they probably had a much easier time than me.
5h33 in all, fairly pleased, now 7th up Cheddar on Strava.
Found the feed stops fine, appreciated the sarnies, was something different to flapjacks and bananas.
Best part of the day was being paced for a couple miles by the Pendragon car ( it was very quiet no other traffic, so no harm done!)
Traffic around the big horsey show was mental.
Hope to do more next year as felt fine on Sunday, so legs doing OK. Instead, sat in a field getting plastered at a Jubilee party.

Flambes

Ah - and forgot to say - these sportives need another transponder sensor somewhere on the longer course, to see who is doing which course, so the results (yes I know it's not a race ;-) ) aren't affected.

keniino

My bet is that pedro martinez (5:04) took a short route option looking at his times for days 2 &3 but that may be unfair, ditto the other sub 5 hour times.

Yes, Pedro rides for London Phoenix (even though he wasn't in club kit until day 3) and did the short route.

As a club we organise a sportive and a few races throughout the year, and that really makes us appreciate the massive amount of effort that goes on behind the scenes at the ToW, so thank you to everyone who helped make it yet another awesome event - and a special thank you to everyone who helped the LP train!

IanPV

I remember you flambes, there are a couple of pics of us going up cheddar - I was in the Las Vegas top. I managed to bridge up to the front two on the flatter top section of the gorge climb but it did nearly kill me.

FransJacques - your friend on the CLX was very strong, even on the climbs. Impressive for someone weighing 14 stone. Wish him luck with the baby.

Keniino - good ride from you and your lot!

rusty nuts

Why do riders expect so much at sportive feed stops. I ride all over the world, in New Zealand (Taupo) you just get water, in South Africa (Argus) little food and just energy drink, then in Italy a veritable banquet.

All organisers need to provide is fluids, these are after all bike rides not Michelin restaurants.

Oh and I bet most of you whingers didn't say anything to the organisers on the day, you just do it behind the anonimity of a forum.

BlueLetter

Re the question about some of the finishing times looking superhuman, I believe 17 of the 368 reported three day finishers probably short cutted, including the top four. Details at:

http://hillfarmhouse.wordpress.com/2012 ... ssex-2012/

Le Commentateur

BlueLetter wrote:

Re the question about some of the finishing times looking superhuman, I believe 17 of the 368 reported three day finishers probably short cutted, including the top four. Details at:

http://hillfarmhouse.wordpress.com/2012 ... ssex-2012/

It's a sportive; deluded fools are only cheating themselves.

mroli

Dave McIntosh is a mate - he is incredibly strong. Typical Aussie with never say die attitude. He rides a bit with the Sky Velo lot - hence the Sky kit and has "won" the Etape Hibernia and the Etape Caledonia - both times by just riding off the front. He did his first race a couple of weeks ago - a Cat 3/4 at Hog Hill and rode off the front on the last lap to win (he towed someone else around who couldn't get past him). Good bloke.

BlueLetter

By my reckoning he came in 5th, nine minutes behind the fastest guy.