Wiggle South Downs Sportive ?
Donkeywings
Posts: 79
Hi
Looking for some opinions on the Wiggle South Downs Sportive in a couple of weeks. Mainly how hard the Standard (73 miler) is? I read a thread here a while back where people who had done the Epic (100 miles) said it was a killer, but I can't find it now.
I did my first sportive on Sunday - Wiggle New Forest, 70 mile standard. Beautiful sunny day and great scenery, and got around in 4:20, but to be fair it's mostly flat and was pretty easy (certainly a lot easier than the Basingstoke Big Wheel 100km I did last month)
The South Downs has twice as much climbing, and hills are my weak point at the moment. And the weather is sure to be a lot worse. Just wondering how anyone else found it?
cheers!
Looking for some opinions on the Wiggle South Downs Sportive in a couple of weeks. Mainly how hard the Standard (73 miler) is? I read a thread here a while back where people who had done the Epic (100 miles) said it was a killer, but I can't find it now.
I did my first sportive on Sunday - Wiggle New Forest, 70 mile standard. Beautiful sunny day and great scenery, and got around in 4:20, but to be fair it's mostly flat and was pretty easy (certainly a lot easier than the Basingstoke Big Wheel 100km I did last month)
The South Downs has twice as much climbing, and hills are my weak point at the moment. And the weather is sure to be a lot worse. Just wondering how anyone else found it?
cheers!
Trek Madone 3.1 Carbon 2012 Road
Sunn Kern S1 2011 MTB
"Mellow Johnny's" water bottle from Lance's shop in Austin
Sunn Kern S1 2011 MTB
"Mellow Johnny's" water bottle from Lance's shop in Austin
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Comments
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I ride the area quite a bit - most of the hills can just be grinds - there's only one that I know of that may stop ppl riding as it reaches 13% ..
Just looking at the Std:
Kennel hill is just a drag. There is also a bit of uphill towards the A285, but nothing steep.
The drop down into Duncton is fun ... ie fast!
Graffham through to Cocking is "undulating"
Out of Cocking it's a narrow road - it does climb, but it's not steep
you get a bit of respite on the Bepton road - there's 1 little bump in it - the rest is downhill.
I don't know the road through to Milland and back to Rogate - but it's certainly got some hills in it.
Rogate to South Harting is deceptive - there is a good climb just before you hit SH - and then you're onto the 13% "killer" It's a very quiet road though. Once at the top you get the easy way out (I normally turn left and carry on climbing for another 2-300 meters!) but it's a steep twisty descent with a mainroad junction at the end.
The run out to Nursted is "rolling" again.
I don't know the roads out to East Meon and back to Finchdean - but it's another not very steep climb up to Forestside.
Down past Standsted house is a nice run - a bit rough on the road, but you've got time to recover!
The last run in along the common road is easy - a few little humps between East Ashling and West Broyle, but if you've got speed up you can just roll over them.
Sherbourne Road is full of speed bumps ... !
Rating of that to the NF one? The NF one had steep climbs, but not the same as the one up from SH - that's the main killer that I know of. The rest of it is just leg sapping,
If I was going to do it I'd try the 100 though!0 -
Wow - that's a detailed reply - thanks :-)Trek Madone 3.1 Carbon 2012 Road
Sunn Kern S1 2011 MTB
"Mellow Johnny's" water bottle from Lance's shop in Austin0 -
As I said - I ride the area quite a bit - one bit is part of my commute ...0