etape De cymru

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  • geoffnelder
    geoffnelder Posts: 165
    Ah I must have seen you there. My son was 2046 and in spite of his gear cable (only a month old) snapping he managed to come about halfway. I haven't seen the official stats but he thinks he did about 22 mins on Horseshoe Pass so that's 13 minutes better than me (though I had panniers on and used a Dawes Super Galaxy last summer). While he was racing I took my bike east on the Cheshire Cycle route, visiting friends in Malpas. On my return I and the stewards blundered a bit and I ended up cycling on the home straight from Bangor-on-Dee on my touring bike with panniers. This was about midday and I didn't expect anyone to have finished in four hours yet a few overtook me. Nevertheless I was treated to a round of ironic applause amid laughter. Yes it was a good day. I think that chap will be okay.
    webbie http://geoffnelder.com
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  • geoffnelder
    geoffnelder Posts: 165
    I blogged about the 2014 Etape Cymru from the POV of me as supporter and son as participant.
    http://geoffnelder.wordpress.com/2014/0 ... ather-son/
    In spite of niggles of a late start and lack of veggie energy bars, it was a marvellous, unforgettable day. I'm tempted to slim down, keep taking my heart meds, and register for next year!
    webbie http://geoffnelder.com
    Twit: http://twitter.com/geoffnelder
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    GeoffNelder wrote:
    I blogged about the 2014 Etape Cymru from the POV of me as supporter and son as participant.
    http://geoffnelder.wordpress.com/2014/0 ... ather-son/
    In spite of niggles of a late start and lack of veggie energy bars, it was a marvellous, unforgettable day. I'm tempted to slim down, keep taking my heart meds, and register for next year!

    Rumour has it that next year may be semi-closed or just certain parts of the route closed (probably Horseshoe Pass). I wonder if this is due to the reducing numbers and complaints from some locals.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,314
    cyclingsheep wrote:
    Rumour has it that next year may be semi-closed or just certain parts of the route closed (probably Horseshoe Pass). I wonder if this is due to the reducing numbers and complaints from some locals.

    Probably both. As an event, it isn't stellar. I did it in 2013 and didn't feel like I wanted to do it again. The locals in Wrexham were less than friendly towards cyclists the day before the event... we got shouted abuse a couple of times.
    left the forum March 2023
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Seemed like there was a lot of support from the villagers yesterday. Makes sense - you can't go anywhere so why not take a coffee outside and enjoy the spectacle. Good for them.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,314
    cougie wrote:
    Seemed like there was a lot of support from the villagers yesterday. Makes sense - you can't go anywhere so why not take a coffee outside and enjoy the spectacle. Good for them.

    In the "mountains" yes, but not much support around Wrexham... the locals did seem quite pissed off to have road closures.
    Did you enjoy it? I did it last year, but didn't think too much of it... some nice roads and climbs, some less so
    left the forum March 2023
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I live not too far from the course anyway - so didn't hang around in Wrexham.

    I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I can ride those roads any weekend really and traffic isn't a problem, it only becomes a problem when you send 2000 riders off on the route ;-)

    Good thing is that I found some little lanes that I didn't know so I can add those into my routes.

    I was happy with the distance - demanding but without becoming a drag like the 100+ rides can sometimes get.

    Dunno why they bothered with the 'bad road' signs - 90% of it was bad.
  • willy b
    willy b Posts: 4,125
    Thought it was a fun event and a good route. Horseshoe Pass was fun too!

    The closed roads did add an extra appeal to doing the event.
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  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,314
    willy b wrote:
    Thought it was a fun event and a good route.

    I thought it wasn't up to any of the continental events I have done and in the ned a rather normal day on the bike, with not much to tell back home. For instance in June I have done a Paris-Roubaix event... 5 feeding stops, riding on the most famous cobbles in the world, with a lap in the most famous Velodrome in the world and a shower in the famous showers where Merckx and Cancellara have showered over the years... and all for 15 euro or something like that. We don't have that cycling heritage round here, but an effort to create some sort of event atmosphere would be nice
    left the forum March 2023
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Well you WILL struggle to get the Roubaix velodrome in North Wales.

    But they haven't' got the Horseshoe pass - so its pretty even... ;-)

    Its a massive culture change for us to even get closed roads for something like this - its not going to rival the continental events over a few short years.
    I thought they did a good job with the TT up the Shoe and the PA at the start finish.

    It was good to see nobody littering on the course - that pees me off immensely.
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    I was getting differing feedback. A couple of scottish guys who'd done Etape caledonia enjoyed it and said it was way better while another guy said he didn't enjoy some of the descents on the C-roads. For me, if it goes to open roads then i probably won't do it again, maybe do the two day mtb event in Ruthin on a cross bike instead
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I guess it depends what you're used to ? As I say - I ride a lot of those roads each month - so I'm well used to them.
    I've never had a slip in that ford at Worlds End - seems to me a bike moving in a straight line is less prone to slips than me in my Look cleats...

    Etape Caledonia would be good - but its miiiiiiles away and does anyone want a 6 hour journey to cycle in the rain.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,314
    cougie wrote:
    But they haven't' got the Horseshoe pass - so its pretty even... ;-)

    I didn't have the feeling it was a special climb... neither hard nor pretty, nor heritage... what's special about the Horseshoe pass? It's a wide road with a bend... It was a total anticlimax, to be honest. World's end was more beautiful and a harder climb, but then again, wouldn't drive 200 miles again to ride up World's end... there are better and prettier climbs, even staying in Wales
    left the forum March 2023
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I guess its because most people in the area know it. They've driven over it before they've ridden it. Non cyclists recognise it. Nobody apart from cyclists would know of Worlds End.

    Worlds End is harder and prettier - but I'd not drive my car over it.
  • stanthomas
    stanthomas Posts: 265
    edited September 2014
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    cougie wrote:
    But they haven't' got the Horseshoe pass - so its pretty even... ;-)
    I didn't have the feeling it was a special climb... neither hard nor pretty, nor heritage...
    The Horseshoe Pass ( Bwlch yr Oernant / Col de la Source Froid) is an iconic climb. The Milk Race used it and it beats me why the Tour of Britain by-passes it by a few miles every year. They run a round of the National Hillclimb Championship up it (around 9 minutes - they time Brittania to the lay-by). And all local cyclists know precisely what their PB is on it (17:42).

    It climbs 300 metres over about 4km - 7.5% - to 417 metres. Repeat 4 times to practice for the Galibier.
  • stanthomas
    stanthomas Posts: 265
    edited September 2014
    I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask those who took part:

    It is clamed that "the event was worth approximately £500,000 to the local economy" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-26720239). Now some of this will be the entry fees and some of it will be typical marketing of intangibles like putting Wrexham on the map as a destination for a nice day out. But £500,000 divided by 2,000 entrants is £250 which seems a lot to spend for a one day event. Perhaps some people came for the weekend and brought their family but did anyone on this forum spend anything like £250 (exclude all the stuff you brought with you)?

    And there is talk of dropping the road closures because it upsets some local residents http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-29190566. If this was an open road event, would you still come?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,314
    stanthomas wrote:
    I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask those who took part:

    It is clamed that "the event was worth approximately £500,000 to the local economy" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-26720239). Now some of this will be the entry fees and some of it will be typical marketing of intangibles like putting Wrexham on the map as a destination for a nice day out. But £500,000 divided by 2,000 entrants is £250 which seems a lot to spend for a one day event. Perhaps some people came for the weekend and brought their family but did anyone on this forum spent anything like £250 (exclude all the stuff you brought with you)?

    And there is talk of dropping the road closures because it upsets some local residents http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-29190566. If this was an open road event, would you still come?

    1) last year we stayed in a B&B and had dinner out... probably spent 80 quid per person

    2) Certainly nobody would do it for 55 quid... 25 possibly
    left the forum March 2023
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    stanthomas wrote:
    I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask those who took part:

    It is clamed that "the event was worth approximately £500,000 to the local economy" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-26720239). Now some of this will be the entry fees and some of it will be typical marketing of intangibles like putting Wrexham on the map as a destination for a nice day out. But £500,000 divided by 2,000 entrants is £250 which seems a lot to spend for a one day event. Perhaps some people came for the weekend and brought their family but did anyone on this forum spent anything like £250 (exclude all the stuff you brought with you)?

    And there is talk of dropping the road closures because it upsets some local residents http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-29190566. If this was an open road event, would you still come?

    I've done it every year and stay with my mother in law so hardly spend a penny while there. I have to say if it's not closed road I will probably look for something else to do (as I said before the Ruthin off road event appeals). Am I right in thinking numbers were down this year? I'm pretty sure I was the only one from my club and didn't see many from other London clubs either.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,314
    Many Welsh events are not doing that great... the Autumn Epic is a fantastic course, much better than the Etape, yet it struggles to make the numbers.
    I guess people have too much choice of sportives and the idea of travelling to do one is becoming more of a luxury, to be reserved for the really special ones
    left the forum March 2023
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I spent less money in the area than I would have done had I done one of my usual rides and stopped off at a cafe.

    That said - when I've travelled to events like Ironman - I've paid £100s in hotels and food and I've often liked the place so much I've revisited for a short break later. So it could pay off.

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