Magnificat 2014

itboffin

Anyone else signed out for this?
It's my local sportive so i usually enter, sadly last year I took it too easy and missed out on setting a very good time, this year i'm the most unfit i've been in the last 7 years so its going to be a gentle ride in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside for me.

Rodrego Hernandez

If you're riding in Wiltshire, you've taken a wrong turn.

the_fuggler

Really enjoyed it last year, although it was absolutely baking. Unlikely to make it this time round, but have submitted the forms to the EPO just in case...

MattC59

If all goes well (I have 6 week old baby who tends to hold the veto on my riding at the moment !) I shall be riding the Magnificat this year. It's my local ride and was great last year, if a little warm (35 c at times !!!)

I live a couple of miles from Newbury racecourse so shall turn up on the day and see if there are any places.

Druidor

Spotted loads of people out doing this one today.

was not in it myself I was doing my sunday ride newbury. Wantage. Shrivenham. Lambourne and back to newbury. In the opposite direction to the route.

Lefthook

Yeah will be doing it this year for the first time.

Really hope you did not spot people doing it on Sunday Druidor, Im not turning up until the 13th July ;-)

Did the the 111mile Tour of the Peaks on Sunday, so this will be another bump in distance, but hopefully a bit more rolling than the Tour of the Peaks. Also signed up for 'The Long One' in June, which is same distance, 125 miles, but listed at 1000ft more.

So this should be easy in comparison ;-)

apreading

Did it last year and thought it was a great route, was V hot, but the problem was waaaayyy too many riders and of too wide a level. Some ultra competitive, drafting novices an inch or two from their wheel and coming way too close on corners. Much prefer the Evans Rideit events for fewer riders and generally more cameraderie. Dates dont work for me this year, otherwise I would probably do it despite this reservation, as it is so local - but cant say I am sorry to miss it...

itboffin

apreading wrote:

Did it last year and thought it was a great route, was V hot, but the problem was waaaayyy too many riders and of too wide a level. Some ultra competitive, drafting novices an inch or two from their wheel and coming way too close on corners. Much prefer the Evans Rideit events for fewer riders and generally more cameraderie. Dates dont work for me this year, otherwise I would probably do it despite this reservation, as it is so local - but cant say I am sorry to miss it...

Yeah it is getting more popular if you do it again try for the earliest start that usually thins the herd a bit

Vino'sGhost

Its a cak event. but easy to get to. The route is boring and the scenery (after the first 20 miles) dull.

itboffin

Hopefully the weather hold today for a little recce ride

itboffin

itboffin wrote:

Hopefully the weather hold today for a little recce ride

Did a recce of the medium route today and whilst the potholes have been repaired and road resurfaced sadly with that loose stone gravel type stuff, it was really hard going everytime i hit a section my average speed took a dive, i doubt that will have enough time to bed in before the day :evil:

itboffin

done!
road surfaces proper hardwork, now i need my bed :?

gethinceri

Did it, enjoyed it, climbs not tough enough. More punctures than I've ever seen on a sportive, possibly due to that b/s top dressing they put on the road.

itboffin

of all the events i've done over the years the Magnificat has by far the most punctures, even the Rapha hell of the north isnt as bad.

i wont be back next year i'm fed up with the shity road surfaces

veterangaz

Avoided punctures but saw loads of people on the side changing theirs. My main gripe, unless me and my mate were really not concentrating, was that we missed the turn for the epic route and ended up just doing the 85 mile standard. Had paced ourselves for the longer distance, plus i don't get out on the bike much so wanted to do the full length whilst I have the chance. Very annoying, we may have been a bit silly for not spotting the turn but I don't feel it could have been sign posted that well for both of us to miss it.

Lefthook

I seem to remember that the route splits were well signposted.

Although there were a couple of odd signs that seemed to point in the wrong direction. Indicating turns on a straight road etc.

Main gripe, and could have just been me being stupid, was I never saw the 2nd feedstop on the epic route. When I got to the 3rd stop, desperately needing food and water, the other 6-8 people who pulled into the stop while I was there had not seen it either!

I was in the second wave on the road and was dragged along by a fast group, so maybe they had not set it up in time. They were still putting the High five flags up at the first stop when we got there.

veterangaz

Lefthook wrote:

I seem to remember that the route splits were well signposted.

Although there were a couple of odd signs that seemed to point in the wrong direction. Indicating turns on a straight road etc.

Main gripe, and could have just been me being stupid, was I never saw the 2nd feedstop on the epic route. When I got to the 3rd stop, desperately needing food and water, the other 6-8 people who pulled into the stop while I was there had not seen it either!

I was in the second wave on the road and was dragged along by a fast group, so maybe they had not set it up in time. They were still putting the High five flags up at the first stop when we got there.

Blimey, we must have been day dreaming away to miss the epic split then. Feel like a right plonker.

Lefthook

Well I don't have a good track record, have gone wrong twice in Sportives in the last 2 years. Both times no one else had any trouble, apart from the couple of guys who were following me! So I can definitely zone out on rides at times. The last time I even had the route loaded on the Garmin, but had not started it!