Tour of Wessex

Having done the 102 mile Stage 1 route, here's a few thoughts that hopefully the organisers will pick up on. There's a few simple points that would make this event so much better.

Hi points:
1. Great route
2. Great feed stations
3. Great safety marshalling
4. Great timing arrangements
5. Great weather
Lo points:
1. Parking arrangments, chaotic and too far away from registration
2. Toilets - only 1 male cubicle at race HQ! Utterly ridiculous!!
3. Slow registration, long queues only to be given a huge envolepe you couldn't do anything with because the car was parked so far away.
4. Route cards incorrect and confusing for 72 mile event.
5. Distances not correct.
6. Signing pretty average, easy to miss key turns.
7. No certicates or classifications for 72 mile route. Come on guys, it costs the same as the 102 mile route so its demeaning to offer anything less than the same service.

Last year was better even with the bad weather.

felix500 wrote:

Having done the 102 mile Stage 1 route, here's a few thoughts that hopefully the organisers will pick up on. There's a few simple points that would make this event so much better.

Hi points:
1. Great route
2. Great feed stations
3. Great safety marshalling
4. Great timing arrangements
5. Great weather
Lo points:
1. Parking arrangments, chaotic and too far away from registration
2. Toilets - only 1 male cubicle at race HQ! Utterly ridiculous!!
3. Slow registration, long queues only to be given a huge envolepe you couldn't do anything with because the car was parked so far away.
4. Route cards incorrect and confusing for 72 mile event.
5. Distances not correct.
6. Signing pretty average, easy to miss key turns.
7. No certicates or classifications for 72 mile route. Come on guys, it costs the same as the 102 mile route so its demeaning to offer anything less than the same service.

Last year was better even with the bad weather.

Er no.
1: Didnt have any problems with parking all 3 days (drove in from Sherborne and arrived around 8.30). Actually quite liked system as short ride in to event meant chance to spot any last minute bike issues.
2. Didnt do a count but used at least 3 and never had to queue to pee.
3. Cant comment Saturday, registered Friday, no wait.
4. Did the full rides. Cards for these fine
5. True, but slightly less in reality than advertised. Fine by me.
6. Disagree. Rode most of the days solo and relied on signs to get me through 320miles of unfamiliar countryside. Never had a problem.
7. Cant comment.

Done the last 3 TOWs (all 3 days each time) and this years event was best IMO. Weather certainly helped but preferred venue and route to previous years.

bahzob wrote:

felix500 wrote:

Having done the 102 mile Stage 1 route, here's a few thoughts that hopefully the organisers will pick up on. There's a few simple points that would make this event so much better.

Hi points:
1. Great route
2. Great feed stations
3. Great safety marshalling
4. Great timing arrangements
5. Great weather
Lo points:
1. Parking arrangments, chaotic and too far away from registration
2. Toilets - only 1 male cubicle at race HQ! Utterly ridiculous!!
3. Slow registration, long queues only to be given a huge envolepe you couldn't do anything with because the car was parked so far away.
4. Route cards incorrect and confusing for 72 mile event.
5. Distances not correct.
6. Signing pretty average, easy to miss key turns.
7. No certicates or classifications for 72 mile route. Come on guys, it costs the same as the 102 mile route so its demeaning to offer anything less than the same service.

Last year was better even with the bad weather.

Er no.
1: Didnt have any problems with parking all 3 days (drove in from Sherborne and arrived around 8.30). Actually quite liked system as short ride in to event meant chance to spot any last minute bike issues.
2. Didnt do a count but used at least 3 and never had to queue to pee.
3. Cant comment Saturday, registered Friday, no wait.
4. Did the full rides. Cards for these fine
5. True, but slightly less in reality than advertised. Fine by me.
6. Disagree. Rode most of the days solo and relied on signs to get me through 320miles of unfamiliar countryside. Never had a problem.
7. Cant comment.

Done the last 3 TOWs (all 3 days each time) and this years event was best IMO. Weather certainly helped but preferred venue and route to previous years.

Er no. With regard to the low points:
1. Agree, there was plenty of space to park, but I wasn't clear exactly where I was supposed to park. Area became rather haphazard - I wonder what the locals thought as they tried to access their local household waste site?
2. I found 4 cubicles open at the start - one in the main site, 3 portaloos. I agree this was insufficient. I had intended to shower afterwards and then go home, but having seen the state of the showers, changed my mind.
3. Registration wasn't a problem for me as I arrived early enough on Saturday to have time to bring the envelope back to the car, but I noticed long queues for others.
4. Route card for 73 mile did seem incorrect in that the on-road signs were blue, but on the route card they were a different colour (can't remember what) There was also no warning either on the card, or on the road itself about where it split from the longer ride, so it would have been very very easy to miss (much like the first food stop)
5. 73 mile ride turned out to be 76 miles by my odometer.
6. Signage was consistently poor - I missed the first feed stop and nearly missed the turn off for the 73 miler
7. I was signed up for the 102 miles but due to injury wimped out and did the 73 miler. Because of this change of mind and because there were no intermediate time checks such as are used at the Dragon (similar distance, similar price), I have ended up being included in the 102 mile results - makes me look very much faster than I was!

But I also agree with all the positive points, in particular about the range and quality of the food at the second food stop. I enjoyed the Saturday very much and intend to be back next year to see if I can do all 3 days.

I did all 3 days and had a great time.

Just a couple of comments;

I also missed the first feed station on the first day, maybe it wasn't too well signed.

The overall results are all over the place at the moment; I think I took just under 20hrs but in the results I'm recorded as around 15hrs. Any chance they'll get sorted? In my case at least, the daily times are correct.

A superb weekend though!

Hi Everyone.

I've just had the sorry news that my sub-sixteen hour total for three days is going to be adjusted up to it's rightful 20+ mark. Pendragon have pulled the spreadsheet from their site and are are reworking the 3-day combined times.

No doubt they will post here when they are ready.

S

mikedeacon wrote:

I also missed the first feed station on the first day, maybe it wasn't too well signed.

A superb weekend though!

Another for missing Saturday's first feed station- did anyone stop there?

Wimped out on Monday BUT Saturday and Sunday were superb and definitely up there with the very best of the sportives that I have done.

The slight changes from last years Sunday route made the feed station locations spot on and quality was good. I can't understand some of the negativity above it was if the comments were about a different event.

As far as I was concerned there were numerous toilet facilities at the start and finish and a smooth no delay registration process. Friendly riders challenging, interesting and scenic routes with high quality signage and top notch weather; certainly enough for me.

Results are in....

... but in a slightly confusing format at the moment.

I've been given the time 7:52:42 PM which I think means 19hrs 52 mins 42 secs which seems about right.

122nd of 212 I think. I'm happy with that