Tour of Wessex Cyclosportive Sunday 30th May 2010

A dry but breezy day, I was ready in good time and was one of the first at Somerton onto the start line at 0820 and so in the first 50 off at 0830. The north westerly wind blew the front group of around a dozen smartly into Dorset and with a great squealing of brakes at an unexpected sharp left down the hill to skirt around Sherborne. The pace was brisk rather than fast and I seemed to hit the front as the road pitched upward past Lyons Hill but then found the back on the descent down to Cerne Abbas. To my surprise after only 30 miles and 1h35m the group stopped for a feed and I was with just one local rider who wanted the next hill out the way. I followed him down Piddle Lane towards Piddletrenthide but then, when he lost his chain as the lane steepened, I found myself alone the ‘tete de la course’ causing awaiting photographers to spring into action as I crested the hill.


There is no point to riding a cyclosportive on your own so I paused for a nature break behind a hedge, but not before the group now down to around 8 clattered past followed by one individual Gillingham rider. I set off with only the one rider in view and we were both passed on the descent by an Agisko Viner rider. Mr Gillingham and I two upped through Piddlehinton catching Mr Agisko as we crossed the A35 at Puddletown. We then 3 upped through Moreton and Lulworth catching glimpses of the lead group whenever the road straightened.

It was brightening but still very breezy as we hit the picturesque Dorset coast at Lulworth, though after the left turn to head inland it was back to our 2 up until we were passed by a breezy ‘hello’ from a rider in Sky kit with legs to match and pulling a score of riders. They passed us on the climb with sea on the right and tanks on the left up to Steeple. It was challenging to hang onto this group especially when they descended but I managed to hang on in there at the back until we got to the breathtaking view of Corfe Castle.

Along the lanes of Purbeck the group stopped for a drink and I thought I would head on. Before long I caught the lead group and settled into their more comfortable pace as we headed to and through Wareham. Mr Sky’s faster group soon caught up and we had a large efficient (new lead) group going on towards Milton Abbas; the closest point the ride passes to my roots so I had family at the pub waving me on.

As with last year, though, the hill out of Milton Abbas up to Bulborrow was where I cracked. I carried on with a couple of other stragglers up the hill and on into an unrelenting headwind. It was a long way back to Somerton and I suffered, unable to grab the wheel of those who passed. Close to the end back in Somerset I was passed by the rump of the group I had first set out with who had not caught on when Mr Sky’s group passed; but I could not even hang onto them.

Got back to record a time of 06:37 for the 119 miles and a Silver standard.

I have enormous respect for those who do all 3 days of this event; clearly I am not yet up to that.

Fred Whitton Challenge Sunday 9th May 2010

Photo Courtesy of Kirkstone Inn

This year my club sent 10 riders north to undertake the hardest UK sportive ride, 112 hilly miles taking in all the Lakeland passes and 3,600m of climbing.  This is my fourth successive ride at this event and (as with last September's Ronde Picarde) the first time I have failed to improve upon the previous year's time.  Since I abandoned a sedentary, rather portly, lifestyle about 6 years ago the first 5 years saw a steady year on year improvement by just riding the bike.  Suddenly though further improvement or even standing still is getting more and more elusive.

Quite a major part of the challenge was organising a train.  Carrying bikes is just not profitable for railway companies and I can testify that they do not go out of their way to make it easy.  To Virgin Train's credit they did not throw me and the bike out of the passenger lounge; which is just as well since the persistent drizzle had made me abandon the plan to ride from home to Euston in favour of a train instead and I arrived with an hour in hand.  A Pendalino train takes just four bikes and so it was Alistair, Dom another Martin and I who had secured the precious places on this train; all heading to the Whitton.  Anyway those hurdles surmounted, I rather enjoyed the journey up to Windermere and then the ride and ferry across the lake to my B&B in Hawkeshead.

Relaxing in the passenger lounge at Euston....and waiting a few hours later for the Windermere Ferry

On the day (which despite the forecast was generally dry with only gentle wind) I opted for an 0800 start which was a bit later than the rest of the Thames Velo team who waved at me as I made my way over Hawkeshead Hill to the start in Coniston.  I actually got to the Kirkstone Inn faster than last year but things deteriorated rapidly from there.  My descent of Kirkstone was impeded by a car that had overtaken me at the top and gone down on his brakes and I was 10 minutes behind by the Buttermere feed stop.  I covered the ground to Whinlatter in a similar time but really lost time over the ups and downs to Coldfell.  Hardknott and Wrynose went better for me though, with no falling off and no need to put a foot down.  The unanticipated good weather meant there was mercifully little motor traffic on those narrow steep passes.  On the run in towards Coniston was the welcome sight of a Cumbria Police Officer supervising the stopping of traffic by marshals to allow us to make an uphill right turn without stopping - a sight that I fear would leave Thames Valley officers chewing on their truncheons in distress at the momentary inconvenience caused to real (ie motor) traffic.

I made it to the finish in just under 8 hours; a hugely disappointing 30 minutes longer than last year.  A celebratory pub meal followed; then it was up at the crack of dawn (literally) for me to ride round the lake to Windermere in the pouring rain to get the first train back to London and work.