Something worth training for...

[Rory]

Come May 8th I hope to be taking part in this:
http://www.fredwhittonchallenge.org.uk
I say "hope" because my girlfriend is due to give birth on the 2nd so if the baby is late then it could all go pear shaped. Not sure what will be more painful - giving birth or completing "the hardest organised single day ride in the UK".... thankfully I'll never find out.
Any addiscombers thinking of having a pop? Sylv, with your Litespeed you'll be floating over the hills.

[Gavin]

This must be the hardest thing in the UK. I think it would be good training for the marmotte bur I don't know if I am brave enough. Cars struggle up it in first gear so I am very concerned about finishing it. Although I must say a triple is a must for this one.

G

[Elliot M]

hi rory

the ride is well beyond me...

but congrats on the forthcoming addition!

[sylv]

Rory that 25% pass on the photo looks like the one I was telling you about near Ambleside! I was on a 24*34 and running out of gear! (but I had about 15kg of luggage at the back of the bike). I hear you've lost none of your climbing abilities, looks tailor made for you!

[Rory]

Thanks, Elliot.
Sylv, have you been speaking to mr day?
I'm getting a reputation up this way for my climbing - epecially after doing wrynose pass without getting out the saddle. Yet to do it from the difficult side but I'll have to sort the gearing out before it's attempted. What races are you doing this year? Cristalp?

[Maria David]

I think it must be the same place you're on about Sylvain.
I recall riding up from Broughton on Furness up through some country lanes to get to the Hardknott/Wryose Pass. I came out bang in between Hardknott and Wrynose and then headed to Ambleside. I ended up missing out Hardknott and doing Wrynose from west to east - going up was quite hard - I think it was advertised as 20%, though there must have been sections where it was definitely steeper as I remember a couple of times my cadence becoming almost none existent and nearly falling off the bike (I was on 39x26) !

The descent was definitely 25% though as there were quite a few signs to remind me - that was the scariest bit, especially given the narrowness and twistiness of the roads, and the oncoming cars - by the time I reached Ambleside I was panting not with fatigue but fear !

[sylv]

Maria: that pass i rode up starts from a lake with a climb that gets gradually steeper. Instead of a winding road with hairpins making its way to the top, this one went in an almost straight line! I can't remember seeing the % sign either, but it has to be the steepest road i've been up. Even though i was on the smallest gear on the mtb and virtually static, i had to pause a couple times to take my breath (it was cold too and hard to breathe). After the summit there was a group of houses on the left and you could take a small road on the right, which had a scary name that i can't remember, but something like "the killer". It was super fast and fun, although i had to be very careful with a huge load on the bike rack, which menaced to snap the frame if you rode in potholes. And then a few miles later was Ambleside.

Rory: yes we've been doing the cyclocross season which is now almost over with one last round at Eastway and the team race there too. Simon's riding a cx Trek. Last week Jody Crawforth (UK mtb champ, and one of the best cxers too) was racing, training for the uk champs this weekend and on the short 5-7min lap I was lapped within 35 minutes!
I won't be doing the Cristalp I think (have you received the invite? It's on 21 August), but both 24 hours with team Yeti, and hopefully some short races too. Oh and a 90km cx ski race end of Feb!

[Elliot M]

Sylv: Team Yeti? so that's the full sus you mentioned you might be racing on this year...? Nice one!

Re Hardnott and Wrynose pass, think I've done both as a kid but definitely pushing most of the way. Think even then what kept me going was making my younger brother cry! heh heh!

[Rory]

What's the deal with yeti?
will you be getting to ride one of these?
http://www.bromleybike.co.uk/ishop/399/shopscr2086.html