South West Tour-Ride sportive report
This month the professionals are riding the Tour of Britain, but on Sunday 5th September, a squad of 13 from Chippenham Wheelers sampled the hardest stage, thanks to the South West Tour Ride sportive.
The day was not auspicious, with driving rain and dark clouds overshadowing Minehead. But no-one pulled out, and it was great to see a clutch of orange-black-and-white jerseys gathering near the start-line. Using the excellent club forum, we’d arranged to meet and start together at 7.30am. Some got there a bit early. Others timed it to perfection and rolled in at 28 minutes past.
But within a few minutes it made no difference. We were all soaking wet, as the first few miles took us through the puddle-strewn streets and out along the main road heading east - and into the wind. We soon turned inland by Dunster, and started the first big climb of the day: the ascent of Lype Hill - from sea-level to 400m in about 16km.
And that set the scene for the rest of the day. This Tour Ride came in two flavours: ‘Pro’ and ‘Challenge’. Most of us were doing the Pro version, a 175km coast-to-coast route across the Southwest Peninsula. Devon and Somerset may not be well-known for cycling climbs, like the Pennines or North Wales - but we soon began to realise that the landscape was very hilly indeed.
John’s strategy was ‘to get out of Somerset as quickly as possible’, and soon he was pulling away from the Chippenham peloton, joined by Rich, Simon B and Simon M. Robin and Alex were taking it steady, before this sportive, Alex’s longest ride was just 50 miles, so for today’s epic he wisely avoided any temptation to half-wheel his Dad. Halfway up the hill, some temporary traffic lights split us again. (It was good to see the riders from our club stop at the red light, unlike many others that carried on through, much to the understandable annoyance of drivers coming the other way.)
So the Chippenham back-markers were Jacqui, Andy, Simon L, Paul and myself, and we went up the climb at a nice steady cadence. Paul was taking it easy (allegedly due to a heavy calorie intake on the previous two evenings), while Andy was nursing an injury, so Jacqui said the pace was perfect.
From the top of Lype Hill, we descend back towards the coast. Normally, downhill sections are fun, but the roads were narrow and twisting, and soaking wet, so caution was definitely called for. All Chippenham riders stayed up-right on this section, but a few other folk came to grief on the bends.
More hills, and that stiff easterly, greeted us on the coastal section through Blue Anchor. By this time I was riding with Jim and Simon L, and we through-and-offed for a few miles, sharing the load.
By the time we reached the little harbour of Watchet, the rain was easing, and my legs were finally starting to warm up. Luckily just in time, because the next big long climb was into the Brendon Hills, another ascent from sea-level to 400m, this time in about 13km. Again, it was a case of sit and steady-pedal, and knowing we’d done a third of the route when we reached the summit was a great psychological boost.
Although the two highest climbs of the day were behind us, the route was relentlessly hilly, rollercoasting across the Westcountry through Wivelscombe and Wellington, then over Blackdown Hills, before a welcome drop into Honiton.
By this time I was riding with John, much happier now we were in Devon, and near Wellington we’d teamed up with Rich and Simon B. This section was also the only bit of the route where anything like decent groups formed. The lumpy landscape everywhere else meant everyone split into threes and fours. John dropped back to enjoy the scenery, and later teamed up with Simon M, while Rich, Simon B and myself carried on.
With 70km to go, Honiton was the start the Challenge Ride, and there was a lot more riders on the road. By now the sun was properly out, so off came the gillets and arm warmers. It was turning out to be a wonderful day on the bike.
But there was no time to relax. A few more hills took us down to the sea again at the south coast resort of Sidmouth. The section along a virtually pedestrianised main street took a few riders (and a few pedestrians) by surprise, but the real shock was our sudden arrival at the harshest climb of the day, the appropriately named Peak Hill: a 1km stretch of 20% gradient, steepening to 25% near the top. Coming at 130km into the ride, it was an absolute killer.
On the real race, the pros will be going for King of the Mountains points here, and on Sunday even sportive riders got to play, with timing mats at the bottom and top of the hill. Most split-times ranged from 6 to 10 minutes, although the Rapha-Condor-Sharp squad (riding the sportive in preparation for the race) and some other hard guys got up in under 5 minutes.
We stopped at a feed station in Otterton before the final 40km in to the finish, and were spoilt for choice. All the feeds were well organised with a great choice of stuff - gels, sandwiches, bars, cakes, fruit, water, energy drink - and all staffed by friendly and encouraging helpers too.
With bottles topped up, we were set to go again. By this stage in the ride, the gradients weren’t so steep, but still kept on coming at us, one after another. It was utterly draining. The last hill, just after Dawlish, was the worse of the day. We were all at the limit of our energy (well, I was) and the false summits were cruel - giving hope then snatching it away.
But all was forgiven and instantly forgotten on the downhill stretch into Teighnmouth and one of the best sportive endings we have ever encountered: the Tour of Britain final straight along the promenade, with a finish arch, flags and banners, barriers along each side, and a massive crowd cheering and clapping. It was a taste of the pro-life, and well deserved by every sportive rider that finished.
Thanks to the famous orange-black-and-white jerseys, all the Chippenham Wheelers got name-checks over the loudspeakers at the finish. Special cheers went to Jim Avery for cruising in on his folding bike, and to Alex Collyer - one of only a few under-18s riding the Pro distance. Chapeau!
Overall, we all agreed the Tour Ride was an excellent event: a technical and very demanding ‘Pro’ course, and suitably challenging ‘Challenge’ course. There was good camaraderie among the riders, while crowds of supporters on the climbs kept us going. Add well-stocked feed-stations, decent goodie bags, free drinks and food and a festival atmosphere at the finish - plus the knowledge that profits go to the Prostate Cancer Charity - and you’ve got the makings of a top-class classic.
The Chippenham Wheelers riders had put out a plee for sponsorship to friends, family and fellow club members. At time of writing we had raised over £1500 for the Prostate Cancer Charity which is a fantastic result. Thanks to all who gave so generously. It is still not too late to donate at http://www.prostatecancercharity.org.uk/chippenhamwheelers
This may be the first year for the South-west Tour Ride sportive, but it surely won’t be the last, and I’m sure the Chippenham Wheelers will be there in force once again.
Pro-Ride stats
- Number of entrants, total: 1700 approx
- Number of starters (not put off by bad weather!): 1500 approx
- Number of finishers, total: 1300 approx
- Number of finishers - pro ride: 782
- Number of finishers - challenge ride: 545
- Fastest rider - pro ride: 05:56:28 (Darren Lapthorne, Rapha-Condor-Sharp)
- Slowest rider - pro ride: 12:00:01
Chippenham Wheelers stats (listed alphabetically, because - as we all know - it’s not a race)
Challenge Ride
- Jim Avery 04:09:01
Pro Ride
- Jim Baggett 08:18:03
- Simon Barnes 06:49:31
- John Berry 07:28:25
- Richard Buckley 06:48:47
- Alex Collyer 09:07:09
- Robin Collyer 09:07:09
- Andy Cook 07:58:46
- Jacqui Cook 07:58:46
- David Else 06:45:14
- Simon Lewis 07:19:15
- Simon Matthews 07:28:21
- Paul Mccormack 08:18:02
Event website - http://www.tourride.co.uk
