Well another century ride completed and this was one that I tried as a dummy run for certain aspects of the Etape, well with regard to logistics anyway?
I travelled that day before, stayed in a hotel, took my bike in a bag and assembled it in the hotel, tried large and fast group riding,etc, etc.
First problem, I FORGOT MY WATER BOTTLES, oh no! what a crazy thing to do, I left them filled with my drinks in the fridge at home,and was unable to by any at night or on the morning of the event either, so resorted to buying 3 by 500ml still spring water bottles and trying to tip my spare drinks powders into the so small tops! and then I padded my bottle cages out with tissues from my hotel room, not pretty or that functional, by at least it did the job! And as luck would have it I found on the ride, a discarded bike drinks bottle, albeit, with a dodgy top valve, but I stopped, wiped it off and used it with my own drinks in for the duration of the race.
The Start went well and I soon ended up in a large group and did the first 40 miles in a smidgen over 2hours, so was really flying for me, and feeling comfortable in a massive group of about 60 riders, then I shipped my chain off the large ring and stopped to rectify, I had to work quite hard to make the junction (that came from the TV?) and then after getting back I punctured and had to stop to repair the rear tyres tube, which was caused by a shard of flint( as were hundreds and hundreds of other as well. Memo to self: carry more than one spare tube! and go away from co2 cartridges and get a small portable pump.
The compulsory 20 minute break came at 50 miles and low and behold as I left the refreshment stop, I linked up with the original group who had slimmed down a bit, but still worked really well together. we then had a cracking ride through to the end, with another puncture in the group, and a good downpour to test our waterproof bodies, but was constantly passing other riders and feeling like proper riders and not just out for a Sunday ride.
All in all a cracking day, although nothing to compare with the etape at only 3100ft of climbing the time of 5:36 was a smashing time and 45Min's faster than my last century only a few weeks ago, showing how much a group really can help.
The Dave Lloyd midi mega challenge should hopefully be the next sportive I do, and I know this will be a different kettle of fish with the goal of just surviving?
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