UKC

Its just over a month to the Etape Cymru which i have entered for the first time. Anyone else on here taking part?

Being a local resident (Llangollen) i have just received a leaflet advising of the road-closure times for the day. Not sure how they have changed the course from previous years but i gather it does reflect some of the local’s anger at the road-closures.

My one wish for the course is that it run down the Nant -y Garth pass. I would love to do this on closed roads but can see it would be a tricky one to bypass.

And I’m still not sure why they champion the Horseshoe Pass as such a great climb. Yes, it is atmospheric, but its by no means the toughest climb around here…its not even the toughest climb on the course!

In reply to Kimono:

Not doing it, but am local.
This gives you the relevant info for why they choose the Horseshoe http://www.wrexhamcyclingclub.co.uk/competitive.asp

Good luck, I'm sure you'll get on well, the feed stops were awesome!

In reply to Kimono:
Thanks for the link but I do understand that the Horseshoe has 'form' I'm just questioning why it is always seen as this huge challenge.
It is, at best, what I would call a medium climb.
The claims of it being up to 20% in places are just not true. It gets to 13% at one point but only for a few metres and then starts to drop quite quickly.

Ah well, I'm not trying to change history, it is a fantastic location.

Now we just have to pray for fine weather

In reply to Kimono:

Any hill can be as easy or as hard as you make it!

I ride the hill that our club use as our October hill climb almost every week with no problem whatsoever as part of a 100km loop.

Come Hill climb day in October I arrive at the top of the same hill ready to puke, with the taste of blood in my mouth and I literally fall off my bike hardly able to breathe having pushed myself to the limit.

Maybe you should go flat out up Horseshoe and see how you get on, under 10 minutes would be impressive as the course record is 9m 7s.

In reply to Kimono:

I have entered it and did it last year its not as hard as it sounds most of the climbs are easy if you pace your self.Yes the Horseshoe pass is no way 20% but the way some people climb it you would think so, it seems to me a lot of people can not climb very well on sportives because i pass a lot and i am a crap cyclist.Hoping for no tacks this year because i got one.

In reply to ox:

where did you get 'tacked' out of interest?
I believe they have changed the course this year partly to avoid the narky locals that spoiled it for some last year...though not sure exactly what is different

In reply to Kimono:

I'm in! Did it last year too... didn't realise the course had changed - will take a look