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Lakeland Loop Cycle Sportive - CycleRoad Race


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Great Langdale,
United Kingdom
Epic Events
Sunny
Total Time = 4h 04m
Overall Rank = 2/390
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Bike
  • 4h 04m
  • 68 miles
  • 16.72 mile/hr
Comments:

We were started in waves of 10 every couple of minutes. It would have been nice if I could have ridden with a small group right from the start but everybody in my wave was going too slow so I rode away on my own. I caught another rider towards the end of a climb on the run into Keswick and we worked together on the flat section before the first major climb (Whinlatter Pass). I lost him on the descent before the climb then rode on my own for pretty much the rest of the race. As I was climbing Whinlatter Pass I thought back to last years race where I was in my lowest gear and grinding my way up the climb. This year I was still in my bottom gear but spinning nice and freely (my average cadence for the whole race was 95rpm). After this was a fairly fast descent and then some rolling terrain before the final (and by a long way hardest 19 miles of the race). I sat behind a couple of riders on the final run in to Hardknott Pass so that I could recover a little before the climbs to come. Hardknott Pass has a maximum gradient of 33%, which after 50+ miles of racing is not nice! I did struggle up it without too much of a problem (last year I had to get off and walk) although I didn't feel great. I handled the tricky descent quite well and then began to ride fairly hard up Wrynose Pass. It isn't too steep at first, just a long drag but then it kicks up to 25% towards the end. My legs were really tired at this point but I knew that there was only one short climb to go before the final flat run in to the finish so I didn't back off. After the descent off the final climb I rode the last few miles as hard as I could, finishing with what I knew would be a pretty good time.

My aim at the start of the season was to finish in the top 10 but to finish 2nd was amazing! I couldn't believe it when I saw the results and had to keep checking just to make sure I'd also smashed my time last year by 25 minutes. Just goes to show what a years solid training can do!
Post race



Last updated: 2009-01-02 12:00 AM
Biking
04:04:00 | 68 miles | 16.72 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/390
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Lots of climbing with gradients up to 33%
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2009-04-14 1:53 PM

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Master
1718
1000500100100
Loughborough, England
Subject: Lakeland Loop Cycle Sportive


2009-04-14 7:16 PM
in reply to: #2083912

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Champion
26509
500050005000500050001000500
Sydney
Subject: RE: Lakeland Loop Cycle Sportive

Second!!! Wow guess there is only one goal for next year now???

Way to go - sounds like you had a phenomenal ride!

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