Tour of Cambridgeshire Chrono / Gran Fondo / Sportive 2018
Discussion
m444ttb said:
Is anyone else doing this next weekend? I've entered both the Chrono and the GF Race. I'd like the qualify for think I'll miss out by a minute on the chrono and ruin myself for Sunday in the process.
I'm in for the sportive on Sunday, looking to average 18mph (old and knackered, both me and the bike)!m444ttb said:
If I can get in and stay in a decent group I’m hoping to do 24mph (give or take). I gather it’s usually a pretty aggressive start before settling down though. May end up riding it in with some mates starting in the sportive wave if I know I won’t make the overalls time
The race pens have always gone off hot. Given the numbers, the concertina effect is pretty strong at any of the turns and choke points. With lots of rookie riders going deep into the red, shoulder to shoulder, it can be damn choppy. I'd recommend getting into the front of your pen and working hard to stay in the front 25% of your bunch, at least for the first 20km until it thins out a bit.Entered last year. An excellent event, well-organised and signed, and it was great to ride on closed roads. Also, the sausage rolls at the feed stop were superb. That said, with the exception of a little ramp in the first ten miles, it was an absolutely pan flat course without many memorable parts, although to be honest I was mostly just trying to hold the wheel of my express train.
I went round in 3:40 or so despite a stop for the aforementioned sausage rolls (and my legs were starting to protest at 60 miles in, but we won't mention that bit). A half-decent rider should easily be able to meet the qualifying time.
I went round in 3:40 or so despite a stop for the aforementioned sausage rolls (and my legs were starting to protest at 60 miles in, but we won't mention that bit). A half-decent rider should easily be able to meet the qualifying time.
Gruffy said:
The race pens have always gone off hot. Given the numbers, the concertina effect is pretty strong at any of the turns and choke points. With lots of rookie riders going deep into the red, shoulder to shoulder, it can be damn choppy. I'd recommend getting into the front of your pen and working hard to stay in the front 25% of your bunch, at least for the first 20km until it thins out a bit.
I’ll just have to repeat the Chrono I think! The. Hope for the best on the rest.As always, watch out for potholes guys. There's a stretch of road towards the end just after you go under the A1 which the council seem to have forgotten about for decades - the worst holes are at the bottom of one of the downhill sections 
Managed 5 hours last year, looking to improve this time round.
Edited for exaggerated time
Managed 5 hours last year, looking to improve this time round.
Edited for exaggerated time
Edited by CambsBill on Monday 28th May 18:42
This will be my 4th and probably final year - I was hoping to be fit enough to finish in the main group from my race pen (35-39) but that ain't gonna happen since breaking my collar bone... I'm well enough to ride but nowhere near the form to keep up!
Tbh it had already lost it's shine for me. I think it's getting pricey for what it is and what you pay for one day in the fens can pay for maybe 4 or 5 crit entries at Rockingham or Mallory etc..
I'm treating it as a training ride for my local road race on July 1st (family commitments allowing)
For anybody starting in the race pens be aware, as mentioned before, the first hour is basically flat out and pretty choppy! I saw a good 3 or 4 guys go down in that first hour...
Last year I was spinning out my 50/11 at over 40mph and got dropped in the inevitable push up Vinegar Hill coming out of Alconbury Weston. I finished about 20 mins behind the main group (3'26) - my mate was 15th in our age group at 3'05 - I didn't make the cut!
Tbh it had already lost it's shine for me. I think it's getting pricey for what it is and what you pay for one day in the fens can pay for maybe 4 or 5 crit entries at Rockingham or Mallory etc..
I'm treating it as a training ride for my local road race on July 1st (family commitments allowing)
For anybody starting in the race pens be aware, as mentioned before, the first hour is basically flat out and pretty choppy! I saw a good 3 or 4 guys go down in that first hour...
Last year I was spinning out my 50/11 at over 40mph and got dropped in the inevitable push up Vinegar Hill coming out of Alconbury Weston. I finished about 20 mins behind the main group (3'26) - my mate was 15th in our age group at 3'05 - I didn't make the cut!
m444ttb said:
I’m feeling pretty rubbish at the moment so I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I may well just bury myself on Saturday and see if I can drop back to the sportive pen on Sunday. Not really feeling up this as my first bunch race either!
It will be remarkably easy if you just sit in. The worry with these things is (they're far from races in both style and ability) is that you get people who are strong for the first 5 minutes and ride like total idiots, I'd never want to start anywhere else than near the front of one of these things. Some of the stuff I saw in Ride London was worrying. But sitting in the wheels once you have avoided the mad start will be pretty easy to nip along at 25mph, I think you'll be surprised.
WolfieBot said:
Just found out this is a 12pm start on Sunday! Bit late in the day.
No idea what speed to aim for. A normal 40mile ish ride with some moderate hills would be around 15mph. This is mostly flat, closed roads and masses of people so I'd hope for quicker than that?
add 4mphNo idea what speed to aim for. A normal 40mile ish ride with some moderate hills would be around 15mph. This is mostly flat, closed roads and masses of people so I'd hope for quicker than that?
okgo said:
It will be remarkably easy if you just sit in.
The worry with these things is (they're far from races in both style and ability) is that you get people who are strong for the first 5 minutes and ride like total idiots, I'd never want to start anywhere else than near the front of one of these things. Some of the stuff I saw in Ride London was worrying. But sitting in the wheels once you have avoided the mad start will be pretty easy to nip along at 25mph, I think you'll be surprised.
While I've not raced in a group I'm reasonably confident in my ability to work around other people. After the mad stage at least. Not sure I'd spot some of the warning signs of stupidity that someone who has raced a few cat 4 crits would though. I think the closest I've ever come to crashing on a group ride was when the person in front decided to get out of the saddle and thrust their bike backward by the length of the top tube.The worry with these things is (they're far from races in both style and ability) is that you get people who are strong for the first 5 minutes and ride like total idiots, I'd never want to start anywhere else than near the front of one of these things. Some of the stuff I saw in Ride London was worrying. But sitting in the wheels once you have avoided the mad start will be pretty easy to nip along at 25mph, I think you'll be surprised.
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