Cycling Ambitions 2016 - Inspiration required!

[TheFungle]

2015 has been a pretty good year, I've ridden the RideLondon, climbed Mt Tiede, participated in local races, represented the RAF at Inter Service level and feel stronger than I have done for quite a few years.

Looking forward to 2016 I feel I'm in need of new challenges. TBH I've no interest in 'ordinary' sportive as I have access to fantastic local riding, the Tour de Cambridgeshire does appeal.

What do I aim for?

I'm thinking:

Flanders or Roubaix sportif.

An Italian Gran Fondo.

Etape de Tour.

Alpine road trip ticking off al the major HC climbs...and descents!

All suggestions most welcome!

Of course, lose 10Kg and become competitive is the obvious answer..

[Fourmotion]

Sounds like a top year.

I wouldn't put the Paris Roubaix in the same league as Flanders. It's a dead flat 100 mile ride with the prevailing wind, with the odd bit of rough road. War of attrition rather than challenging your fitness. I was a little underwhelmed.

Liege-Bastogne-Liege on the other hand is a great challenge. I suspect the Etape and Italian fondos are up there too.

So far I've got La Marmotte booked up, but might do the Wiggle Dragon ride again. Dowks on here is a man who likes his big name rides, hopefully he can offer up some experiences.

[JustinF]

Ride the wild atlantic way in Ireland.

[teambeer]

Tour Du Mont Blanc is definitely a challenge!

Good write up: http://roadcyclinguk.com/sportive/tour-du-mont-bla...

[TSCfree]

RAAM - team submission?

[TheFungle]

TSCfree said:

RAAM - team submission?

Would love to - remember being inspired by it when I was going through Cosford, somehow thinking that it be just a case of rocking up and doing it!

Looking at organising a trip at Stn level, there are enough of us here to justify it without it just being a jolly like some trips tend to be..

[JustinF]

http://vatternrundan.se/en/

[Dowks]

Flanders a really good call - am doing that next year and not Roubaix (Dowks Jr II arrives Jan...)

Hot Chillee London to Paris - expensive but fantastic three days/closed roads etc

LBL I really enjoyed but its a brute if you are a bit heavier, 4500m climbing but short and steep climbs

Gran Fondo New York - brilliant fun and quite quick at front end, nicely ties in with weekend to NY with the other half

RAAM team - I would love to have a crack at that!!

[ewenm]

TheFungle said:

Would love to - remember being inspired by it when I was going through Cosford, somehow thinking that it be just a case of rocking up and doing it!

Looking at organising a trip at Stn level, there are enough of us here to justify it without it just being a jolly like some trips tend to be..

A DRSA (Defence Sports and Recreation Assoc) team did it this year - I'm sure you could find some of them to quiz about it.

[Fluffsri]

TSCfree said:

RAAM - team submission?

Im proud to say when the RAF/BAE Systems team won the RAAM in 2002 I was a member of the support crew.

Im reading a book at the mo by Giles Belbin. Its a history of the Tour De France mountains/passes, last night a few of us have decided we are going to ride the 6 highest routes either 2016/17, all depends on where we are in the world

Edited by Fluffsri on Thursday 13th August 16:04

[richardxjr]

I'm going Alpine Road trip (again)

Grande Route des Alpes for me next year; Geneva to Menton

About 700km and 15,000vm in 5 days

[Moaningroadie]

I'm intending to do for this:
http://www.mallorca312.com

[Gruffy]

How about aiming for Super Randonneur ranking? That means 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km audax rides all in one season. It's an interesting way to mix up your riding in amongst Tour of Cambs, other gran fondos and European jollies.

[Some Gump]

There's an awesome looking challenge that goes up a french alpe in 3 directions in24 hours.

Of all the silly cycling things i've read about, that was the most inspiring imo. Looks blooody hard tho!

[Gruffy]

Sounds like the Club des Cingles on Mont Ventoux? For the truly hardcore there's a fourth route which requires a MTB.

[TheFungle]

Gruffy said:

How about aiming for Super Randonneur ranking? That means 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km audax rides all in one season. It's an interesting way to mix up your riding in amongst Tour of Cambs, other gran fondos and European jollies.

Most of my 'big' rides are around the 80 - 110 mile mark at the moment, I think aiming for the larger distances would require quite a change in my riding although it is something that has crossed my mind.

Gran Fondo NY is very appealing

Fluff> 13yrs late but Chapeau

[nammynake]

Schwalbe TransAlp stage race. See my post a few pages prior for a detailed account. 7 stages from Germany to Italy. The route changes each year but is always epic. We covered around 800km and 19,000m of climbing. It's not well known in the UK but there are around 1000 riders each year from around the World. It is run by Germans hence the whole event is extremely well run. There was a blog on Cycling Weekly web site if you google it.