I had such an amazing day and have been buzzing ever since but I turned up at work this morning and one of my colleagues/fellow riders started bitching that actually without stops I only beat him by 10 minutes!
You know what? I've trained bloody hard for this ride - and I beat him by 50 minutes! I did tell him that without stops I would have still beaten him by 10 minutes - but what a miserable git! Doesn't like beaten by a female - 10 years older. Very disappointing
You beat him by 50 minutes. You count the stops, because otherwise your gaining an unfair advantage over the person who didn't stop and refresh! The official timer is the only one that counts and that will tell your friend he was 50 minutes slower than you!
Yeah, like
@CarlP said, quote Rule #5 to him.
And well done on a superb ride, the second fastest person overall was a woman. And she didn't stop once....
Right, I've read the last 52 pages of this thread. Truly fascinating and inspiring in equal measure. How do I sign up for the ballot next year? I'll lug my bike over from Northern Ireland with the aim of wizzing around the streets of London. Would make a nice break with my wife and daughter so I'll give it a shot by entering the ballot. PS what's the gradient of Leigh Hill and length?
Its an event worth coming over for, I assure you!
Leith Hill climb northbound is around 1.4 miles @ 6.5%. The gradient doesnt really tell you the whole story as the beginning (up to 0.4 miles) sits under 5% or so for the most part, then goes on a rise / flat /rise / flat / rise kind of gradient hitting around 10% for the most part then a steep bit of 16% near the end. Unless you know whats to come, it can be a little bit of a mind bender as everytime you think your there, another bit comes at you. Its no Alps, but its by far the biggest challenge on this years route.
http://app.strava.com/activities/72485576#1426494799
And Peter Sagan quit after doing Leith Hill (3 times) lol.
Like
@CarlP said - go
HERE for ballot info for 2014.
Also, go here for a guaranteed place with a travel package, if that interests you -
http://www.sportstravelinternational.com/STI/Home.html
I'm no good at that sort of thing. All I can say is thoroughly enjoyed the event. Will hold my hands up and admit I did not train enough, but the crowds along with the thought of my nephew/godson (bliss charity have,are helping him) kept me going especially for the last 10 or so miles. That little man has been through a lot more pain than I was feeling.
