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the_craig

the_craig

Veteran
Location
Lanarkshire
Just caught up with yesterday's race.

It was a good race - I really wanted Van Marcke to win it but good nonetheless.

One thing is don't get though is the fuss about Box Hill. Is it the hairpin bends that make it look like a mini Alpe d'Huez? Or that it's the only hill in the flat South-West?
 
Legs

Legs

usually riding on Zwift...
Location
Staffordshire
the_craig said:
Or that it's the only hill in the flat South-West?
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South East. Not the only one, by no means the hardest, but it was great for spectating at the Limpicks.
 
the_craig

the_craig

Veteran
Location
Lanarkshire
User said:
Yes, it is the hairpins that make it look good on telly. It was identified as iconic in advance of the 2012 Olympics and that has stuck.
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Cheers. I was having a nosey on Strava at the Box Hill segment and it didn't look too tricky and was wondering why it was being mentioned. It didn't seem to give the riders too much bother yesterday.

I'm sure even I could manage up...
 
Buddfox

Buddfox

Veteran
Location
London
the_craig said:
Cheers. I was having a nosey on Strava at the Box Hill segment and it didn't look too tricky and was wondering why it was being mentioned. It didn't seem to give the riders too much bother yesterday.

I'm sure even I could manage up...
Click to expand...

It's pretty easy. Leith Hill and Ranmore Hill (which they also did) are much steeper and therefore more interesting. Leith Hill hits 12% and I think Ranmore might be steeper than that in parts. That said, they aren't even really hills by comparison to say the Tumble or almost anything you get in Yorkshire...
 
HF2300

HF2300

Insanity Prawn Boy
I think there are a number of reasons for Box Hill; the number of decent hills around London are fairly limited, the number that could reasonably be incorporated into the Olympic road races and Surrey Classic more so (although now I've said that, all the home counties types will start naming their favourite 20 km 1 in 3); it's on a loop that's been used by very many cyclists for serious or leisurely weekend rides since the late 1800s, so it was already well known and regarded (hence the iconic bit); it presents challenges to, or more to the point attacking opportunities for, a decent size peloton; it can be incorporated into various routes and other hills around the area;it was used in the Olympic road races; the village hall did a variety of really nice cake during the Olympics; if you squint a lot and use a healthy dose of imagination or magic mushrooms it looks a tiny, tiny little bit like a very cut down version of Alpe D'Huez with more vegetation and fewer mad Dutchmen.
 
coffeejo

coffeejo

Ælfrēd
Location
West Somerset
Never cycled in the south east so can't comment on the hills but according to Mister Boardman yesterday, the gradient is less relevant than the speed at which you go up it.
 
philk56

philk56

Guru
Location
WAy down under
Having ridden up Box Hill on the london 100 yesterday, and also on a recce ride, it's by no means the hardest hill i've ridden or even in the local vicinity. But it is a very enjoyable climb with a beautiful road surface, steady gradient and great view from the top.
 
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