Rode the 'short' Vélo 29 York-Leeds-York Sportive this morning with a mate.
This is a new one for us, although it starts from the same place as the
Wiggle Vale Vélo in a couple of weeks. Apparently they had nearly 1,000 riders signed up for the three rides - there were certainly enough people milling around registration and at the start!
The ride heads west, along the bottom side of York and into the countryside. We set quite a decent pace initially, although we were always aware of the headwind which was forecast at 15-20mph, depending which app you use. Soon out into the countryside after negotiating the streets of York with no major incidents and past the sewage works which absolutely stank. I don't know what they're eating in York, but by heck...
The next bit was interesting, as the organisers had elected to use the Solar Cycleway at Naburn (NCR65?) to cross the River Ouse, which involved 100 yards of narrow rough stony path before the short climb onto the former railway line. Blimey that was rough - I don't know how the people with £1000 wheels got on but I felt every lump and bump. And of course, because it was a sportive there was some twit who had to force his way past everyone despite their barely being room for him
The drop down from the cycleway was 'interesting' too, passing through a gap only slightly wider than the bike and down a narrow footpath onto the road below.
Anyhow, pressing on through the villages of Acaster Malbis and Appleton Roebuck, becoming even more aware of the wind as we turned into it.
We were getting into open countryside now, often with nothing to protect us from the wind and Tim's superior fitness was showing (he's a triathlete) and I was just about keeping pace with him, although dropping back a little.
Another sportive gem then as the shout "full power right" (what the heck???) came from over my shoulder and a group of very serious cyclists all in black blasted past inches from my elbow - I can only assume it was Team Sky in disguise such was their sense of self importance
The slog into the wind eventually ended as we climbed into Tadcaster, where I was very happy to stop at a red traffic light for a couple of minutes, before the gentle climb up to Wighill, with me taking the lead now. I cycle around here a bit and this is great cycling country - nicely undulating and lots of little villages as we started heading back east and got the benefit of a bit of tailwind (although the law of sod dictates we were now riding between tall hedges...)
Just before Askham Richard the signs directed us up what appeared to be a farm track on some very rough tarmac, before eventually reaching the village and the feed station - the highlight of any sportive.
Had a good laugh with the staff and other cyclists as we hoovered up flapjack and sausage rolls and topped up water bottles, before heading back out of the village and climbed up to the summit of the ride at the aptly named Bilborough Top.
Back over the A64 and past the Golden Arches, through Colton and a lovely 5km of gentle descending back to Appleton Roebuck, where we picked up the outbound course and retraced the route back to York. We took advantage of the wind now as despite a bit of undulating, we had 8 straight miles where our average speed didn't drop below 16mph
Back over the river on the fiddly bit and then to York, past the stinky sewages works and up the A19 without incident, but then two halfwit passes within a couple of miles (the only ones of note all day) before adding a little loop on to push the mileage beyond 40 (officially the route was 39.8miles)
Then it was on to the finish line for medals and protein bars.
40.58 miles (65.3km) in
2h 50m at an average of
14.3mph, with
1,177 ft climbed.
It's a good route and would have been great without that blooming head wind - It's about as flat a ride as you can do in Yorkshire over that sort of distance, but still enjoys varied scenery and largely traffic free roads once out of York.
I don't know how those doing the longer routes got on as apparently a bit further west it's been pouring down for most of the day, which combined with that wind can't have been fun, especially for those climbing up into the Dales on the 'long' route.
Then we went up to the Agar Arms in Warthill, a couple of miles away, where we enjoyed a well earned lunch. It's a great village pub, with good quality, reasonably priced food and well worth a stop if you're in the area.
tried to ride monday and every pedal rev hurt .
Lambhill Stables cycling hub on the canal
Seedy canal lane!
