Two cyclists airlifted to hospital with serious injuries during 2014 Fred Whitton Challenge

@alexjones5

The only thing that pissed me off yesterday was the number of gel wrappers and bar wrappers etc on the road. It's things like this that will get these events cancelled. The gel comes out of a pocket, surely the wrapper can go back into it?

+1 for that. Did my first Sportive yesterday in the Etape Caledonia and there were wrappers all over the place. A beautiful route, but not a way to keep locals onside (thanks to all of them for their support on the course yesterday!)

Passed two guys one on a stretcher but communicating with medics and another with a broken arm/collarbone. hope both are OK.

RE descending tips - Thanks all for some really solid advice. Looks to be a matter of not letting the speed build up too much - especially with my, erm, propensity for momentum! (and praying for no oncoming traffic)

Yesterday was my 4th FW and I found the roads even more treacherous than during last years' deluge. I would regard myself as fairly experienced and thought I was riding cautiously but I did still have a few slidey back wheel moments off the back of the Honister. After which I took a few psi out of each tyre (@700c - this helps although don't take so much out you end up pinch-puncturing) and took it even easier. In addition to the seriously injured I saw quite a few minor injuries - it was one of those days when it was very easy to get caught out. Healing vibes to the two seriously injured and hats off again to the Lakes RC for a really well-marshalled event.

I've done the Fred 3 times once in really hot weather, and on one occasion the last few miles (from the top of Wrynoss) just after a thunder storm with hail. Key to decending, don't let your speed build up and keep loose with your bum hovering over the back of the saddle.

I love ridding in the lake district, it's challenging but at the same time very rewarding. Decending these roads is all about balance, confidence, and planning ahead. Decent tyres help too.

A bike that's set up properly and fits your style of ridding is a huge factor too.

I wish all those unlucky enough to fall a complete and speedy recovery.

I'm going to join in here -as one of the people who did the Fred Whitton yesterday -and enjoyed what was closer to mountain adventure racing than a road ride.

Nobody I saw was being aggressive on the Wrynose and Hardknott descents. There were marshalls just below the start of each descent calling out to anyone who was setting off over optimistically -myself included-, more down all of Hardknott (east side, not the west, which is a longer descent). Strava tells me at 10.4 mph I rank 2600 of 3100 -and I was tracking down the speed of everyone nearby. For reference: Conti gatorskin 23mm on the front and a schwalbe durano 23mm slick on the rear: no traction problems encountered. Not deflated either -I'm too prone to snakebites for that.

On Wrynose the road was closed while the Air Ambulance was out -everyone dismounted and walked past. Whoever came off had done it after a left hand turn; there was a tent just over on the hillside where they were fixing them up. But that doesn't say what happened, and nobody should reach for conclusions about skills, weather, speed etc. We don't know and to reach conclusions is as much victim blaming as the "were they wearing a helmet" comments you see in the local press whenever someone gets run over by a truck.

While it's easy to reassure yourself that with your skill, judgement, tyres etc. you wouldn't get into trouble, we are all vulnerable to what are called in mountaineering terms "objective hazards" -stones on the road, sheep, potholes, as well as at risk from the actions of others nearby. The only way to avoid such hazards is simple: stay out of the mountains.

So rather than judging the two who got injured, we should have
-praise for the on-hand mountain rescue team
-praise for the air ambulance crew and first aid
-praise for the doctors on the ride who were offering help -they were turning them away.
-praise for the organisers and volunteers who put a lot of effort into a wonderful day in the mountains.
-best wishes for all who were injured

Christ. The descent from Hardknott down into the valley was nasty when I was last up in the Lakes a couple of years ago. The surface was badly broken with gravelly patches everywhere. And I was out on a glorious day - must be pure evil when the weather closes in.

The descent from Wrynose down into Langdale isn't too bad. There are long steep sections, but it's not twisty and off-camber like the Hardknott is. Could be easy to build up too much speed with a lapse of concentration, though. I was 110k into my ride at the time. On the FW it's about 170k I think. Lots of people would be on the limit mentally and physically by that point.

Just to update anyone interested I read on the Fred fb page last night that both guys are now recovering at home and have been discharged from hospital

I once came down one of those nasty descents off the north downs (maybe Winterfold, can't recall) in the wet and made the classic mistake of allowing myself to build up too much speed at the top. I pulled brakes; water and grit on rims plus too much speed meant brakes did little to slow wheel but did manage to generate sufficient heat that tube blew from expanding so fast. By which point I was on tarmac and sliding into barrier on other side of road and rim was totalled. Car that would have hit me had this all happened 20 seconds later was kind enough to stop and lend assistance.

I don't profess to be a good descender, but my experience: sit (don't stand out of saddle), get into drops, don't carry too much speed into a descent you don't know, use flatter sections to scrub speed, try to stay off brakes whilst actually cornering (braking pulls bike back to vertical, which doesn't help), don't drag brakes (brake, then off, then brake again - better to avoid heat build up). I think you are better off with your weight in the middle of the bike rather than hanging off the back of your saddle too much, because moving your weight backwards will unweight your front wheel which brings risk of drift/wash out (which, unlike a rear wheel slide, can't be saved).

Hi - Didnt do the FW but know the chap who came off on Wrynose and thought you might want an update.

He lives in the Lakes, has done those hills several times. I have also ridden with him in Germany, Belgium and the Alps, so he is an experienced cyclist and he always wears a helmet.

He was in intensive care in Preston for a week and was released from hospital on Sunday (18th). As well as head injuries he suffered fractures to cheek, hand, ribs, shoulder. In his words his body is mending well. Still some head injury related dizziness etc, but in his words:

'....out of action for a few weeks - but on the mend'

Good on you mate, see you in the saddle soon

Aw, glad to hear he's on the mend, thanks for posting