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6 comments
Did the 104 mile route. Even as a local rider I was surprised at how much tougher it is than the 63 mile route (which I did as my first event two years ago). Headwind was tough but comes with the territory up here. Lots of riders not moderating their speed for the gravel and potholes - was surprised not to see any accidents.
oh yeah, I saw a few people heading sideways when the wind caught them. Skinny rims for the win.
Also saw a couple of people pushing their bike with a wrecked tubular or two - what were they thinking? Clearly not au fait with the Northumberland craterscape.
Tubs? I assume their team car was following?
Keep talking down Northumberland. We don't want the Great British public knowing how great it is. Some hard men of the road up that way as well.
I had a really enjoyable ride, apart from the chuffin' headwind...
The gravel was a bit of a blighter. There was some pretty unwise overtaking going off, and I felt myself tensing up on other people's behalf sometimes. More than once there was someone who'd over-cooked it in a hedge.
I was on the 65 miler, and I really enjoyed the Ryals, and am proud to say I got up 'em both!! Wahay!
Pedant mode: By the way, the picture caption. The rider's aren't getting medals, the staff are "blipping" timing chips...Pedant mode off!
I agree. Roads were OK apart from the closed lane north of Otterburn where the road fell into the ditch.
I think a few MAMILs discovered on Saturday that really expensive Lightweights or Cosmic Carbones aren't always the right choice when it's blowing a gale.
Thanks to some of the GS Metro lads for dragging me around for a bit.
the roads weren't that bad, it was the headwind that was brutal. The biggest danger was, as ever, the dodgy mix of fair weather trundlers and overconfident, under skilled MAMIL weekend warriors. What's that? Blind sharp left hander at the bottom of a hill? covered in stones and potholes? yes that would be a fantastic place for you and your mate to overtake - but wait... oh my, you appeared to overshot and landed in the ditch. Never mind, I'm sure you can polish out the scratches on your Cervelo as you push it up the next hill.