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How did you get on, those that did the Etape Du Dales. It's the first cyclosportive I've done and I enjoyed it, or I should say I enjoyed it until the rain really started doing its thing. I'd hoped to get round in less than eight hours - to get the silver award, but ended up going round in 8hrs 9minutes. A bit gauling because I had a tube literally explode with the biggest bang I'd ever heard at the foot of a long steep descent (no patch could mend it now) I might have lost 10 minutes changing it, though I was pretty sharpish so I reckon I lost about 8 minutes - now would that be really annoying finishing in 8Hrs 01 minutes. Anyway, already looking forward to next year and I shall do it on my lighter bike and it will be sunny and dry, so I won't be so cowardly on the decents, so I will easily get in, in sub 8 hours - probably

Well done Steve though bad luck with the flat. Conditions in the afternoon were really apalling weren't they. My fingers were so cold I could barely use the car keys at the finish. Fortunately the showers were nice and hot.
I got round in 6.54 which was a gold medal time. You were looking good in the new jersey - it certainly stands out in the crowd.

I should mention that this was one of the best organised "cyclosportive" rides I've done. Good HQ, electronic timing chips, a detailed route card and the whole route was signposted, marshalls on all the major junctions, plenty of food/drink stops. There was also a really nice astmosphere on the whole ride. It just shows that you don't need to travel all the way to France or Italy for such an event! Perhaps next year we should ride it together as a club.

It'd be good to ride it next year - i failed to get an entry this year as it was full.

"Perhaps next year we should ride it together as a club?" - noted!

That's an incredibly good ride Steve, I'd guess you averaged about 17mph, very impressive in that terrain in those conditions. I'd been impressed when, Tony Mills, Sam Streeton & Tony Grant (VC York lads) told me they'd done it in 7.27.

If we want a strong club presence next year everyone will have to post their applications on 1st Jan, 1st class and I don't think that will guarantee a ride, these things are getting very popular.

Sighting of a smiling (grimacing?) Cliftonite on kennedyimages website...