Thursday, 09 June 2016 08:03

Aberystwyth Cycle Festival and the Welsh Wild Sportive

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As I lined up with my fellow competitiors on the prom at Aberystwyth ready for the start of the Y Cawr 106 mile sportive, I barely listened as the event compere gave out the rider information. Warnings about cattle grids, oh yeah heard about those then the microphone was put in my face. "So what made you ride the Y Cawr route today?" It was a question I'd been asking my self on the early morning drive up from South Wales. A question I'd asked myself at the Velothon the previous week. Why, just why had I signed up to a 106 mile ride with nearly 3000m of ascent just a week after the Velothon. "Well" I said "I was on my laptop, I had my debit card in my hand, it was payday and I was on my second bottle of wine....

 Lets set my stall out from the start. I love Aberystwyth. I lived there for six years during my late teens and early twenties. I actually went to university there just to stay in the town. I've gigged there in my former life as a rock star. I was board member of the mighty Aberystwyth Town FC and the very first piece I had published was in the match day program. But like a lot of my tales of the town which was once described by the legendary former Aber Town Manager Merion Appleton, as a footballing oasis in a desert of ship and fish, it had started with alcohol.

Abercycle 1

 Be that as may, I was really looking forward to this ride. The route looking difficult but knowing the area I was almost salivating over the thought of it. I knew I'd be riding some of the most beautiful roads in Britain and many of those roads would be quiet. There were four route options available, Y Corrach (Dwarf) 28miles, Y Diafol (Devil) 42miles, Y Mynach (Monk) 70miles and finally the route I was taking on Y Cawr (Giant) originally 114miles but due to last minute changes 106miles.

My fellow Y Cawr riders and I rolled out at 8 in the morning along the prom heading north towards constitution hill with it Cliff Railway and Camera Obscurer and turned off the prom towards the first climb of the day Penglais. No warm up on this ride, straight into it. When I was a tax dodger in Aber I used to get a bus up this hill. I've come a long way. I could say I was thinking this as I rode past the Pant Y Celyn halls where the Prince of Wales stayed when he studied Welsh at Uni, but I wasn't. I was feeling the tiredness from the previous week and doubting myself, but before I knew it I was at the top and riding the roller coaster road to the murder capital of Wales, Borth.

Detective Inspector Mathais was obviously busy at yet another murder and was nowhere to be seen so I rode into the headwind before turning inland towards Talybont and the mountains. Talybont hosted the first feed stop and for once I stopped knowing there was a big day ahead. I'm glad I did. Rather than the usual gels, bars etc they had proper food. Sausage Rolls and coffee! After weeks of denying myself pastry the sausage roll tasted so good and combined with a welsh cake I was in good stead for the next climb Nant Y Moch.

Abercycle 2

 The Nant Y Moch climb is a hidden gem. Five Miles long at an average of 5% it climbs over a thousand feet. Single track road with rough patch this is rural. This is one of least densely populated areas in Britain and feels like. The roads on this sportive may be "open" but with roads like this they don't need to be closed. With Red Kites as numerous as Seagulls in Whitby riding was hard but just sheer joy and after summiting and riding on to Devils Bridge I was happy I'd opened the second bottle. Hitting the next climb though my legs went to lead. In the Distance was "The Arch" famous in these parts as a celebration of the Hafod Estate. I'd run out of gears. The climb wasn't that steep but I was now tired. My hamstring had tightened and getting out the saddle wasn't an option so as I crested to see another food stop I was overjoyed with more sausage rolls and coffee.

A little further on the last the options to shorten the route was passed. No way could I wimp out. I'm Aber Town!! Besides I knew the hardest climbs were done. They were weren't they. So I rolled on towards Tregaron and Lampeter. More climbing followed more climbing. The route hadn't been flay since Borth and wasn't about to become so now and then a though I'd been trying to block out sprung to mind. On the road between Lampeter and Llanrhystud there'd been directional signs and a 19% hill. It's a real first gear hill. Steep, narrow and twisty. Sadly I'll admit I was probably beaten before I got there. I walked it. To be honest, without being able to produce a decent out of the saddle effort I'd have stalled anyway so I made the sensible decision. It bugs me though.

More of the beautiful Mid Wales scenery rolled by with more Red Kites for company and I barely saw any of my fellow riders, in fact past Lampeter it wasn't until ten miles from the finish until I saw anyone else. I was convinced I was Lanterne Rouge and I as I pulled into a feed stop staffed by bikers I said suppose I'm last then. No there were 12 more behind me. Partly elated by this and partly disappointed because the Lanterne Rouge carries a certain Kudos, I rode on into the increasing headwind towards Penuwch. Until today perhaps my greatest sporting achievement had been saving a penalty against Penuwch Post office but I was surpassing that today. Oh yes.

Abercycle 3

The last few miles were a journey through my mind. I'll be honest I struggled. Three of the 12 riders behind would pass me before the finish but I don't care. As I rode towards the finish line on the Prom I was content. My legs hurt, my feet hurt, my face was encrusted in salt from the sweat of my day. My bike creaked as my rear mech finally gives up the ghost after thousands of gear shifts but I was content. The last ten miles flew by and as rode over Trefechan Bridge, turned left onto South Road and passed the first flat I had on my own, before turning right onto South Beach, passing the picnic bench I wrote Hold It Inside, towards castle point and the Old College, finally left by the Royal Pier and finishing at the bandstand. Exhausted but well aware this was something. As I gobbled down Spag Bol with bread and dipping sausage rolls I came to the conclusion that this was the best Sportive I'd ridden so far. Wonderful route, sausage rolls, brilliantly organised and fun. Serious kudos to the organisers I'm coming back next year without doubt. Got a hill to conquer.

Abercycle 4

 The sportives are just a part of Aber Cycle Fest. Taking part over a week leadin up to the Bank Holiday. It includes a number of lectures and events including a round of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series (Won this year by Welshman Jon Mould of JLT Condor), a hill climb challenge, a series of town centre criteriums including a Women's Race and a downhill Mountain bike race which sadly I missed. World Champion Rachel Atherton didn't though winning the women's race.

Abercycle 6

Aberystwyth is a small town with a big town attitude. The Tour Series shut off a lot of the roads in town that day but there was no moaning. The crowds were as big for the children's races as the Pros in the evening. It looked like every local school had entered every child in a race and kids being kids it was competitive and crash filled. Brilliant. I make no apologies I love this town and the Aber Cycle Fest reminded me why. Got another excuse to go back now as well.

Abercycle 7

Abercycle 8 

Abercycle 9