Days Six & Seven of the GORE BIKE WEAR® TransWales, powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport – bumper edition!

We hope you had a nice weekend – by the looks of it, the brave folk participating in TransWales certainly did. Here are the reports from days six and seven, plus the final results, in a slightly truncated form to save your bandwidth. Happy vicarious racing…

Friday 19th August, Day Six: ‘The Night Train’
Linking Stage Six (including Special Stage Five): Cwmystwyth to Cilycwm. Total distance: 74km, climbing: 2000m

The penultimate day of the GORE BIKE WEAR® TransWales, powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport began under dry skies and continued to enjoy good weather for its entire duration. Although the day’s linking stage was an undeniably good day in the saddle, it couldn’t hold a candle to the elbows out, singletrack rocket thrills and spills that the fifth special stage – the Exposure Lights night time special stage – had in store.

Riders left the picturesque campsite at Blaenycwm at the foot of yesterday’s final descent near Cwmystwyth at 9am and, after a brief spin down the valley, struck across the river and onto rocky double track that hitched up into woodland and eventually climbed up towards the remotely picturesque Teifi Lakes. For some, feeling a little worse for wear due to a late night of revelling thanks to cheap beer and a cracking three piece band, the start was a little slower than normal. However it wasn’t long before their minds moved from focusing on their hangovers to the rugged descent that unfurled before them. The riders were then swept along and into the Tywi Forest’s stupidly fun water crossings. After climbing up and out of the forest, the trail headed west until it hit the river Doethie. It then turned and headed south flanking this picturesque watercourse along a ribbon of singletrack for some 5km. Both remote and enthralling, this trail is a gem that rounded out the day’s linking stage in fine style. Then the riders hit the black top for a few miles down towards the stage end at Cilycwm.

When darkness fell a few riders sat out the stage nursing very tired bodies, broken bikes, and various maladies in between. For those that put the Psiren-like call of their beds to one side, the rewards were numerous and plenty of categories remained far from clear-cut by the end of the night-time special.

EXPOSURE LIGHTS NIGHT TIME SPECIAL STAGE (FIVE) RESULTS

Buff Headwear Female Pairs category

1 – Elizabeth Adams & Rosemary Byde (Team Number 28): 26:07.215

2 – Steph Fountain & Lisa Bolton (Saddle Skedaddle): 27:26.335

3 – Kelly Clark & Cath Hempsall (Unattached): 29:46.110

Merida Bikes Male Pairs category

1 – Simon Harrison & Robin Calverley (RAF CC): 22:14.550

2 – Mark Wright & Enda Reynolds (Team Trailbadger): 22:20.785

3 – Ben Warrick & David Evans (Unattached): 22:51.130

Schwalbe Tyres Male Solo category

1 – Matt Page (Wiggle): 19:27.190

Sigma ROX 11.1 EVO GPS bike computer

Share

Watch on

2 – Ajay Chhatri (Torq): 19:36.570

3 – Scott Cornish (Unattached): 20:01.780

Schwalbe Tyres Female Solo category

1 – Hannah Thorne (Unattached): 22:57.650

2 –Fiona Spotswood (Cyclist No. 1): 23:23.000

3 – Anna Buckingham (The Big Adventure Store): 28:47.120

Alpina Helmets Veteran Pairs Male category

1 – Richard Hoyte & Simon Alun (Dirty Habit): 25:24.700

2 – Martyn Bramhall & Mick Fairest (Sheffield Pheonix): 28:17.590

3 – Steven Williams & Paul Smith (East Midlands Airport): 30:15.685

Birzman Tools Mixed Pairs category

1 – Katie Vaughan & Andrew Heywood (Motor Neurone Disease Association): 25:55.610

2 – John Drummon & Catherine Drummond (Align Pilates): 29:43.160

3 – Johanita Swanepoel & Pierre Cloete (Cameltoe): 46:28.000

Saris Racks Veteran Solo Male category

1 – Paul Whittaker (Stockport Clarion CC): 20:51.860

2 – Andy Jones (Clee Cycles KCNC): 21:26.980

3 – Nick Harwood (Unattached): 23:05.620

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION: DAY SIX

Buff Headwear Female Pairs category

1 – Elizabeth Adams & Rosemary Byde (Team Number 28): 42:18:46

2 – Steph Fountain & Lisa Bolton (Saddle Skedaddle): 42:21:25

3 – Kelly Clark & Cath Hempsall (Unattached): 42:31:55

Merida Bikes Male Pairs category

1 – Simon Harrison & Robin Calverley (RAF CC): 42:06:06

2 – Mark Wright & Enda Reynolds (Team Trailbadger): 42:07:38

3 – David Askin & David O’Brien (Rally da Digger): 42:12:53

Schwalbe Tyres Male Solo category

1 – Matt Page (Wiggle): 41:58:14

2 – Ajay Chhatri (Torq): 41:58:53

3 – Matt Williams (Unattached): 42:01:42

Schwalbe Tyres Female Solo category

1 – Hannah Thorne (Unattached): 42:08:51

2 – Fiona Spotswood (Cyclist No. 1): 42:10:04

3 – Anna Buckingham (The Big Adventure Store): 42:27:21

Alpina Helmets Veteran Pairs Male category

1 – Dave Sheppard & Trevor Marshall (MAMIL): 42:46:48

2 – Ben Barden & Chris Putnam (White Spirit): 42:47:20

Birzman Tools Mixed Pairs category

1 – Katie Vaughan & Andrew Heywood (Motor Neurone Disease Association): 42:17:59

2 – John Drummond & Catherine Drummond (Align Pilates): 42:25:31

3 – Johanita Swanepoel & Pierre Cloete (Cameltoe): 42:50:02

Saris Racks Veteran Solo Male category

1 – Andy Jones (Clee Cycles KCNC): 42:03:33

2 – Paul Whittaker (Stockport Clarion CC): 42:03:34

3 – Andy Roberts (Unattached): 42:07:24

Saturday 20th August, Day Seven: ‘The End’
Linking Stage Seven (including Special Stage Six): Cilycwm to Builth Wells. Total distance: 60km, climbing: 1600m

The final day of the very last GORE BIKE WEAR® TransWales, powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport came to a close with the crowning of this year’s champions following a dramatic finale.

The last day of the TransWales would bring the riders home and full circle after seven days and 536km (333 miles) and 15,260m (50,065ft) of climbing. It’s been a tough cookie for sure, but the battle-weary riders knew that this would be the final push, the one that would see them complete the epic challenge that is the GORE BIKE WEAR® TransWales, powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport. But then there was the sting the tail: the final – and deciding – special stage. For some, the last chance to haul their way up the rankings; for others, the final gurn-inducing effort before a well earned cold beer, or three. But for all, the satisfaction of meeting the challenges of the TransWales head-on.

The final linking stage was a relatively sedate affair, which struck out from Cilycwm and made its way into the Irfon Forest trails that lie to the west of Llanwrytd Wells. The route then hit the black top for the run in to Builth Wells to ease the riders’ legs home before the final sprint special stage. With the overall classification in many of the categories still very much up for grabs, this was the chance for the underdogs to fight back and cause an upset at the final hurdle with some podium shuffling going on in many categories. With leads down to seconds in places there was plenty to stay tuned for but in the end someone had to win…

SPECIAL STAGE SIX RESULTS

Buff Headwear Female Pairs category

1 – Elizabeth Adams & Rosemary Byde (Team Number 28): 08:26.355

2 – Steph Fountain & Lisa Bolton (Saddle Skedaddle): 08:54.005

3 – Kelly Clark & Cath Hempsall (Unattached): 10:03.900

Merida Bikes Male Pairs category

1 – Peter Tachelet & Stijn Tachelet (Bronto-Chaos): 06:58.450

2 – Mark Wright & Enda Reynolds (Team Trailbadger): 07:04.405

3 – Simon Harrison & Robin Calverley (RAF CC): 07:05.145

Schwalbe Tyres Male Solo category

1 – Ajay Chhetri (Torq): 06:05.410

2 – Matt Williams (Unattached): 06:10.620

3 – Matt Page (Wiggle): 06:13.850

Schwalbe Tyres Female Solo category

1 – Fiona Spotswood (Cyclist No. 1): 07:31.940

2 – Hannah Thorne (Unattached): 07:33.160

3 – Anna Buckingham (The Big Adventure Store): 09:11.720

Alpina Helmets Veteran Pairs Male category

1 – Richard Hoyte & Simon Alun (Dirty Habit): 08:15.310

2 – Martyn Bramhall & Mick Fairest (Sheffield Pheonix): 09:03.850

3 – Ben Barden & Chris Putnam (White Spirit): 09:55.225

Birzman Tools Mixed Pairs category

1 – Katie Vaughan & Andrew Heywood (Motor Neurone Disease Association): 08:12.390

2 – Johanita Swanepoel & Pierre Cloete (Cameltoe): 08:35.43

3 – John Drummond & Catherine Drummond (Align Pilates): 09:30.325

Saris Racks Veteran Solo Male category

1 – Paul Whittaker (Stockport Clarion CC): 06:40.220

2 – Andy Roberts (Unattached): 06:53.640

3 – Andy Jones (Clee Cycles KCNC): 07:00.100

FINAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

Buff Headwear Female Pairs category

1 – Elizabeth Adams & Rosemary Byde (Team Number 28): 48:27:12

2 – Steph Fountain & Lisa Bolton (Saddle Skedaddle): 48:30:19

3 – Kelly Clark & Cath Hempsall (Unattached): 48:41:59

Merida Bikes Male Pairs category

1 – Simon Harrison & Robin Calverley (RAF CC): 48:13:11

2 – Mark Wright & Enda Reynolds (Team Trailbadger): 48:14:42

3 – Peter Tachelet & Stijn Tachelet (Bronto-Chaos): 48:19:52

Schwalbe Tyres Male Solo category

1 – Matt Page (Wiggle): 48:04:27

2 – Ajay Chhatri (Torq): 48:04:59

3 – Matt Williams (Unattached): 48:07:52

Schwalbe Tyres Female Solo category

1 – Hannah Thorne (Unattached): 48:16:24

2 – Fiona Spotswood (Cyclist No. 1): 48:17:36

3 – Anna Buckingham (The Big Adventure Store): 48:36:32

Alpina Helmets Veteran Pairs Male category

1 – Dave Sheppard & Trevor Marshall (MAMIL): 48:56:46

2 – Ben Barden & Chris Putnam (White Spirit): 48:57:15

3 – Richard Hoyte & Simon Alun (Dirty Habit): 28:44:43

Birzman Tools Mixed Pairs category

1 – Katie Vaughan & Andrew Heywood (Motor Neurone Disease Association): 48:26:12

2 – John Drummond & Catherine Drummond (Align Pilates): 48:35:01

3 – Johanita Swanepoel & Pierre Cloete (Cameltoe): 48:58:38

Saris Racks Veteran Solo Male category

1 – Paul Whittaker (Stockport Clarion CC): 48:10:14

2 – Andy Jones (Clee Cycles KCNC): 48:10:33

3 – Andy Roberts (Unattached): 48:14:18

 

The 2011 GORE BIKE WEAR® TransWales, powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport Champions are:

Buff Headwear Female Pairs category: Elizabeth Adams & Rosemary Byde (Team Number 28): 48:27:12

Merida Bikes Male Pairs category: Simon Harrison & Robin Calverley (RAF CC): 48:13:11

Schwalbe Tyres Male Solo category: Matt Page (Wiggle): 48:04:27

Schwalbe Tyres Female Solo category: Hannah Thorne (Unattached): 48:16:24

Alpina Helmets Veteran Pairs Male category: Dave Sheppard & Trevor Marshall (MAMIL): 48:56:46

Birzman Tools Mixed Pairs category: Katie Vaughan & Andrew Heywood (Motor Neurone Disease Association): 48:26:12

Saris Racks Veteran Solo Male category: Paul Whittaker (Stockport Clarion CC): 48:10:14

The crowd is on the pitch…

Sadly, this year’s event was the last TransWales but it has certainly finished on a high with one of the most closely fought competitions the event has ever seen. Congratulations to all the winners as well as all the other finishers for doing themselves proud, and a massive thank you to every single rider who has embraced the spirit of the TransWales over the years. Quite simply, it would’ve been nothing without you.

The organizers would like to thank all their sponsors over the years for their belief, vision, and support – without them, the TransWales would never have become a reality. Thank you to:

GORE BIKE WEAR® www.gorebikewear.co.uk
Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport www.vitosport.co.uk
Buff Headwear www.buffwear.co.uk
Merida Bikes www.merida.com
Alpina helmets www.alpina-helmets.co.uk
Birzman tools www.birzman.co.uk
Schwalbe tyres www.schwalbe.co.uk
Saris racks www.saris.com
High5 nutrition www.high5-online.com
Exposure Lights www.exposurelights.com

 

---