anyone else looking forward to Sunday? forecast looks cracking, should be a beaut!

Signed up for the grande. Struggling with a sinus infection I cAnt shift so may drop to the medio, I hate the middle 40 anyway.

Gonna be a hot one

I hate the middle 40 anyway

.. it probably goes temptingly close to your house 😉

About 100yds, at the start of the long drag up towards brentor…

Hope there’s less littering this year, the number of energy gel packets in the Teign Velley / Steps Bridge area by last year’s event was disgraceful…. Not that the organisers seemed to care when it was raised with them….

All ready to roll. 106 miles or bust.

If it’s anything like today it’s gonna be warm, not looking forward to the midday climb from tavi to princetown.

Good luck guys, ’tis a bleddy scorcher, innum!
Considering going round the route a bit later in the caravelle offering “voiture balai pour dix livres” service 😆

I heard that some of the roads have got gravel on, so be careful.

Also my French isn’t that good are you sure you’re wanting to touch hot sweaty cyclists down there?

Well that was a bit warm.

Strada bianchi on the way up to Haytor was fun.

F##k it was relentless steep undulating.

Oh it was hot. Very hot. Got 32 on the Garmin on the 2nd climb to Princetown.

Not so much litter. Names on numbers pinned to jerseys may have deterred.

Top event. Top organisation. Possibly harder than Fred? Controversial…

Didn’t feel to bad at batteridge, Pork hill tenderised me, merrivale finished me off. Slogged the last 37 home and finished in 9 hrs. Next year I’m spectating with a cow bell…

This anyone off here?

wow. where did you find that photo…

@sportivephoto put it on their twitter feed – I assume they were doing the official pics?

I think so. according to their site the photos aren’t live yet.

not sure why you’d really go to that bother.

it felt a lot harder than last year in the rain and wind! Struggled up a few of the hills at the end! great day through.

It’s a strong look, certainly;

Next year I’m spectating with a cow bell…

The highlight for me was some people at the top of the 1st short sharp steep bit going up from Peter Tavy before the main Pork Hill road. Narrow little shady lane. There was a guy ringing a cow bell and 2 girls with water in spray / mist bottles. Asked permission and if you agreed you got a good squirt with a cooling spray. Lush.

They also had a barbeque going the sausages smelt darn good but they weren’t quite ready when I went by.

The highlight for me was some people at the top of the 1st short sharp steep bit going up from Peter Tavy before the main Pork Hill road. Narrow little shady lane.

that’ll be col du batteridge.

http://www.strava.com/segments/697950

7hrs 59mins for the Grande…

Damned hot and hard going. Not to mention borrowing a road bike as I haven’t got one of my own…

Water sprays and super soakers were a God send.

Probably do it again, though I said not at the time!

Did the medio, was just the right distance/time in the saddle given the warmth. really enjoyed it, a hell of a lot better than last years misery. Amazing how the weather can be so different one year to the next!

I did better last year in the wind & rain. I’m rubbish as soon as it heats up.

photos are online.

http://sportivephoto.thirdlight.com/home.tlx?containerid=23929918504