Searched and couldn’t find a thread so apologies if I’ve duplicated!

Did anybody ride it yesterday?

Did it for the first time, couldn’t have asked for better weather which was a big relief. I now have the meanest t shirt tan I’ve ever seen.

Rode all of it except the very top of hardknott pass- was 50/50 whether to try and make it up the last steep ramp but was pretty sure I’d just stall and topple over, so unclipped. Very annoyed with myself, maybe if I’ve had a 30tooth on the back.. but then again I I’m not sure.

Looked like there had been a nasty accident on the descent down from Honister so hope whoever that was, is OK.

Didn’t see much in the way of impromptu groups forming along the way but I don’t really do Sportives so not sure if that is normal or not.

Top day overall and the marshals and local crowd were fantastic.

Yep I was there. Didn’t ride the Hardnott Pass, generally not feeling the love for it at all yesterday but got around in 8.46 with an impromptu cafe stop for sandwich and coke.

It is a tough old ride and kudos to anyone that got around without walking, some of those gradients were evil, and yes, the accident on the Honnister did not look good but the one I saw at least the chap was sitting up rather than strapped to a stretcher.

Well done on getting around.

I didn’t ride it this year, although had a place, but had to give it up due to having a heart stent fitted just before Christmas. Not wanting to miss out on all the fun, I camped with my silver VW Cali on the flats between Hardknott and Wrynose and watched the ride go by. Loads of passing riders saying they’d rather be where is was watching, but to be honest I’d rather have been riding.

My mate killed it with a 6hr 9min finish. Well done Pete!!

My mate killed it with a 6hr 9min finish

😯

that’s some effort.

did it back in 2015, started in torrential rain, finished in sunshine. That last ramp on hardknot nearly finished me but ground it out. Objective 1 was finish, 2 was ride everything, 3 was under 10 hrs.

managed all three which I was happy about.

My 7th time 8)

All good. Rode with my wife who got sub-8, which was her goal (7:47). Great day on the bike.

Well done to all of you. Had an enjoyable hour sat in a garden chair in Lorton watching with a cold can of pop. I’ve two Etixx musette bags and bottles, gels etc which were left in the hedge. Putting a note in saying you’ll come back for them won’t convince the locals that it’s not litter unfortunately. On the flip side there seems to be far fewer gel wrappers around, so that’s a win.

I was there with some friends. It was the perfect day. So glad I put a 34t block on the back as it made the whole ride achievable. I saw 3 riders down in total, 2 on honister and 1 big get off on the descent of hardknott. The guy had totally missed the second switch back (25% down hill) and went off the edge dropping into a ravine. Didn’t look nice at all. Hope they are all OK. It is a great sportive, I hope it keeps the same atmosphere now it’s being run by a different company.

First one for me. Spent a lot of time trialling various wet weather kit and didn’t need it – amazing weather. Only trick was layering up correctly for 2 or 3 degrees in the cloud on the downhill of Kirkstone to 15 degrees up Hardknott. In terms of atmos, incredible. The bell ringing through all the villages and through Winlater was a massive encouragement. The marshals were all on the ball and a cheerful bunch too. Recommend it to all. Oh was aiming for 7.5 but did it in 6.5hrs so chuffed with that with my old man back

I entered but didn’t get through the ballot. Gutted as the weather sounded amazing, got a friend who’s done it 11 years in a row and she says it was the best yet.

Will enter again next year but hearing it is now owned by the Tour de France owners it will undoubtedly be even harder to get a place.

Yep rode it , on a mountain bike with bar ends so so many comments re the handlebar width, some funny some disparaging.

Great marshalls as always, saw four riders down on descent from Honister with air ambulance coming in, hope all is well as can be.

Disappointing parts, lots of wrappers, given I was trailing the fast people it was inconsiderate, accept some will have slipped from pockets and so but even so.
Seemed a little bit less friendly than when I have ridden it before.

Great weather and great way to see the lakes.

Well done to one and all.

I popped up to Newlands Pass to see the first few riders arrive. Great atmosphere up there, even a mad clown!

Yep – weather was amazing. Got round in 8 hours 40. Some good crowds out on the way round. It will be interesting to see if it changes next year with the new organisation

Did not realise it was changing organisations…..really interesting, will it become commercial?

Edit that clown framed me out and the buff half naked man on whinlatter climb

It was my second Fred, I’ve done it the last two years when the weather has been great. Managed it in an official time of 7hrs 24mins, two hours quicker than last year. Had a great day out and just managed to get up the ‘Knott without putting a foot down. It was a tough one, not sure if I’ll do another. Hope you all liked our teams station at the top of the Leaps (just before the decent in to Ennerdale).

Vondally I think I might have chatted to you on Kirkstone! Litter is shocking, what do people think is going to happen to it?
It’s a partnership between the lakes road club and Human Race so hopefully it’ll mean more closed roads. hardknott and wrynose with no cars was amazing. If that is the case then there should be more places as the police limit it to 2000 on open roads.

Hey Pridds if you did thanks, helps the climbs.

If it does mean more closed roads or limited traffic, good news

It was a perfect day to do it. My 4th time, this time as domestique for Mrs P who smashed it in 8:10. It was great having hardknott shut to cars. I said hi paulevans, you looked pleased at punch in the sun. I was toast by that point. It’s a phenomenal event, the route, stewarding and support are a great advert for the lakes. Hope human race don’t muck about with it.

Anyone take a selfie going up Hardknott? 😆

(Not yesterday)

First time for me, some event that – Not done a sportive before so suspect that’s going to be a tough one for other events to live up to. A brilliantly organised [and spectated] event.

Rolled round in just under 9, was doing OK but the legs were cramping a bit by Eskdale, then properly blew up at the final third of Hardknott. Had to sit by the road like a spanner for 10 mins waiting for my quad and calf to unclench, and Wrynose was a write-off. In hindsight I should have realised HK wasn’t on the cards that day and walked way earlier, but live and learn.

A very heavy crash on Honister happened just in front of me. Everyone is going over the top steady round the first turns when there’s a bellow of ‘on your right!’ Thought it would be some local coming down like Cancellera, but no to both of those things, it’s some guy way out of control, rails the steep S-bend right on the ragged edge but makes it, before crashing into the back of another rider and smashing into the tarmac.
I picked up his bike and a first aider was attending him, he was banged up / shocked but sitting down and speaking clearly, saying his brakes failed. So hopefully he is not too badly hurt.

Aw man that was cool! Only done it once before in 2014 when I did 8:34, was wondering if I could get under 8, got 7:32 (5th F!)

Now I wonder if over a couple of years I could train like mad and get nearer (under???) 7!

Amazing t-shirt tan with strangely pale (arm warmers pushed down) wrists

A very heavy crash on Honister happened just in front of me

Nasty. Was that after the walled bit as you come past the slate mine? That first section is quite steep and straight so I can imagine you’d be travelling at a fair lick by that first left/right flick. 😯

I bet seeing that put the willies up you for the next descent off Newlands.

I got held up with some others at the top of Honister while somebody was airlifted out. When we got let down, I saw a pool of blood on the road and up the dry stone wall as I went past.

Took all the descents real easy after seeing that.

Looks like it’s this guy, really hope he’s OK.

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/15274212.Man_airlifted_to_hospital_from_Fred_Whitton_Challenge/

That descent off Honister catches a lot of people out. It’s fairly straight most of the way but at the bottom is a sharp right/left over a narrow bridge. It’s difficult to read the road properly and it’s easy for your speed to run away with you down there so you end up at the bend going way too fast.

A mate crashed there a few years ago, wrote his bike off and was lucky to only break his arm.

I didn’t ride the Fred Whitton….

But I was in bed at the Kirkstone Pass Inn when some noisy buggers started banging a drum and rattling cow bells and cheering on the lycra clad hooligans – woke me up they did 👿

I was up there to ride the NanBield Pass and we had a great weekend – even with the Fred Whitton going past our bedroom window at 07:00 😆

https://www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk/news-and-events/article/fred-whitton-cyclist-airlifted-from-honister-pass/