I’m planning to do another 24 solo next year, and as part of my 50th birthday year I thought I’d pick an event that’s likely to be dry.
The problem I have now is that the excitement that I had when I did my first ten years ago has well gone and I can’t face another 24 trudge around another course that’ll be un-rideable after the now common place downpour.
The first two countries that spring to mind are Spain and Italy, and further to that I want a course that is solo friendly.
Spain would be my first choice, but someone has mentioned the Finalle? in Italy.
Has anyone got any comments on this?

Excuse my muppetry but I can’t find a link to any Spanish 24’s.

This is the finale one; Havent done it myself so no comments;

http://www.24hfinale.com/

Its coming up soon…. get training!

what about trying the grandraid/christalp? 80 or 120km (although the exact distances are slightly different). great atmosphere, great trails, loads of feed stops etc.
cracking event. would be doing it again this summer were i not going on a 10 week internship without my bike, and therefore being entirely unfit 2 weeks prior to it…

Oldgit,
There´s a 101 Km. race/ride in Ronda, Spain organized by the Spanish Foreign legion. It´s held every May. There are always hundreds of bikers there and the weather shoud be warm & sunny.

The Finale looks tempting, watched the video and it’s a flat barred frenzy.

try the merida event in Austria and go for the 200km option (if they still do it)

or look up Kona 24 hour challenge (there’s a series of events all over the place). I’m doing one in July in Geilo Norway.

Oldgit

I did the Ronda101 last year. I ran it not biked but it is the same course.
The event is very well organised and every town the race passed through had people cheering. Even when I staggered through at 03:00, People were cheering, patting my back and offering support, though they may have been a bit lubricated by then. There is a great atmosphere and one or two towns even had bands playing and loud speakers to help cheer you on and keep the spirit going. There wont be any single track but there will be a few climbs and descents. I think it was either 7 or 12 mountains? (you might need to check).
The weather though was very bad last year and there were some storms.

The Legion had stations every 5k and soldiers walking dangerous areas. There was a small tarmac bit and the road closed for the racers to cross safeley.

Overall a great event and the Spanish Foreign Legion (la Legión)put on a good safe race. I hope to ride it next year.

If you speak Spanish there is more info here

http://www.lalegion101.es/

this years race is in 12days time so too late for 2009.

roper

Oh and some of the views are breathtaking along the way too.

There’s the 24doce just North of Madrid in June

Great I could’n open the 24doce yesterday ta.

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eckinspain – Member

There’s the 24doce just North of Madrid in June
Posted 1 month ago # Report-Post
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oldgit – Member

Great I could’n open the 24doce yesterday ta.

Just spent the last couple of days taking photos at this year’s event, photos here taken on Saturday. The course is very rideable, quite a few siinglespeeders. There was a team from the UK on 29ers who did quite well, results. For me it has to be one of the best organised races that I’ve attended, I didn’t see any chaos at the shower, toilet and bikewash area. No rain must a bonus too.
Race is only about half an hour from the airport too.

The race is over, so it might be worth giving the site another go.

Hope to see you next year.

Hello don Simon/old git,

I was out there with the xcracer.com/29ers. Good photos of the event btw. That along with 24/12 at Newnham was one of the best 24hr/any races I’ve ever done. What did you think of those downhills?!

It was superbly organised and the weather was el scorcho! I’d love to go back next year.

Matt Lewis

The 24Doce looks good now.
Got my training back underway after breaking my ribs, my finger and busting my back earlier this year.
So yes, dryness, lycra and flat bars it’s all looking good.

mlewis – Member

Hello don Simon/old git,

I was out there with the xcracer.com/29ers. Good photos of the event btw. That along with 24/12 at Newnham was one of the best 24hr/any races I’ve ever done. What did you think of those downhills?!

It was superbly organised and the weather was el scorcho! I’d love to go back next year.

Matt Lewis

Congrats for the podium Matt, EnBici has a very strong team, Borja Chivato is the Champion of Madrid and was fighting for two other championships, but I think there was a conflict of dates with the 24doce and he couldn’t race in the other championships!! the two Diegos are regular podium finishers at master 30 and sub 23, Jose Manuel who did their final lap and brought in the flag is hitting a bit of form and is well suited to the faster non technical courses.

I liked the circuit, I did a couple of laps with No27 on Thursday, I imagine the final downhill ramp before entering the field must have been a blast at night, and the drop through the trees was wicked, hands off the brakes and hammer it through the final bit!! 😆

Matt, do you think you could drop me and email at info@simoncarter.es, I’d like to ask you a couple questions, cheers. Hope to see you next year.

Simon

Is their event format much the same as our 24’s as far as camping goes.
Just thinking about flying out with a bike and camping gear, mind you did that when I soloed Strathpuffer.

Yes. It really was very similar just lovely weather and the downhills were something else. Not too technical but spot on for a 24hr.

Matt