Cymru MTB Classic

Cancelled: The Cymru MTB Classic, (Not) New for 2022

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by and 61

Story Update – 4th Feb 2022

When we posted the original story below, the comments section jumped straight to a discussion that went something along the lines of ‘who would pay that much to race in Wales for a couple of days?’. Perhaps the answer is ‘not enough people’, as the event has been called off in an announcement on the event’s website:

Important Event Update

We’ve geared up for a new year of celebrating the love of mountain biking with you on brand new trails and in spectacular destinations around the world.

Sadly, after collective consideration on community impact, resources, and how we can ensure the best race experience that meets the needs of our riders and community, we regret to inform you that the 2022 Cymru MTB Classic set to take place on June 17-19, 2022 has been cancelled.

Our team has been working hard towards building a unique race showcasing the scenery and terrain of Wales in 2022 and are extremely disappointed not to be able to host you.

All registered teams have been contacted with their refund and transfer options, and can reach out to us at
 cymruclassic@epic-series.com for further assistance.

We thank you for your understanding and look forward to seeing you on the trails soon.

Cyrmu MTB Classic website

How much would you pay for a stage race in the UK? And what would you want to see as part of it? From the comments last time, it seems like there is an appetite to do stage races, but what are your key ingredients? Do you want trails and scenery, a comfortable bed for the night, and feed stations along the way – and at what cost? Start your fantasy wish list in the comments below.

– Hannah

Original story below:

New for 2022, the Cymru MTB classic is a multi-day stage race for teams of two. This event will be the UK’s first qualifier for the Absa Cape Epic. Set to take place in Snowdonia from 17-19 June 2022. There are three stages over 150km with 3600m of climbing. Teams will have to work together in order to get their medal. Registration opens on 4 August 2021 and entries start at £899 per team.

Cymru MTB Classic 2022

Here’s what the release says about the event:

From 17 to 19 June 2022, this Epic Series race held in Southern Snowdonia is set to change the UK’s mountain biking scene for good, thanks to its multiple stages and 2-person team format; combined with the Welsh welcome and world-renowned hospitality.

The Cymru MTB Classic presents a 150km cloverleaf route across Gwynedd County’s countryside; much of which has been previously inaccessible for a timed race format. In 2022, for the first time, teams will get to explore the region’s extensive network of trails. There’s natural and man-made, bridle paths boasting outstanding beauty, and spectacular descents off craggy peaks. Riders will return to Dolgellau at the end of each stage to celebrate the day’s achievements.

Cymru MTB Classic

Dolgellau and Snowdonia have long been the Mecca for UK mountain biking. It offers an outstanding variety of terrain and trail, from wild and remote mountain paths, ancient bridleways, old drover roads and farm tracks, to purpose-built, hand crafted singletrack in the UK’s original trail centre. In choosing trails for the Cymru MTB Classic I have kept a focus on highlighting this variety of terrain and trail against the spectacular scenery of this quieter corner of Snowdonia in Gwynedd County.

Steve Beech, Route Designer and Course Director of the Cymru MTB Classic
Cymru MTB Classic

Riding in Wales

The route includes a visit to the spiritual home of mountain biking in the UK, the Coed-y-Brenin forest. Coed-y-Brenin was the first forest developed for mountain biking and, to this day, retains its reputation as a premier location.

While mountain biking has been hugely popular across the UK for years, and particularly in Wales, riders have never had the chance to take on the challenges and enjoyments that an Epic Series event presents. A fully-timed, multi-day stage race in a two-person team format on home soil. We have some of the best MTB trails in the world. So the next logical step is to bring the most prestigious international mountain biking series to Snowdonia to showcase them.

Dean Smith, Cymru MTB Classic Race Director

As part of the Epic Series’ global portfolio of best-in-class mountain bike stage races, riders can expect a mountain biking experience that is second to none. On the bike, the Cymru MTB Classic is a celebration of mountain biking. Teams can expect to explore the region’s most incredible trails, conquering and achieving together. Off the bike, these same teams will be treated to Wales’ unique and welcoming culture in the race villages.

Cymru MTB Classic

We as a Council are very pleased to have been working closely with Welsh Government and the Epic Series. This is the first event of its kind in the UK. It will be based in Dolgellau and the surrounding areas, initially over the next three years, but we hope for much longer. We are extremely pleased the event organisers have engaged with the local community to gain support. As well as their emphasis on the Welsh language and culture of the area.

Cllr Gareth Thomas Cabinet member for the Economy and Community
Absa Cape Epic

While the focus of the Cymru MTB Classic is mountain biking amongst like-minded people in one of the most magical places on the planet, qualification spots are also awarded to participate in the Absa Cape Epic in South Africa, either via performance or draw.

Cymru MTB classic

The Absa Cape Epic, the pinnacle event in the Epic Series, has been described as the Tour de France of mountain biking. It attracts the world’s best racers as well as ambitious amateurs from across the world.

With the United Kingdom accounting for a large percentage of applicants to ride the Absa Cape Epic each year, the opportunity to qualify on UK soil is sure to entice the region’s most passionate riders. But like all Epic Series races, it’s not just about the racing at the sharp end. All participants can expect a world-class full service event, in an iconic travel destination, with plenty of opportunity to enjoy the social atmosphere off the bike.

Kati Csak, Global Director of the Epic Series

The Route

Stage One

Stage one is 46km with 1000m of climbing.

Stage one mtb cymru epic

Day one’s route is a huge loop circling the extinct volcano of Rhobell Fawr. Leaving Dolgellau, riders quickly find themselves climbing into the farmland hills and forests north of the town. Here they hit the highest point of day one. 16km into the stage Rhobell Fawr looming large to their West.

From there the spectacular views continue downhill through tracks and bridleways dropping into Cwm Hasgen near the source of the Mawddach river. Then picking up the rocky Roman road Sarn Helen. After passing the halfway point, riders are treated to their first taste of Coed-y-Brenin to test the skills and appetite for speed on singletrack. The final miles take in a steady descent along the Mawddach valley returning to the stage finish line in Dolgellau.

Cymru MTB Classic
Stage Two

Stage two is 56km with 1500m of climbing.

Stage two Cymru MTB Classic

Heading south from Dolgellau, riders are straight into the climbs with over 400m of ascent in the first few kilometres, crossing the foothills of Cadair Idris. The reward is a fast descent through forest tracks, passing the Aberllefenni slate quarry and the quiet village of Corris. Then climbing again into the Dyfi Forest and taking on one of the longest singletrack descents in the UK.

From there more flowing forest trail awaits, with some big climbs and challenging descents, with awesome views of the entire Cadair Idris mountain range. Riders will need to conserve energy for the final challenging climb over the aptly named Fron Fawr (Big Hill) before the descent back into Dolgellau.

Cymru MTB Classic
Stage Three

Stage three is 48km with 1100m of climbing.

Stage three Cymru MTB Classic

Riders will bid farewell to Dolgellau for the final time during Stage 3 as they prepare for a Grand Finale befitting of a celebration. There’s no shortage of climbing on this final stage. With a big climb straight from the start up to and over the Bwlch Goriward pass. The trail then drops past goldmines and waterfalls into the UK’s spiritual home of mountain biking, Coed-y-Brenin Forest.

Teams will enjoy some of the best and toughest singletrack the centre has to offer before climbing out into the shadow of the Rhinog mountain range. Then they’ll drop through Cwm Mynach (the Welsh Rainforest) and over the picturesque Penmaenpool wooden bridge on their race to claim the Cymru MTB Classic finisher’s medal. 

Cymru MTB Classic

For more head to the website.

The 2019 Cape Epic onslaught is over. Maybe.

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Wales Mountain Biking

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Viewing 21 posts - 41 through 61 (of 61 total)
1 2
  • The Cymru MTB Classic, New for 2022
  • big_n_daft
    Free Member

    British Cycling for the legality of the stuation. I’m ex Powys Highways BTW.

    British Cycling sanction a regular race that goes over bridleways, they may be trying to circumvent with landowners permission but its not in line with the law as understood.

    Not sure how gbduro got away with it either.

    Posted 2 years ago
    qwerty
    Free Member

    Not sure how gbduro got away with it either.

    GBDuro isn’t a race, it’s as a scrappy rolling picnic through Britain’s ever changing landscapes.

    Posted 2 years ago
    chipps
    Full Member

    “You can’t race on public bridleways, and they do call it a race.”
    I spoke with one of the course designers about that at the time – he reckoned that because there was so much local government involvement in the event (presumably due to the international status of the organisers and the promises they made to make Wales famous) that there was a real chance of getting BW racing allowed. I can’t say I believed him on that…

    Posted 2 years ago
    mrlebowski
    Free Member

    Unsurpising.

    £900 just to line up & kip in a tent? BONKERS.

    Posted 2 years ago
    robertajobb
    Full Member

    It probably is possible to get to race on Bridleways. BUT – I suspect it would require an Act of Parliament to temporarily remind/ over-rule other legislation.
    That’s what was needed in the past for the Birmingham Grand Prix (Formula 3k) using streets, and also required on the Isle of Mull when the Tour of Mull road rally went formal ‘closed roads’ in about 1990 (rather than an open road event that just happened to get informal road closures by everyone there, as had happened for the previous 20-30 years.

    For those, it wasn’t the actual road closure that was the problem- those could easily be obtained. But even then other traffic law remained in place, inc. The ones related to not racing on the public highways, average speed limits of 30mph, still legally required to drive on the left hand side, stop at stop lines, etc).

    No local councillor is getting that done – it costs a huge amount of £££.
    (It’s like BoZo thinking the law doesn’t apply to him and his Eaton mates – except that the police in Wales will follow up on illicit push bike racing, whereas the Met is as corrupt as those in and around No10 so don’t want to bother investigating the uncomfortable truths)

    Posted 2 years ago
    big_n_daft
    Free Member

    . I can’t say I believed him on that…

    They couldn’t do it for the Manchester Commonwealth Games, why do they think they can get it to work?

    It only takes one stakeholder nevermind a landowner to object. The rambling and horse riding groups will go mad if they think their priority will be impacted.

    Posted 2 years ago
    big_n_daft
    Free Member

    GBDuro isn’t a race, it’s as a scrappy rolling picnic through Britain’s ever changing landscapes.

    LOL

    The ride consists of 4 timed stages (~500km each); lowest aggregate time over the 4 stages ‘wins’… nothing.

    It’s a timed ride with published results, aka a race. Which is how the participants describe it on various YouTube videos.

    You can cleverly claim it’s a ” reliability ride” but it’s not. No-one “wins” an Audax in the UK

    Posted 2 years ago
    fahzure
    Full Member

    This sounds like a race for a Rhys, Gareth, Fergus or Alys.

    Posted 2 years ago
    qwerty
    Free Member

    It’s a timed ride with published results, aka a race

    How’s Strava fit into that analogy?

    Every footpath, bridalway & road timed section then becomes a “race”.

    If I’ve got it right the “wins” concept of GBDuro is your own personal achievement of accomplishing the events trials and tribulations. Its a bit of a dig and ridicule of the whole palava of other “winning” type events (TdF). Its low key, grass roots, pack your panniers full of food to get you from Lands End to John O Groats and get a train to the start.

    At the inagral event Lachlan competed, went home and left an open tab for the others finishers party. There was no “win”, just an end of the road & a cold beer & peers.

    Posted 2 years ago
    funkrodent
    Full Member

    he reckoned that because there was so much local government involvement in the event (presumably due to the international status of the organisers and the promises they made to make Wales famous

    Interesting that the organisers are from outside of these shores. I work in regional business news publishing and some years ago a big, successful American business news publisher decided to target the UK by launching in our region.

    At first we were concerned, but once we got a look at their rate card – and word filtered through about their entitled and borderline aggressive sales tactics – we realised that they had completely misread the market and weren’t worth worrying too much about.

    They lasted less than a year. Seems many non UK businesses fail to understand the differences in the way we operate and the way in which we perceive value..

    Posted 2 years ago
    big_n_daft
    Free Member

    If I’ve got it right the “wins” concept of GBDuro is your own personal achievement of accomplishing the events trials and tribulations. Its a bit of a dig and ridicule of the whole palava of other “winning” type events (TdF). Its low key, grass roots, pack your panniers full of food to get you from Lands End to John O Groats and get a train to the start.

    There’s a results table for the event on the website, find one for an audax

    Posted 2 years ago
    si77
    Full Member

    I don’t confess to knowing the detail. But based on the fact that local accommodation (not just the race hotels) were all fully booked during the event, I doubt that lack of entries was the issue. I’m aware that there was a lot of international interest in the event. With this in mind I’m prepared to take the official announcement at face value, and assume that permissions for temporary closures were the sticking point, despite buy-in from the county council.

    Personally I think it’s a massive shame that this isn’t going ahead (even though admittedly I hadn’t entered). It would have been a huge opportunity to showcase Wales as a MTB holiday destination. The Epic series has a strong media output, and would have helped promote the region to foreign tourists who do have money to spend. I guess some “locals” weren’t so convinced of the benefits, or would rather maintain the status quo?

    Posted 2 years ago
    cloggy
    Full Member

    Yeh I got in touch with them again. They replied saying the respective PROW officer had signed it off: and so I quoted the law at them, about 6 weeks ago….. A bunch of donuts I thought but as they were foreign, how could they know? However the Council idiot really ought to know the law. That’s his job.
    You can apply to run a car rally on a bridleway. You can’t apply to run a test of speed for cycles. That’s the law and no one in the last 30 ears has managed to change it. And they all thought it was going to be oh so easy to do so.

    Posted 2 years ago
    si77
    Full Member

    I still maintain that it’s a missed opportunity for the area. (In this case, Wales’ loss will be Andorra and Croatia’s gain)

    Anyhow, I’ve found an outfit that’s organising NOT a race (more of a 3-day guided riding type thing) on the same trails/bridleways/PROWS etc. Significantly cheaper than the MTB Classic, but I guess this won’t fall foul of the access issue.

    https://dirtshenomad.com/product/the-journey-north-wales-150-2/

    Posted 2 years ago
    cloggy
    Full Member

    It’s not a missed opportunity if there never was one in the first place, unless one happens to believe that pigs can fly. I’ve run/set up events and I’ve always had to be mindful of the law.

    Posted 2 years ago
    si77
    Full Member

    As the law stands you are correct. However (quoting UK Cycling about racing on bridleways), “this is an unreasonable anomaly, and the law needs to be modified to allow appropriately organised events to take place on this type of way”.

    Alternatively, the bridleway sections could have been untimed transition stages.

    Posted 2 years ago
    cloggy
    Full Member

    Yes well CTC /UK Cycling have had some 25 years to deal with this. It’s all very well them bleating but they’ve done nothing to change it: just like BC before them. BC told me over 30 years ago that they were getting it changed within a few months. I replied they weren’t. Cycling UK are hapless. Their take on the 25 year rule was hideously laughable, in line with their consistent offroad record of window dressing, appearing to be doing something useful without committing any resources or planning to get it done. Their ambition stops at garnering new members. Insurance great, just forget anything else beyond Gravel/RoughStuff routes.
    To change the law one needs to offer BHS something in return, and we don’t have a single bargaining chip.
    One could argue that the ruling classes hold is weaker on the Socialist Welsh Assembly, but their track record on delivery is appalling.

    Posted 2 years ago
    cloggy
    Full Member

    On the point of transition stages that depends on the number/length of them. One would have to drag numerous heavy and expensive transponder equipment out to those sections and use staff with very spotty mobile coverage, and the only access to the points would often be by um Bridleway or Footpath. That requires Army levels of rehearsal & planning, well not the Russian army obviously.

    Posted 2 years ago
    cloggy
    Full Member

    As what constitutes a test of speed, well some have been sailing very close to the wind.
    One certainly cannot give out prizes based on quickest times: or indeed set out courses away from legal routes on land without permission, or use BC event [not race] insurance when actually running a race, without invalidating one’s insurance.
    BC stated that if the results were not listed in order of time it did not constitute a competitive event. That one could realign the file at a touch of a button seemed not to concern them.
    It did me so I made no distinction between short and long routes, so one couldn’t compare.
    I got a bit of stick for that from riders.

    Posted 2 years ago
    mattsccm
    Free Member

    Bit late I know but, how, like that silly London event, can you call it “classic”? In cycling terms that denotes something that has been around for decades or more and is a foundation of the sport. LBL is a classic. Something knocked up this century can’t be.

    Posted 2 years ago
    cloggy
    Full Member

    The Real Ale Wobble is a Classic. The longest running MTB event? Very well run these days too.

    Posted 2 years ago
Viewing 21 posts - 41 through 61 (of 61 total)
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