The day dawned bright & clear in Wales, I sniffed the air & sensed leg/arm warmers/gillet/rain jacket/overshoes etc. etc. would not be required, and my last possible excuse to back out (slight sore throat the previous day) had subsided. So I set off on the 7 mile mostly downhill ride from the hotel just outside of Bridgend to the start of the Wiggle Dragon Ride at Margam Park, just outside Port Talbot. On arriving, the first item on the agenda (after going to the loo!) was to text Tim (Parish) to let him know I’d arrived as we had arranged to start off together – but the text wasn’t necessary as we bumped into each other just after I sent it!
Our start time was 08:30, and before we knew it our group was being called to the starting pen. If you are not aware of it, the Dragon ride is a massive, very popular sportive, I think over 4000 people took part this year, choosing one of the 3 routes on offer. Tim & I were entered for the 130 miler, the claimed elevation gain is around 3350m, and my Garmin registered 3355m of climbing in the end.
So off we set. I have done this ride once before (last year), and it’s strange how as you roll along you remember places/turns, but I could have sworn they were at different distances – the course had not changed so obviously it was my mind playing tricks. I had forgotten how the early part of the ride is quite urban, passing through fairly built up areas. They stress at the safety briefing at the start not to jump any red traffic lights (would I do that?!), and it seemed that we hit just about every red light there was – including at one point what seemed like an eternal hold-up with about a hundred others – I overheard a Marshall talking into his mobile “the lights aren’t picking up cyclists”! I think the lights were having a good laugh!
One of the downsides of a relatively late start (the Dragon Ride is one of the few Sportives that I have ridden that allocates you a time to start – most you just turn up & go) is the amount of traffic (cars & bikes) that has to be negotiated. We decided to ride past the first feed station, but at the second we needed fuel, so had to join the scrum of cyclists jostling to get water/Bakewell tart/flapjack or salted potatoes(?!) on offer. The event has a policy of not dispensing anything in a wrapper, for fear of the littering issue (which has been in focus in the press recently). Maybe they have a point, but I think most littering is down to accident when trying to stuff the used wrapper into the pocket, or when pulling something else out of your pocket when rolling along. At least they tell you in advance what they will be offering at the feed stations, so you can bring your own favourite energy bars, gels etc.
Once into the ‘meat’ of the ride, up into the Black Mountains of the Brecon Beacon National Park, things calmed down a bit on the road and we were able to climb at a steady pace. I have to confess at this point that I’m not somebody who can recall every ride in great detail, even just after I’ve done it! I subscribe to the Bradley Wiggins philosophy of “the roads all have tarmac & they all go up hill”! The middle section of the ride just seems to evaporate – probably some primeval self-protection mechanism kicking in. I do recall thinking at one point “is this training (in my case for the Marmotte), or is this just surviving?”! At points in the afternoon, when sheltered from the rather persistent NE wind, it became uncomfortably warm, and I was glad to feel the cooling effect of the breeze after rounding a corner (never thought I would say that a headwind was welcome!).
Tim & I rode the majority of the route together – it was a pleasure descending behind Tim who went downhill like a rocket, I picked up some good tips watching a master at work! We got separated on the ‘Rhigos’ climb towards the end, at the top of which is a feed station where I stopped & Tim rode through. In hindsight this was a poor call from me, I probably had enough liquid/fuel to get to the finish, and I’d forgotten at this stop that the feed zone is at the end of a gravelled area, so no dumping the bike a few feet away. Such is the congestion at the feed stops it can be difficult to find somewhere to put the bike down, amongst the ‘Bike Bling’ that was on show (Di 2 seems to be taking off in a big way, judging by the number of rigs I saw)
The ride has 2 timed climbs, both towards the end – the last one I’m not sure there is any point in at all as most will be too knackered to care about the time at that stage, they just want to get to the finish!
The final decent into Port Talbot is fun – 500m of elevation loss, with an epic view from the top. But you do have to take care especially when climbing – it’s surprising how many people just stop at the side of the road & climb off without considering those coming up behind! I even had somebody step back into the road in front of me to take a photo’!
You get the usual medal & goody bag at the end, which contained a strange selection of samples etc. (lo-salt salt anyone?!)
My time was just under 8 hours 15 mins, Tim a couple of minutes quicker. The Garmin recorded a moving time of 07:49, which shows just how much time can be lost at feed stops & forced stops on the road. Even so, we were 4th & 5th fastest for our age group, which as Tim points out is not bad for a couple of old farts!
Although a great day in the saddle, & hopefully good preparation for the Marmotte in a few short weeks, I’m not sure I’ll do the ride next year. It is a fairly commercial operation, and maybe smaller, less crowded, local events are more my cup of tea. And I think I have pushed my luck with the weather on this ride to the limit!
Richard Neil
