[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2sAlEnldUSU width=”320″ height=”180″]
So one week later we are up and at them again, another première closed road event the inaugural Velothon Wales. Another 140KM of beautiful closed roads through some stunning scenery and the bit that worries me the most – Mountains. I was riding this one with my brother again and with about 20 entrants from Woking CC. We stayed up in Cardiff the night before and got up early to stuff some energy breakfast down and then did a gentle ride up to the start. 100 meters from the front door of the travelodge my brother complains his rear derailieur is broken – DISASTER !!. It turns out that his fancy DI2 electronic gear shifters had become “unplugged”. After plugging the gears back into the electronic controller unit, things are up and running again. Hmmm all that fancy electronics – is the jury still out ?.
We meet up with the Woking CC guys and setup the big red road train out the start gate. The first 50 miles are pretty flat so it is not too bad to all keep as a group. The big hills then start to come thick and fast and we all splinter into survival mode. The Tumble climb was a deep long slog but the real killer was Caerphilly Mountain. This evil gradient comes right near the end and when there is little left in the legs I was hurting up there.
Another fantastic ride in some of the best scenery about. (shame there was one section someone had thrown pins on the road) but this did not ruin a brilliant event.