Well a nice gentle ride out after work to watch the Tour Series race round Woking town centre. Its nice to see them close the roads and do a cycling event.

There is a lot going on and if you sign a disclaimer form you can have a go on the course.

A few laps of the Tour Series course – Woking

Here is some of the action from the mens / womens races as well as a fun ride around the course.
Highlights are on ITV4 tonight if you tune in watch out for the idiot in a discovery cycling top on the hairpin bend. (last before the straight run up to the finish)

As well as Hannah Barnes taking a tumble (she went on to win it)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=De_L5htUdHU width=”320″ height=”180″]

So time for a longer ride. Sunday was the big one, the Bournemouth Wiggle Sportive The plan was to ride the Standard Route but to start from Verwood and cycle to the start. This would add approx 20 more miles onto the route bringing us up to approximately 95 miles (Pretty close to what is required on the big day). Pete the fellow cyclist who accompanied me on the Isle of Wight Randonnee, was riding with me as well.

We started a bit later in the morning, (the weather was supposed to improve in the afternoon). A gentle ride down to the start, where we checked in and got under-way, we were one of the last groups out. The first 20 miles we made good time, especially when we picked up a pair of experienced guys and tucked in behind them. Averaging 20mph, we bowled on north towards Fordingbridge. At Fordingbridge we let them go and backed off the pace as we knew there were some big climbs coming up.
We made it to the first food stop, stocked up on flapjacks and drinks. We had a chat with some poor cyclist who had hit some gravel a mile back and was covered in grazes where he had come off. He also had a busted shoulder (possibly broken). A warning to all, it can happen at any time.

Bournemouth Sportive – Pete and I hunting down the leaders.

We made it up the 1st big climb which is a long drag over Donhead Hollow. This absolute killer of a hill keeps kicking you all the way up and after hauling yourself and bike up onto the summit of the ridge there is a “sportive photographer” waiting to capture the grimace on your face. (I almost swore at him)

We made good time onto the second food point with the only excitement being some idiot flying past us at 50mph with his horn on full blast. (well – if you are stupid enough to take a blind bend at that speed you are soon gonna meet something coming the other way). Legs on fire, we made it back on autopilot around the edge of Bournemouth Airport and into the finish.

97 miles in the legs and we are still standing (just)

After a quick cup of tea and me having to help someone break into their bike. (the lock had jammed – so with the use of a screwdriver and a bit of ingenuity we managed to free it.) We now had a further 10 miles back to Verwood. Of course we actually made this 12 miles.

A slight detour. – well who can blame us.

Well – had to be done.
Final odometer on the bike was 97 miles.

Route details are here as always.

With the lovely Sian Lloyd waving her magic sunshine wand, the opportunity for a long ride presented itself. The idea was to just get out and ride as far as I could before the sun went down. I made my way north into Windsor Park, and did my normal lap (past the castle) and back down to Virgina water. You can tell it was warm by the amount of flesh on show – anyway enough of that but it definitely makes the miles go past a lot quicker 🙂 (good job I had my dark cycling shades on)

I then cut south through the leafy lanes of Longcross – I gave it extra special effort as I flew past the Foxhills Spa / Club (which is where Sir Brad was based during the 2012 Olympics) I then joined the Olympic road race course again and south as far as the top of the 1st climb on the route. A quick stop for some refreshment and to take on some fuel and then I head east and then north back towards Woking. I cut across country to Pirbright and onto Normandy and Ash before heading north back to the local for a well deserved beer.

Ride details are here

A 100km ride around Surrey.

I was a bit upset I could not get down one of the roads I wanted to … as you can see clearly they don’t want hot guys like me.

Studs on the road

Facts of the ride.

Punctures: 0
Drink Stops: 3 (£1.50 for a lucozade in a local shop !!!!)
Number of Flies eaten: 84 (what is going on with the insect plague)
Sneezing fits: 3 (Pollen has gone mental)

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The weather for cycling has definitely improved. A great big high was sitting over the top of the UK a beautiful 17 degrees and clear blue skies. Pete and I had signed up to do the Rotary Club’s 3 Counties cycle ride, a beautiful 50 mile ride out into the Chilterns. Pete and I did the Isle of Wight Randonnee a few weeks back and this was going to be another training session to get some miles in. On the day Pete was unable to ride, he went down with a chest infection. (The similarity with Bradley Wiggins / Giro Italia was way to coincidental I thought) Was not looking forward to a 50 mile time trial on my own.

At the check-in point I bumped into Grant (Who I play footy with) He had a gang of 5 going out on the 33 mile course and he was very kind in letting me tag along. (its a lot better to ride in a group)

It was a very pleasant ride with no drama, apart from getting a puncture 2 miles from the finish. (I dug out a tiny flint from the tyre after I got it back in the garage) The 50 mile route goes up over the Chilterns which is a bit of a climb but you are treated to a lovely 10 mile downhill into Henley on Thames.

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All the ride details are here.