Scotland : Perthshire Etape Caledonia 2021 - Clusterf**k 101

[dhd.evans1]

This event was postponed by COVID from May 2020 to (eventually) September 2021. I have entered this sportive 6 times since 2014, so it is not new to me.

This is the third year the event has been administered by Limelight Sports, with diminishing returns evident year on year. Limelight are, from my point of view, a cash-hungry events company based out of 'Saaf Lahndan' with absolutely zero respect for the history of the event they have taken over.

In recent years it has been evident by staff being shipped from all corners of England to run the event with little to no interest or knowledge of the area, event, history, locals or cycling. Disdainful, bored and unhelpful would be generous words to use to describe the event staff.

I am fortunate to have been in the position as both a rider and event staff, so speak with some credibility. I have been employed by the company twice over two years to play live music at the event as well as riding the same day. It has not improved much year to year.

2021 Event Review
I will start with the positives, then lean heavily into the negatives:

Positives
1. Helpful marshalls and volunteers.
2. The weather held well.
3. Route was 90% closed roads

Negatives
1. The route was reversed and had too many climbs with little to no payoff on the descents.
2. Feed stations were pretty empty all around.
3. A non-timed 4 miles start because someone from Limelight clearly didn't do a risk assessment on the roads.
4. Open roads the last 2-4 miles because... reasons? This was not in the racepack notification either!
5. Absolutely no notification that medals had to be collected at the event village so I guess I'm not getting one.
6. The wrong mile markers on the back end of the route! Notified at 75mi that we had travelled 35mi.
7. The absolute clusterfark of a start. In a field. Where grass and mud can get stuck in all kinds of places of expensive road bikes.

I will not be returning in 2022 unless the route is reset and Limelight can show some improvement in their handling of the event.

Did you ride this sportive? What did you think?

 

[Bollo]

Have you contacted Limelight with your complaint?

 

[T4tomo]

1. The route was reversed and had too many climbs with little to no payoff on the descents.

whilst there are arguments about steep uphill followed by gentle downhill being better for maintaining average speed vs having a manageable uphill gradient that doesn't batter your legs.. If you start and finish at the same point the meters ascent & metre descent are exactly the same whatever direction you take.

Maybe better to leave this one out when you speak to Limelight.

 

[dhd.evans1]

Have you contacted Limelight with your complaint?

I did; both through Facebook and e-mail. I was quite restrained in expressing my disappointment, and highlighted ways that it could be improved.

Oddly enough, I received no response. I am just one dissenting voice in the crowd so no loss to them, but from what I saw and heard from others who took part this year (both friends and acquaintances) the feeling was much the same.

Instead of bashing my head against a brick wall I'll be entering Etape Loch Ness. It's the same weekend and meant to be a much more enjoyable event!

 

[dhd.evans1]

whilst there are arguments about steep uphill followed by gentle downhill being better for maintaining average speed vs having a manageable uphill gradient that doesn't batter your legs.. If you start and finish at the same point the meters ascent & metre descent are exactly the same whatever direction you take.

Maybe better to leave this one out when you speak to Limelight.

Oh absolutely, this is true.

Previously there was a set of long drags from 0-20mi with a nice mixed section of descents 20-35mi. At 35mi they added another drag, but it then 35-45mi of downhills. 45-55mi was lumpy, but decent. Then there was then the absolutely brutal Schiehallion climb at 55mi but this was tempered by the long descent thereafter (i hit 58mph one year!) with mixed sections until Logierait at 75mi.

Flipping it on its noggin meant mixed lumpy from 0-20mi, a long long drag up the back of Schiehallion (with a feed station halfway up the climb wtf?) from 20-35mi. The briefest of downhills for the Schiehallion climb from previous route then mixed lumps 35-60mi. At 60mi there was a brutal climb (IMHO) with about 20secs of downhill thereafter. I was spent. The mixed lumps on from 60-75mi were fine, but i was goosed from the late climb at 60mi.

Obviously just my opinion, but I came away feeling drained not triumphant. Plus the end of the ride was shortened with 5mi of open roads not leading into the event village. In previous years the ride ended in main drag of Pitlochry with folk cheering you on, a radio announcer commentating you in etc.

I just found it quite underwhelming this year.

 

[T4tomo]

Etape Loch Ness. It's the same weekend

that seems to be extraordinary poor planning / behind the scenes negotiation to have the two big sportives in scotland on the same weekend

and indeed on checking it simply isnt true.

 

[dhd.evans1]

that seems to be extraordinary poor planning / behind the scenes negotiation to have the two big sportives in scotland on the same weekend

and indeed on checking it simply isnt true.

You are correct; i'm confusing it with the Kinross Sportive.

 

[rivers]

Instead of bashing my head against a brick wall I'll be entering Etape Loch Ness. It's the same weekend and meant to be a much more enjoyable event!

It's a cracking event. I did it this year (postponed from April 2020), and the whole event is incredible.

 

[dhd.evans1]

It's a cracking event. I did it this year (postponed from April 2020), and the whole event is incredible.

I thought it was the same weekend, honestly. In the past it's been on the same weekend as the Kinross Sportive but it's a week apart this time. Unfortunately the tickets are sold out...

 

[fair weather cyclist]

It's a cracking event. I did it this year (postponed from April 2020), and the whole event is incredible.

I signed up for the 2020 event, but comes 2021 I really didn't feel like doing an event with thousands and thousands of people around me.

 

[dhd.evans1]

2022 is going to be back to the original route, so they say.

I will be waiting until tickets are at sale price before signing up.

 

[HLaB]

I've did it a few times in the past and wouldn't have minded the reverse loop just for a bit of variety. I probably wouldn't have minded the last 2-4miles being open roads either but empty feed stops

 

[dhd.evans1]

I've did it a few times in the past and wouldn't have minded the reverse loop just for a bit of variety. I probably wouldn't have minded the last 2-4miles being open roads either but empty feed stops

Aye, there was an option of flapjacks or bananas at the feed stations. They hadn't bought up enough stock. I hit 60mi for my last feed and there was pretty much just a single tray of Tesco flapjacks and a smattering of browning/bruising bananas. Grim!

To be fair to them, anyone one of these things occurring is a setback but for all of them to occur leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

I have done the event three times, the last time under Limelight's (dis)organisation in 2020. The first two were well organised, friendly and a great atmosphere. The 2020 event was a shadow of the previous events. There was little organised for the day previous when we had to collect our packs, no interesting guest speakers, no merchandise worthwhile, no atmosphere around the HQ. The route, though following the usual route was not as well organised, the start pens and marshalling pre-start were a shambles, and on the route many of the marshals seemed uninterested. The finish was a bit of a damp squib too. It really wasn't value for money. For those reasons we never even thought about entering the '21 event, even more so when we saw the revised (reversed) route.
I agree with the OP's comments; I think Limelight are in it purely for the money, not for the local economy, nor necessarily the cyclists either.

 

[fossyant]

Sportives are never value for money !