Etape Loch Ness 2020

[BigMeatball]

Just booked it.

26 April 2020. My first sportive of 2020. My first cycling event EVER. Can't wait.

I've got 6 months to train and avoid getting embarrassed.

Who else is in or is planning to sign up?

 

[13 rider]

Did it in 2018 . A great day on the bike . Superb event well organised . Just watch out for the Hill it's a brute .

 

[BigMeatball]

Cheers

So far I've got 3 concerns:

- the Hill, as mentioned by a lot of folks in past years' threads. I'll try to be as prepared as possible
- the weather, can't really control that
- the fact that for me it's likely going to be a 125km ride as I'll be staying in a town 25km from Inverness

I better start training

 

[PeteXXX]

Not the whole etape route, just The Hill, on my LEJOG a few months ago..
😁

 

[13 rider]

The route is generally flat and is a lovely route but the one big hill is a test . Took me 29 mins to climb it and I was in the top 300 to give you an idea of its difficulty. It has lots of changes of gradient so quite hard to get any rythym but it's doable with low gears but I did with a 39/25 combo not advisable . Don't worry if you have to walk it you won't be the only one plenty walked it the year I did it . Just don't be tempted to go to hard from the start save something for the hill at halfway . You are rewarded with the climbing with a quick descent and on closed roads it's great fun

 

[Slick]

I got the email today but not signed up yet as I have to organise 2 others to sign up with a team name to get the same start wave. I'll sign up tomorrow and just keep my fingers crossed we get the start time we need. I'm looking forward to it, and all I am hoping for is light winds.

 

[Slick]

Couldn't wait, 5 of us signed up tonight. 💪

 

[BigMeatball]

What estimated finishing time did you select?

Since it's my first cycling event I've selected the highest finishing time (I think the category is "over 5h21mins") but my aim is to beat the 5 hours (including a couple of breaks on the side of the road in order to take some selfies )

 

[13 rider]

I got the email today but not signed up yet as I have to organise 2 others to sign up with a team name to get the same start wave. I'll sign up tomorrow and just keep my fingers crossed we get the start time we need. I'm looking forward to it, and all I am hoping for is light winds.

Slick noone checked my starting pen in fact I stood in the wrong one to start with . You will probably be ok to just all line up together . Unless your pushing into the front pen noone wil bother

 

[Slick]

Slick noone checked my starting pen in fact I stood in the wrong one to start with . You will probably be ok to just all line up together . Unless your pushing into the front pen noone wil bother

I kind of suspected as much but it would just be nice to know that we can officially start together but as you say, we will anyway regardless.

 

[Slick]

What estimated finishing time did you select?

Since it's my first cycling event I've selected the highest finishing time (I think the category is "over 5h21mins") but my aim is to beat the 5 hours (including a couple of breaks on the side of the road in order to take some selfies )

I put 4 hours 20 but it's only a guesstimate as none of us want to hang about, but it's all about soaking it up as we may never cycle a traffic free route up there again. My prediction is I will be going well until I hit the hill.

 

[rivers]

Myself and a few of my clubmates just entered as a team. We put 4:01-4:20 as a time. As it's mostly rolling hills, except that one big f*ck off climb, that should be doable for us.

 

[13 rider]

Elevation profile from 2018 . Can you spot the hill ? The climb at 58ish catches you out everyone says it all downhill after the big climb but it's not

 

[rivers]

View attachment 491259

Elevation profile from 2018 . Can you spot the hill ? The climb at 58ish catches you out everyone says it all downhill after the big climb but it's not

Not too worried about the route after the big climb as I cycled most of it when I crashed Moray Firth CC's club run last summer and they took me on the tourist route to see the loch. It was a lovely ride. The hill looks steep, but no worse than the likes of Gospel Pass, which had 16 miles of climbing before you even hit it. It's a gorgeous part of the world. Now to figure out how we're going to get there and find some accommodation

 

[Slick]

Not too worried about the route after the big climb as I cycled most of it when I crashed Moray Firth CC's club run last summer and they took me on the tourist route to see the loch. It was a lovely ride. The hill looks steep, but no worse than the likes of Gospel Pass, which had 16 miles of climbing before you even hit it. It's a gorgeous part of the world. Now to figure out how we're going to get there and find some accommodation

Jump the train and air b&b. Lots to choose from.