RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2018) Anyone?

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Freds Dad

Veteran
Location
Gawsworth.
I feel sorry for those doing it today ! It is piddling down and the wind is horrible :sad:

In a very small way I'm now happy that I received my commiserations magazine.
 

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
Hat's off to all completing it today. I did 30 miles this morning and it's truly horrid out there.
 
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sleaver

Veteran
I doubt its as horrid as the Monsoon year!
I don’t think people realise how easy they have got it ;)

I few images from Google if that year:
50F1B311-984E-4582-9920-4AF3966893A4.jpeg
2E0EBEEC-814D-4129-A7AE-ED1DE4C9F8F2.jpeg
0DF7B8F6-09AC-4BE2-9D1A-DB9BF4CA535E.jpeg
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
We had ten riders from our club there today. Glad to say they’ve all finished safely.

Seemed to be quite a delay at mile 55, near Leith Hill? Four of our riders are showing as having diverted.
 

172traindriver

Legendary Member
Definitely a tough day.
Saw 3 nasty looking crashes needing medical assistance in the first 10 miles.
I had 06:08 start and the roads had dried after the little 04:00 shower.
But exiting Limehouse tunnel the roads were wet. There were a couple down in the first mile. Medics in attendance but didn't see anyone else involved.
Saw a Kingston Wheelers lad a few miles later on down on his own with ambulance in attendance. Hope the guys were all ok.
Another thing was the number of riders fixing punctures, there seemed to be someone every 400 to 800 yards stopped.
Tough day indeed.
 

Rustybucket

Veteran
Location
South Coast
That was tough, but good fun!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1735371875
 

Nomadski

I Like Bikes
Location
LBS, Usually
We had ten riders from our club there today. Glad to say they’ve all finished safely.

Seemed to be quite a delay at mile 55, near Leith Hill? Four of our riders are showing as having diverted.

If there wasn't an incident they may well have diverted people if they thought the downhill wasn't safe. They did that the monsoon year.
 

steverob

Guru
Location
Buckinghamshire
Quick thoughts as I'm still on the train home.

That really was not pleasant. Rain started five minutes before I hit the start line and didn't stop until I was past Putney (93 miles?).

But I completed the full 100 and am glad I did it. Wasn't feeling that way earlier in the ride - was very tempted to quit at about 20 miles in because I was drenched, cold, miserable and cycling at least 2-3 mph below my expected pace (which wasn't all that fast to begin with). But stuck it out and it slowly got better - my riding that is, not the conditions (if anything they got worse!)

Leith and Box Hills were both open when I reached them, but heard they were both closed not long after. Saw the aftermath of a few crashes and one actually happen, plus as was mentioned already, SO many punctures.
 
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Saw 3 nasty looking crashes needing medical assistance in the first 10 miles.
My ill-informed opinion is that today's weather probably will result in more broken bones but less deaths. If the temperature had been above 30, I think a few would have succumbed. Scanning Google news, I can't see any mention of serious injury. Fingers crossed this may be the first(? I think) RL with zero fatalities.

Bravo to all that completed it. Or crossed the start line, indeed. Shitty day.

Edit: oh, the swear filter doesn't notice "shitty". Must remember that.

Edit #2: that should be "fewer" not "less". I'm not going to correct it. It's not important when you are talking about death, but I still added this comment because I do not trust CC not to be petty.

Edit #3: just read @Buck's subsequent post. Bugger. Never more wished I was right.
 
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Buck

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
I’m on the train home too. I agree with @steverob not a pleasant ride unfortunately. I too was cold and wet - no getting away from that headwind and up at Newlands Corner it was grim and the rain was coming in at 45 degrees. It took all my motivation to start again!

As I approached Leith Hill an elderly man was receiving CPR and I heard from a steward afterwards he hadn’t made it (might be hearsay but wasn’t nice for anyone involved regardless!)

Just over the top of Leith Hill a guy fell and had a suspected fractured hip.

Just after I descended I stopped for a rest and some food and the stewards were reporting 7 ambulances out with serious accidents on both Leith Hill and Box Hill. They closed both for safety and I couldn’t then get up Box Hill.

I was surprised just how many people had punctures as well. Every where you looked there was somebody attempting a repair. Luckily I escaped #phew.

A well done to everyone who finished today - it was a real mind over body kind of a ride !
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
As a veteran of the monsoon event I feel your pain.
Well done and not surprised that the hills had to be closed.
Off the top of my head they have only ever managed 2 years when the course has remained fully open either for weather or crashes.
I have ridden it twice but never done a full 100 due to closures.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
Our riders reported numerous crashes, people simply falling off and confirmed the guy on Leith Hill had a heart attack but didn’t know if he made it or not.
 
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