Vatternrundan

[Dayvo]

Just want to wish you lot all the best for the event!

Having lived in Sweden for many years, I know how popular (and tough) the ride is! Several of my mates have done it (unfortunately I haven't - yet) and have enjoyed hearing their accounts of the trip.

I think the secret is 'pacing' and taking enough food and drink at the right times.

Good luck and keep us informed of the event afterwards.

 

[Bollo]

Thanks Dayvo!

I'm taking a camera on the ride to record my misery, so I'll post a few pics on my return.

 

[Bollo]

Finished!!
12hrs11mins - much better than I could have hoped for,especially as the weather was grim.
Full match report with photos when I get back home (I'm typing this on my iPod after booking myself into the nice hotel I stayed at in Lund on the drive out - I'm worth it).
Special mention to Kablinsky and the CFC group, who let me use their Stugor to put my bike together out of the rain.
Also Zoom. Sorry I couldn't make it for drinks - I crawled into my tent shortly after texting you and slept for 11hrs solid. After the time you put in plus your jouney, I'm not sure I'm worthy!

 

[Origamist]

Very impressive, Bollo et al. Well done.

 

[Kablinsky]

13hrs 58mins. Ecstatic just to finish. Did the first 160k in under 6 hours but then hit the wall, only to find someone had built several more along the way. That last 20k took me an hour (due to lack of knees) Did anyone else see the pissed up guys in their hottub or the family having a full dinner party in a bus shelter in the middle of nowhere? Bizarre.

 

[Zoom]

I didn:t see any CFC:s (excuse colons can:t work the keyboard in the hostel in Stockhol where I:m back after a total of 857km riding in the last 6 days) but well done all the same.

I had a blistering ride. Was hoping for a 12 hr finish (some hope) but after I caught the buzz of the bunches on the southern shores of the lake I had the smell of blood in my nostrils. After we passed the "Vattern View" climb (not much of a view when I passed it) I put it into a high gear and just went eyeballs out all the way after . So much so that I missed the only proper food stop at Jonkopping and carried on until Hjo: there is a limit to how many buns and gherkins one can shove down one:s face. The West side of the lake was the most exhilerating with the massive groups coming through which I jumped onto a few of for about 10 seconds , the shouts of "Oyaygay" and "Hayay" as the groups passed us then pulled in for oncming vehicles. After Hjo I found myself on the front of a group for about 30km and was determined to get back inside 11 hrs so missed all the other controls and héld on for grim death to finish in 10.55.


A fantastic ride with a terrific buzz, a strange mix of PBP, Sportive and also London - Brighton

Just do it

 

[Brainstorm]

Well done guys!

That was....wet! But I got around in something like 14 hours with plenty of breaks. As it turned out my start time was 1 in the morning. My legs were fine all the way around, but towards the end my shoulders were not happy at all. I was totally amazed over the number of cyclists, the stream just never ended.

Did you guys get blessed by the preacher by the side of the road with the megaphone? I think it was during the last 75km.

After the ride I slept for 14 hours, actually I think it was a coma. I guess that was a good thing, that way I did not notice that our caravan had an ant infestation. I am back in Bristol now, and there are still ants crawling out of my bike kit.

Anyone up for this ride next year?

 

[Dayvo]

Anyone up for this ride next year?

Firstly, well done to everyone here who took part! That's a great achievement.

I would like to have a go next year, in preparation for a longer ride in Norway (Trondheim - Oslo, 540 km) the year after.

 

[Zoom]

Well

Did you guys get blessed by the preacher by the side of the road with the megaphone? I think it was during the last 75km

Anyone up for this ride next year?

on the climb out of Hjo? I remember some group of nutters with a load of flowers and Swedish flags, was going to take a photo: good thing I didn:t give them a hand slap as they held out their hands

again next year? hmm, very expensive and awkward to get to , plus blooming cold for June (it.s been 2- 3 times that temperature in France when I.ve been there this time of year) but one year yes definitely

 

[Kablinsky]

Firstly, well done to everyone here who took part! That's a great achievement.

I would like to have a go next year, in preparation for a longer ride in Norway (Trondheim - Oslo, 540 km) the year after.

For about 25k I rode with a cycle club from just outside Oslo who were there to train for Trondheim - Oslo. The charity I did it with have prebooked for 2011. I may well be back with a view to a 12 hour finish.

 

[Dayvo]

For about 25k I rode with a cycle club from just outside Oslo who were there to train for Trondheim - Oslo. The charity I did it with have prebooked for 2011. I may well be back with a view to a 12 hour finish.

This probably isn't them, but this team came fifth overall in the team event in 2007:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2FLXp2U2gg


They started in Trondheim at 08.10 in rain and a headwind; had two x 2-minute food stops to re-load (and empty), the first after 180 km, the second after 390 km; arrived in Oslo after 540 km at 23.54 and averaged 35.5 km per hour!

 

[Kablinsky]

This probably isn't them, but this team came fifth overall in the team event in 2007:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2FLXp2U2gg


They started in Trondheim at 08.10 in rain and a headwind; had two x 2-minute food stops to re-load (and empty), the first after 180 km, the second after 390 km; arrived in Oslo after 540 km at 23.54 and averaged 35.5 km per hour!

The team I rode with weren't that good. The clue was that I was able to ride with them. They wore yellow and white jerseys.

Finishing positions:

Zoom 3806
Bollo 6268
Kablinsky 9602

The lead group came in at 7hours 37mins. I make that an average of 24.6 mph.

 

[Bollo]

Worked it out that nearly a quarter of the entrants either didn't start or dropped out. The organisers say that the weather was largely responsible for the high attrition rate.

 

[Kablinsky]

Worked it out that nearly a quarter of the entrants either didn't start or dropped out. The organisers say that the weather was largely responsible for the high attrition rate.

Wouldn't blame them. It was pretty bleak all day friday.

 

[Zoom]

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Wouldn't blame them. It was pretty bleak all day friday.

very true; the drizzle sheeting down all evening Friday as I was trying to get my head down in the sports hall was very depressing; although it had stopped just before sunset to start again when I woke up at 01.30. I wouldn't be surprised if many gave up as they arrived at the registration on Friday where there were waterfalls coming off the ends of the tents. The torrential rain only lasted for me from just after the 38k- control until about 20k before Jonkopping; with another very short shower just after Hjo; I'd say we had a very lucky second half of the ride weatherwise.

The Pyrenees and l' Ariegeoise for me next year, slowly working my way round all the French classics (except L'Etape of course, no chance of getting in that)

ride report here;

http://www.egcc.net/display-items.asp?intTypeID=150&intItemID=496

Kab; the £475 for the CFC trip sounds very reasonable