Not to be outdone, over in the Alps, Tony B has been riding the Tour de France climbs – Alp D’Huez, Croix de Fer, Col de Sarenne, Col du Telegraphe and Col de Galibier – 21,000ft of climb in all! After this, the Col de Chineway will seem like a pimple. As Tony said, he just kept on going. Dizzy heights! What an amazing feat.
Category: Ride Round Up
The Dartmoor Classic 2017 by Ben Greenland
Myself and Alister Trendell from Honiton Spinners rode the Dartmoor Classic Grande route along with Andrew Simmons in lovely weather. Alister was trying to beat last year’s Gold time of 6 hours 2 mins while I was trying to get my first ever Silver time. I had the split times from last year and in the knowledge that I needed to be quicker by just over 45 mins it was going to be a tough target. We set off well and made it to Princetown for the first time 19 mins up. Our faster pace continued up until we reached back to Princetown for the second time where it became clear that a silver time was still on the cards but it was going to be close. The Silver time was 7.14 for my age group and my finishing time was 7.06 with Andrew a few minutes faster. Alister had had an amazing ride, finding a fellow ridder to team up with and smashed last year’s time completing it in 5.43 and coming 7 th overall.
Mike Bowring, Gary Enticott, Olivia Higginson and Craig Boyde also rode the popular Devon Classic. Mike, Gary and Craig rode the 60 mile route, starting at Bicton Park, taking in Sidmouth, Honiton, Exmouth and Peak Hill. Olivia, still recovering from injury, tackled the 25 mile route. She was delighted to beat three male riders, who rode in her slip stream along Exmouth seafront before overtaking her, but she beat them to the finish! Congratulations also to Ellie Dominy to come in 2 nd lady in the Honiton Sprint Tri. She was delighted to be a minute quicker than last year, but that illusive triathlon win is in her sights!
Congratulations also go to Rachel Mandrupson, who came third in her category. She says: “A great Honiton Tri and thanks to everyone who organised and marshalled it.”
Meanwhile, Scott Rumens loved the cycling parts of the Tour de France route, climbing over 3862 feet of climb in the Tarn, although it was, he admitted, a bit hot!
Up, Down and Far Away
Honiton Spinners have been spotted in Wales, London, in the Tarn Valley, France and, of course, scaling the heights of the East Devon hills.
The third Wales Velothon – 140K (88 miles) is a closed-road sportive, starting and finishing in Cardiff, where Honiton Spinners, and 15,000 others, can pretend they are Tour de France riders as they sweep through towns and villages with spectators clapping, ringing bells and cheering, and as they cut the corners off powering down the descents. There are two iconic climbs, The Tumble, which is a leg-burning 2.6miles long (8-12% all the way) and Caerphilly Mountain, which is shorter but with three lung-bursting steep 18-20% ramps. Tony Ballinger, Scott Rumens and Rob Conabeer zipped round the course averaging 21mph+ with Rob coming in the top 50! Descending from the Tumble, Tony says he had a nasty argument with a kerb and a wall and has the scraped skin to prove it. Jennie Sleeman, Vanessa Glynn Jones and John Burgess, had a great day out in the glorious weather at slightly less ambitious speeds.