In the spirit of the Liège Bastogne Liège race I thought I would do my own mini Surrey classic and find my climbing legs by riding up a few of the Surrey Hills.
At this time of year when there are various classic
professional cycle races in France, Belgium, Spain, and currently in Italy -
races that feature iconic climbs - I wanted to do my own version of a classic
ride in my local area.
With my new Liv Avail Advanced 2 and its low gears I decided to put them,
and my legs of course, to the test. So where else would I find a route
befitting a classic than in the Surrey Hills. After all, I needed to get in a
fair bit of climbing ahead of my little cycle challenge in July.
Coldharbour climb near Walden woods
Well, actually there is a choice of places to get in climbs
when you're based in South London. Contrary to popular belief, London has
hills. Getting to my home from central London involves going over one of a few
steep hills at Crystal Palace - Sydenham Hill, College Road, Dulwich Wood,
Gipsy Hill, Central Hill - take your pick. Then you enjoy a big drop down the
other side, past Crystal Palace Park. By the same token, when riding towards
central London from home I have to take these hills in the opposite direction.
That's just my neighbourhood - there are other hilly areas too. London-based
cyclists can certainly get their share of hills if they wish. Don't
underestimate the climbing powers of a London rider - myself not included!
Farthing Down overlooking Croydon and South London
Feeling in the mood to go further afield, I headed south of
Croydon and over Farthing Downs to enter the Surrey Hills. Technically, the
range of downland terrainbegins at this
expanse of ancient grassland and woodland owned by the Corporation of London,
that gives views of the City skyline in the distance. But commonly folks think
more about venues in the heart of these chalky downs - Box Hill, Leith Hill and
Peaslake. That's where I was headed.
After passing through the suburban town of Reigate I crested
my first named climb of the day, Pebble Hill [2.2km; average gradient 4.5%].
These statistics are misleading as parts of the climb are considerably steeper
with a short stretch at almost 20%. I had to keep calm on this road and not
waste any energy grimacing or getting stressed. It was a real quad-buster and I
just had to focus and not allow myself to wobble as the cars chugged on behind
me. I saw many groups of cyclists on the road - all of them were going
downhill. I wonder why?
Pebble Hill, near Betchworth, Surrey was a quad-buster
This was definitely a climb where I needed to rest. While
recuperating, I spotted a guy pushing his hybrid bike up the hill, then he
flaked out in the grass verge while trying to get his breath back. “Are you
okay?” I asked him. “Yeah,” he replied, still heaving. “I just hadn't realised
how hard the climb was.” I was glad to know he wasn't having a heart attack.
“Yeah, it's certainly a toughie,” I replied. Well I'd gotten the hardest climb
out of the way first, so from here on in everything would be a piece of cake.
Er, kind of!
A loop through Headley and down Lodgebottom Lane, on what
was the former Ballbuster Duathlon course took me to the foot of Box Hill. It
wasn't quite time to ride up my favourite hil, as it was a case of saving the
best till last.
Next up was Ranmore Common [1.8km; average gradient 4%],
what I call a Cinderella climb. It is set in very pleasant woodland on a
country lane that has few cars on it, though hardly anyone talks about it. Near
the top comes a small sting in the tail on a 15% left-hand bend. The first time
I rode up this I had to walk. Nowadays I am used to it, and these days the
gears on my bike are low enough to crest it in the saddle.
Ranmore Common, where you can go to church or even a vineyard - take your pick
Depending on your preference you are rewarded at the top
with either a trip toDenbies Vineyard
or a stopover at the church.
I then dropped down to Dorking and enjoyed lovely views over
the North Downs before taking on the longest climb of the ride, Coldharbour
[4.5km; average gradient 4.5%]. This climb is the other side of its steeper
counterpart, Leith Hill. Where Leith Hill has you honking out of the saddle,
Coldharbour takes you gradually up to the eponymous hamlet where road bikers
can meet mountain bikers, hikers, and horse riders at the Plough Inn, or at the
picnic site below Leith Hill Tower. Nevertheless it's not entirely plain
sailing as mid-way up the climb are a couple of 10% ramps, notably at Boar
Hill. However, I couldn't ignore the sight of beautiful coniferous woodland
near the top.
The Plough Inn, Coldharbour - bolthole for hikers and bikers
Coldharbour: Snack point and gateway to Leith Hill Tower
An undulating ride over rough roads meant I needed to pay
attention as my bike handling skills were put to the test. Having decent tyres
was definitely helpful at this time. Back to Westcott, and then Dorking where I
could look forward to my final climb of the ride, Box Hill. A classic bike ride
can't end without an iconic climb. At 2km and an average 4.5% gradient with no
steep ramp, Box Hill is probably one of the easiest of the Surrey Hills. It is
the alpine-style switchbacks winding their way to the top of the chalky
escarpment and among the box trees that make it famous. For many it's a
big-ring climb that can be done after the other significant challenges along
the way, often at attacking pace. Then it does become difficult, and at that
point you can justify having an extra slice of cake at the National Trust café.
I took the climb at a steady pace, without trying to get a personal best. That was the most appropriate speed given the energy I had left. After all, I still needed to save a bit in the tank to comfortably get me back to London.
Box Hill Zigzag
As ever there were lots of others pedalling up Box Hill at a
variety speeds, with many of them overtaking me. Whatever our ability we all
met at the top and enjoyed a snack at this hub in the heart of the Surrey
Hills.
Box Hill, National Trust Centre café
After a short break I headed home, feeling satisfied with my
mini classic in Surrey, and glad to have gone some way towards finding my
climbing legs for the Etape du Tour - and the bike fared well too!
Feeling satisfied after completing the Ride London 100
Just like April is London Marathon time, late July/early August is Ride London. This great weekend festival of cycling dominates central London, with people of all ages and abilities having a go at cycling. This year it took place on 3-4 August.
For me, Ride London 100 is a chance to put on my favourite cycling kit and look my best in front of home crowds for the cyclosportive. It's not often that I get to ride in front of lots of people in my local area, so I like to make the most of it.
I always relish riding these 100 miles from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at Stratford, through central London, Richmond Park, and doing the trio of Surrey Hills (Newlands Corner, Leith Hill, Box Hill) before returning to central London and finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.
So, as is the tradition, I wore my brightest Primal cycling kit. I also had a nice bike to ride, namely a test ride of the 2020 Liv Avail Advanced Pro 1. It came complete with disc brakes and electronic gears (SRAM eTAP AXS if anyone's asking). So I had the gear - I just had to show people I had some idea.
Ride London Wake-up call
These things are easier said than done. Firstly, although I consider myself to be a morning person, getting up for the Ride London sportive is always challenging for me. I have done this event 3 times, and the start time for my wave has generally been at around 7am. This means I have to be in my pen by 6.30am, which means a 3.45am wake-up call. Unlike going to the airport where I can sleep on the train to Gatwick, for Ride London I actually have to be alert to do the 13-mile bike ride to the Olympic Park at 4.45am.
And the wake-up call comes after I have gone to bed late on the Saturday after covering the Ride London Classique women's race for such and such a cycling publication, which includes hanging around to interview the riders for such and such a cycling publication.
This year there was a delay in doing the post-race interviews because a crash in the finish strait meant that adjudicators had to analyse footage and decide if any penalties were due. There were, and sadly for Kirsten Wild, she was relegated from first place to disqualification after having strayed from her sprinting line and causing the crash. She wasn't willing to do any interview, but I did speak to Coryn Rivera and Alice Barnes.
So with only a few hours' sleep I was faced with a 100-mile cycle ride at 7 am (or in real terms a 113-mile bike ride at 4.45 am when you include cycling to the start).
For my ride to the event I cycle through the almost empty streets for Sydenham, Catford, and Lewisham - give or take a dozen Ubers - cross the river via the Greenwich foot tunnel and then continue my cycle ride to Stratford. I never particularly research how to get there because once on the Isle of Dogs there are lots of other bike riders so I just follow the mass peloton, bleary-eyed and get carried to my start area.
All ready to go at the start line in the Olympic Park
However, this year there weren't that many people to follow, and shock horror those people weren't locals and were following Google maps.
This route ended up being quite convoluted and going through lots of alleyways and different canals. As it was a case of guess beggars couldn't be choosers, I just followed the errant peloton and hoped to get there sooner or later.
I got to my start point later - in fact quite a lot later, so I ended up starting in a completely different wave from my scheduled start. No bother! That was a blessing in disguise as it meant I didn't have to stand around for half an hour on this crisp morning. So I just had 100 miles to do, with the aim of enjoying it and not getting cramp or just getting hollow legs, like I have done on the previous occasions.
Riding with the 100 Club
I used to do quite a lot of road and track racing, so a 100-mile ride was not much of a problem for me because that top-end effort was there and could carry me through a long-distance cyclosportive. These days I only really race in winter during the cyclocross season, so the rest of the time I am doing long-ish rides, but not particularly at a hard pace. So riding 100 miles does become a bit more of an effort as my legs can testify. Unfortunately, my mind doesn't quite believe it and the last 30 miles (usually after Leith Hill) becomes a tour de force to get to the finish line.
Once we got going it was a lovely speedy ride along closed roads that we never ride on any normal day - the A12 trunk road, the Great West Road, also known as the A4. Then tunnels like the one at Limehouse, and the Hyde Park Corner underpass. Like excited kids the peloton shouted and whooped whooped as we went through these enclosed spaces.
Ride London does have a bit of a festival atmosphere with people riding different types of bikes. Naturally most people are on road bikes, but you still get folks on hybrids, mountain bikes and tandems. But then you'll get some people who challenge themselves by riding the 100 miles on a Brompton, or a recumbent bike. One guy on a hybrid had even brought his dog along and he had a lovely ride sitting there in the basket on the front of the bike. I hope the dog enjoyed speeding down Leith Hill!
Some folks rode Bromptons - I chose this!
From the start at Stratford through central London and up to the Hampton Court Palace feed station the ride was fast without making any effort at all. I easily averaged 20 mph without pushing.
In the next 25 miles the roads become narrower and slightly undulating, so it's usually the time to think about managing energy before hitting the challenging climbs. Also, as the roads narrow you have to be more alert and aware of what's going on around you.
Ride London cyclosportives seem to be run with the same spirit as the London Marathon (given that they both have the same organisers). That basically means that anyone can have a go, especially if you have a back-story around raising money for such and such a charitable cause.
The UK must be one of the few countries where you can take part in these events and the slower and fatter you are, the more people will treat you as a hero - particularly if you are raising money for cancer, a sick child, or mistreated dogs. At the London Marathon there is usually a group of people who will still be running well into the evening, after having started the "race" at 10 am, and they still receive a medal.
It's all well and good having newbies and novices in running races, but when it comes to tens of thousands of bikes, that doesn't translate in the same way. So you get people switching their line unexpectedly, being in the wrong gear on a hill and suddenly coming to a stop, or just losing control of their bikes and crashing. So, having good bike handling and being ready to take evasive action is always a good idea at this event!
The Hills are Alive
Newlands Corner, the first climb was not so bad and just lasted around a mile (1.6km) long and was 10% gradient at its steepest, so that was a little leg tester, followed by another gentle quad opener at Holmbury St Mary.
Congestion at the start of Leith Hill. We got going after the 10-minute hold-up
I made use of the feed stations and hubs and stopped at all of them - not necessarily because I needed to eat, but mainly to take photos and chat to people. I met a few different women who were riding the hundred, including one who had come all the way from Abuja, Nigeria to do the ride.
The main effort came at Leith Hill, a 2.7-mile (4.5km) climb that was around 10% on average, though there were stretches at 15% and 22%. This was where a lot of people ended up walking. Sadly, it wasn't just because the road proved too steep, but also because congestion meant that we had to walk. In fact at one point we came to a complete standstill and had to wait almost 10 minutes for the road ahead to clear.
I guess it's all part and part of doing a popular event. I seem to recall something similar happening during the Tour of Flanders cyclosportive when trying to get up the Muur at Geraadsbergen or the Koppenberg.
Eventually we were able to get moving and I managed to ride around the walkers and get up to the beast. I guess having this climb on your doorstep to practice means that it doesn't feel too onerous on the big day.
Box Hill - everybody's favourite climb - at least in the Surrey!
For me, the test of how fit I was came down more to how well I could climb up Box Hill. This is one of the most popular climbs in the country, especially with it having been included in the cycle route of the 2012 Olympics.
As Surrey Hills go though, in fact, compared with any hill it's not really that challenging. There are a few switchbacks which give it dramatic effect, and the area is very pretty, but Alpine, it is not!
However, after a bit of climbing and speed, and tackling the climb 65 miles (105km) into the ride can be energy sapping on the legs. In previous years I have just crawled my way up the switchbacks and began to drift backwards as everybody overtook me. This time around I actually managed to ride it at my normal pace, and was even passing people. Hoorah, no cramp, no problems.
I had broken the back of the ride and was looking forward to a pacey run back to London. All I needed to do was to latch onto a good wheel and slipstream my way back through Surrey. The strategy worked as we zoomed through Leatherhead, Esher, and Surbiton.
It was a sense of achievement to still be feeling strong and enjoying my ride. I spoke too soon though, because when we reached Kingston I got unceremoniously dropped by the bunch, and ended up crawling up the short sharp hill at Coombe Lane. Things were starting to catch up with me, and I had to dig really deep for another sting in the tail at Wimbledon Hill. This is one of those hills that people don't really talk about, but it catches a lot of people out, especially as it is less than 10 miles (16km) from the finish. I was doing well just to grind up the hill. Quite a few people were walking!
Cramping my style
We were rewarded with a welcoming view of Central London and a lovely descent through Putney, before winding our way through Fulham and Chelsea to reach Parliament Square. Just as significant events take place in Parliament, that's where I suddenly got cramp in my left quad, and had to shake out my leg. It looked quite unelegant in front of the thick crowds, but I had to do just enough to be able to allow me to at least ride a strong finish in front of Buckingham Palace. I just about managed it, and that was good enough.
My Garmin recorded a time of 6 hours 15, but my official time was probably about two hours longer! With all my stoppages at the feed stations and hubs, mainly to take photos and record interviews that took up a lot of time.
It had been a good day out in the saddle, and the ride has given me the motivation to do more cyclosportives - who knows maybe even an actual road race.
As for the bike: I think I have a lot to thank for in the Liv Avail. I reckon this bike saved my bacon quite a lot. It was so light and responsive that my movement was just quicker than it would otherwise have been. Having electronic gears was also very useful as these just changed smoothly without that cronking that you sometimes get on manual gears. Having a nice bike definitely makes you want to ride more - so that's what I'll be doing.😁
A winning weekend: Podium for the Ride London Classique (Lotte Lepisto, Coryn Rivera, Lisa Brennauer)
So we've just had Prudential Ride London a few weeks ago, and before I even had time to say "Can I get a post-race massage" the ballot opened for the 2018 event, and thousands have already applied for a place!
I must say this is my favourite cycling event. It's a great weekend of biking in London - highly convenient for someone like me who is getting lazier with age, and less willing to travel too far events.
These days I much prefer signing up for events that I can cycle to. This year my ride up to the start of the Ride London 100, at the Olympic Park was straightforward, if a little wet, and really early. (I set off at 4.30 am to make my 6.48 start time.)
I love the ride in as I spot more and more people along the way - leaving from Anerley, then up through Penge, Catford, Lewisham, Greenwich. It's like a snowflake of bikers that gradually grows into a snowball that rolls through the foot tunnel and comes out at the Isle of Dogs. I tend to get a bit hazy about which way to go once I am in East London, but there are no worries as all I need to do is to follow the peloton as it winds its way up through Poplar, Mile End, Hackney and Stratford.
Considering that I'm going to be among 28,000 other cyclists, the start area is always pretty quiet and civilised. You hand your bag into the truck, carry out any last minute bike adjustments with the provided tools and bike pump, then go to the loo. And there's hardly even any queue for that either.
Then we get going to the sound of some motivational music. The MC gives our wave a choice of tunes - either "Walking on Sunshine" or "Mr Blue Sky". It seems that the organisers didn't get the chance to make any last minute changes to their playlist in light of the weather, as the choices are all around sunny days even though the skies are look grey and angry on this July morning! We end up setting off to the sound of the Electric Light Orchestra song, which I guess gives you an idea of the demographic of the riders - not so much MAMILs but MOMILs (much older men in Lycra)! The people in the wave ahead of us had "Start me Up", so I am guessing that must have been full of VOMILs (very old men in Lycra) - albeit folks with a decent taste in music!
Then we speed through the empty streets on our day-long odyssey from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the Queen Elizabeth central London residence (aka Buckingham Palace) via South-west London and the Surrey Hills.
My ride, like last year, was largely fun, with people out cheering us on along the roadside, bunting in towns like Dorking, Leatherhead, and Kingston-on-Thames. Also what hadn't changed was how tough it was to climb up Leith Hill, and also how I crawled up Box Hill compared to the other times when I ride that slope.
The feedstation at Westcott is always a great relief, and it was very tempting to stay and sit on one of the deckchairs and watch the giant screen. There was even life-size chess to play as well. But I have to push on, and get back to The Mall in time to interview people and do my journalism work.
All smiles at the finish line
Also, this year, like last year I wore eye-catching kit care of Primal Europe, and I got a lot of cheers from like Go Girl, love the armwarmers etc.
So yes, nothing changes when I do this event, even that cramp in legs that I get as I try and charge down the Mall to the finish line! It's always an enjoyable day out. The only real change for me was that my time was half an hour quicker than last year. Maybe next year I will be a little quicker and cramp free.
My media pass for the weekend
Other things to do on that weekend are the Free Cycle on the Saturday, which is one of the most pleasant 10 miles you can do around Central London as there are lots of bike hub stops with sound systems, refreshments, and different demos of cycling to try out.
Then of course there are the pro races - I usually report on the elite race (The Ride London Classique) for Cycling Weekly or Total Women's Cycling on the Saturday, and then on Sunday I go and say hi to the other journos who are down for the weekend, then hang back to see the end of the men's race (Ride London Classic).
This year I was also able to attend the press conferences for the pro races. The conference for the Classique was held at Imperial College and I was able to grab a few words with two of my favourite pro racers, Marianne Vos and Jolien d'Hoore.
Matt Barbet interviews Michael Matthews
The following day I was in Docklands to see if I could speak to Michael Matthews, who was there along with Elia Viviani. It wasn't quite so easy to speak to them, but it was good to at least introduce myself to the Sunweb Team. It was also nice to catch up with Matt Barbet, Channel 5 news anchorman, and cycling presenter/enthusiast.
The Ride London weekend is always a nice time to be in London. There's a fun carefree, and car-free atmosphere, you can catch up with loads of biking enthusiasts, and something about having traffic-free roads allows you to appreciate the beauty of central London.
I would definitely recommend bringing your bike down for it, even if it's just for the Free Cycle.
In the last week I've done two track sessions, two track leagues, a criterium race, a turbo trainer session, plus about 150 miles of commuting by bicycle and a bit of running. My legs are beginning to feel it. It's not helped by my less than regular stretching sessions either. I'm hoping to do some derny paced riding this evening at the velodrome, race at the MOD Chertsey on Saturday, and then on Sunday either race at Thruxton or do an unofficial London to Brighton (and back) ride. Just the thought of this will make my legs scream ! It's that time of year when there are so many bike events taking place, and I want to take part. The sun's out, it's warm, the nights are long. So why not make the most of it.
Talking to a guy I met from Denmark, last year he asked - how many times a year they have races in London ? How would I know ?? In London and the South East, especially in the summer you could race every day of the week if you wanted. From track racing, crit racing, Surrey League races and time trials there's so much going on that you wonder how you can fit all in ! And of course there's all the off-road/mountain biking stuff too.
It's funny how when I meet people from other parts of the UK, especially up North they almost want to feel sorry for Londoners - "it must be tough for you guys - where can you ride a bike in London ?" In fact with all the events that are going on I feel lucky to be in London. The South East has at least as many, if not more events taking place than in other regions. And they are within easy reach of home. Our region was the only one to hold a women-only road race championships. It is a shame that we lost the facility at Eastway last year. But it still has not curbed racing activity. Maybe it's the Tour de France effect making more people want to take to get into the whole competitive cycling aspect. As for the racing season, just like with climate change, everything seems to be merging into one ! The road racing season used to begin in March and finish in late September. Now the season has been stretched, with it starting in early February and finishing in late October. In fact there is even a road racing league that takes place through the winter months. As long as people turn up to race the organisers see no reason not to hold the event. And the riders turn up en masse every Saturday, come rain or shine ! Even the London cyclo cross league is now starting a week earlier, in mid September just to fit in the additional rounds. So for folks like myself, who like doing both road racing and cyclo cross it really becomes a juggling act. So much riding, so little time !
In terms of bike rides and club runs, living at Crystal Palace I have easy access to Kent and Surrey. I can head down Anerley Hill, and 6 miles later I am at the beginning of the North Downs in Kent. A little to the west are the Surrey Hills with famous climbs like Box Hill and Leith Hill. Great cycling country - especially if you want to test yourself ! For more clement stuff there are the lanes going South West, towards Kingston, along the river Thames and out towards Windsor. So with all that's going on it's difficult for me, during a sunny weekend or evening to opt to stay at home. I'm happier on a bike. I just need to decide which bike I use, what I do with it, and try not to overdo it !
Tried to do the sportive but a cold blew up the day before so I had to pull out.
Surprisingly it was still a good trip.
For what it's worth here are my musings on the race.
What is it about the Tour of Flanders?
Even though the name makes it sound like a stage race, it's only a one day race.
People say it has cobbles but there’re nowhere near as many or as rough as Paris-Roubaix. People say it has the "bergs", 18 of them but in reality most of the climbs in the Surrey Hills are longer and higher. Sure, it has the famous Muur but even that's a walk in the park compared to the likes of Tanhurst Lane at the back of Leith Hill.
What the Tour of Flanders has though is Belgians, Belgians everywhere, mad about the race, mad about their riders and this alone makes the race stand out from everything else at this time of year.
The day before the main race almost 20,000 of them took the course, most doing the 140km version which covered most of those "bergs".
There was a definite non-competitive spirit as the weather was good and the course is not seriously tough.
Some groups blasted up each hill, then waited and regrouped before spinning over to the next one. Others trundled along at a steady pace happy to mentally tick that box at the top of each climb. More than a few were on normal situpandbeg street bikes with a basket on the front and I even spotted two families carrying young children in child seats.
More of a festival than a sportive then.
Race day itself came with all the usual trappings, at least in Belgium. Crowds lining the streets, mobs lining the climbs, but what really brought home what the race meant was the Belgian television coverage after the race.
So picture this, a Belgian gets beaten by a half a wheel in a sprint for the line. Two minutes later the coverage shows a close-up of the same rider sitting on the ground up against a crash barrier trying to bury his head in his hands while half a dozen microphones and cameras were stuck in his face. Cut to the studio where his teammate had barely taken his helmet off but he had already been nabbed for a sit-down interview. Hunched over the desk and speaking through a bad case of helmet hair he was already giving his opinions on the race.
I didn’t understand a word he said but his pain was obvious especially when he was asked to review a replay of the sprint. Wincing continuously, he started shouting “turn, turn” and hitting his head off the desk as his teammate’s cadence slowed 20 yards from the line and the winner came past.
