The day didn’t start off too promisingly for me, waking at 02:30 feeling like someone was making balloon animals out of my lower intestine. Given I had already paid my entry fee and spent a large chunk of Saturday cleaning my bike and fixing an annoying creak from around the bottom bracket I eventually decided to MTFU and ride anyway. A 15 mile spin to St Neots meant leaving home a little before 06:30 while it was still very cold. I was extremely grateful for my club No Wind gilet. If you haven’t already got one I can thoroughly recommend them; they’re extremely toasty and appropriately named. Although perfectly clear around St Ives I hit a thick bank of fog through Toseland which was to set the scene for the early part of the sportive.
Signing on was handled well with plenty of people from St Neots CC around to direct riders into the sports centre and towards the registration desk. Tim and Vivienne had taken the opportunity to set up a display of some of Tri Sports Plus wares in the signing on area but having recently put a large dent in my current account (how can tyres and brake pads cost so much?!) I resisted the urge to part with any cash. Tim seemed unimpressed with the temperature and was debating whether to ride or stay in the warm and help Vivienne. Outside a small group of riders were entertaining each other with details of club run mishaps such as toppling over on a climb due to lack of momentum and missing a bend resulting into a trip into a field and a meeting with some cows. Given the route was heading into Elton from the west I added my anecdote of managing to take Gary out as we went over the bridge. In spite of the banter I was getting quite cold sitting around so decided not to wait for Tim and to get going. After a short rider briefing I was on my way.
The ride started with an easy spin along Willow Bridge and some shared-use paths into Eacon Socon before heading out of town. Early on the route was shrouded in fog and a combination of low temperatures and a gentle headwind meant I was finding it difficult to get my legs going. Fortunately there was a reasonably flat, fast stretch along the B645 to at least try to get warmed up, passing several small groups of riders who had also opted for an early start. The first hills were the Three Sisters, albeit approaching them from the easier direction. A brief blast past Raunds led to the lovely sweeping descent through Denford and by this time the fog had started to lift and the temperature had risen a little bit. Fortunately I timed my approach to the bridge in Thrapston perfectly, arriving just as the lights turned green. Next on the agenda was the steady climb through the village of Twywell – probably easier than going via Slipton but also with far less traffic on it. The route turned north, heading through Grafton Underwood and Brigstock. A nice touch showing attention to detail was St Neots CC putting a couple of marshals on the right turn in Brigstock; if you don’t know that road it is very easy to miss. Continuing onto Lower Benefield there was a nice view of the spire of the St Mary the Virgin church before entering the village and trying not to forget about the fast approach to the T junction with the A427! Next was the only poor bit of road surface on the route along Causin Way; there were a few fairly sizable craters along a bit of single-track but easy enough to avoid provided you kept your wits about you. I was glad the gates were open at either end so I avoided having to ride over the cattle grids; I still a have a healthy dislike of those things having “dropped it” on one on a uphill section near the Woburn Safari Park. The road signs in that area were rather intriguing, looking like someone had been using them for target practice. It was about this time I met another St Ives CC rider stopped and fiddling with his mount. If it was you I apologise for not knowing your name, but I didn’t recognise the face from the club runs. Back on flat roads and good surfaces the two of us had a pleasingly fast ride into Southwick for the feed stop.
As promised on the St Neots CC website the feed stop was well-stocked, although being some of the first riders to get there obviously meant the masses hadn’t had a chance to tuck in yet! The cake looked rather good but with my stomach still not cooperating I decided to forgo solid food. I did take the opportunity to refill my bidons, choosing water rather than risk complicating matters further with an unfamiliar sports drink (that didn’t work but I won’t subject you to the graphic details…). The St Neots CC members manning the stop were extremely friendly and welcoming, as well as keen to get some feedback on the start of the ride given they were in a bit of a dead spot for mobile phone reception. It was while chatting to them it occurred to me that of all the times I’d ridden through Southwick it was the first time I’d actually stopped at the village hall. With bidons refilled I decided to continue on, leaving “The unnamed rider” to enjoy a spot to eat.
Although still not very warm the sun was now fully out to provide a lovely autumnal day for riding a bike. The route headed back into territory that will be very familiar to those who frequent the club runs, heading through Woodnewton, Nassington and Elton. It was through this stretch I passed the same pair of riders I had passed at the bridge in Thrapston. They were the only other riders I was to see all the way back to St Neots. Given the route was very well signed I assume they must have chosen to completely ignore the feedstop. Having completed the short climb on Oundle Road the route turned south, but continued to the B660 rather than going over the bump on Haddon Road as we would for a club run. Turning right at the B660 I was now back on to roads I could probably ride blindfolded – the gently rolling terrain through Great Gidding, Winwick and Old Weston make up part of one of my favourite training loops. After dragging myself up the hill into Catworth was the treat of the high-speed charge down Bustard Hill, bringing me into Kimbolton for the second time. Rather than head straight back to St Neots the route turned right up the gentle drag towards Pertenhall and more of the accursed tar and chip road surface dressings that seem to be everywhere at the moment. Continuing on to Little Staughton and now having spent about four hours on the course, most of it on my own, my thoughts were now beginning to wander. As such I had completely forgotten about Spring Hill and wasn’t particularly enthused about having to drag myself up it. At least this time it wasn’t into a gale-force wind as it has been the last couple of times I’ve ridden it. Having scaled that there was a left turn at the Bushmead crossroads and I was now on the final push for home – gently downhill all the way into Eacon Socon and with the wind, what little there was, nicely behind me. Coming back into Eaton Socon I didn’t appreciate the driver who decided priority doesn’t apply to bicycles and he was going around some road furniture anyway. I was forced me to hit the brakes a lot harder than I would have liked. Still, it was the only poor bit of driving I saw on a day where I spent about six and a half hours on a bike so I can’t really complain. St Neots CC had placed some club members at the mini roundabout and it gave the motivation a nice lift to have someone clapping you home. Having nearly overshot the left turn into Shakespeare Road it was now time to knock the speed off (what little I’d been able to muster on the day) as the route now went back onto shared-use paths. A game of “Dodge the not-under-control doggie” ensued although, in fairness, the owner was rather apologetic and there were smiles all round. I rolled up to the finishing line with an extremely disappointing 4:20 on the clock for the 80 miles, not realising that Tim, having given me about a quarter of an hour head-start, was hot on my rear wheel. I think there might have been one rider finish ahead of us (someone had passed me just after Twywell looking like he was on a mission) but even so it was nice to see two St Ives CC members gatecrashing the St Neots CC party
I headed back to the leisure centre for a bit of a sit down, while having a chat with one of the St Neots CC members. He seemed more impressed with my riding than I was given there was no-one else about. With my stomach still in knots I couldn’t face the free meal in the cafe. That was twice in one day I’d turned down free food and I’m sure those of you that have seen may waistline can guess that doesn’t happen too often! As I strolled through the leisure centre to get my bottles refilled I bumped into the St Ives CC rider I left at the feed stop. It looks like our club had put in a good showing. It was then time for me to hop back on the bike again for a slow and easy ride back to St Ives, passing John and Andrea coming in the opposite direction on their tandem as I pootled down London Road and into town.
