I'll apologise now for this rambling-on a bit, but I've got an 8 hour flight to kill, and I'll be too knackered to do anything else but sleep on the way back tomorrow night... Ash clouds permitting!
I did The Dyfi for the first time last year, and loved the impeccably relaxed, almost hippie fest atmosphere. With a band playing in the marquee on Saturday night, plenty of beer and food, battered overstuffed sofas and the coolest Rasta DJ easing you into a comfortable daze and allowing the wee small hours to creep-up on you all too quickly... it doesn't encourage nazi race preparation!
This year was no different, entries were limited to 650 places and were sold-out within 5 hours of the on-line booking opening up!
Looking back at last year's results, I finished 148th of 665 overall and 25th of 184 40+ male entrants, not too embarrassing a performance, but this year's objective was for a solid top 50 finish.
I'd been struggling to prepare for this event over the last couple of weeks, the crash at Hanchurch had left me with some really painful ribs. Stupidly (normal for me), I continued to ride everyday in that first week, and it was only the following Saturday when I conceded that I’d better take a few days off to give my body some chance of healing, and I should really go and see a doctor!
By Tuesday, although still rather tender, I was feeling much better and feeling a bit of a fraud sat in the Doctor's surgery on Wednesday morning. The Doc was pleasant chap and after having a good old poke about, announced that he was happy I could race on Sunday.
Arriving in the campsite at Machynlleth at 4, it was already packed with tents, but Rich Munro’s lovely 1971 VW Camper does stand out from the crowd. By 4.30 the tent was up and Rich Harris has thrust the first beer in my hand... I suspect this could go badly if I'm not careful!
Paul and son Alex (18) arrive soon after. Alex and Rich M had bravely entered this event in the Luddite Singlespeed class... So one gear only and these boys had opted for no suspension either, a brave call for the big hills of Wales!
Rich Harris's bike however looked like it had been built by Orange County Choppers... complete with Ape hangers! Its a full carbon S-works and probably the best full-on race bike between us by far. Now I generally think that if it looks wrong, it probably is... So cue the Bike Doc and half an hour later with a bike that now fits, Rich is happier than a fat-bird with a Gok Wan makeover... ;)
We finally retired sometime after midnight... Hmmm what was that bit about preparation?
I'm sporting the new LEDgend Lights top for this race, and freezing down at the start in minimal clothing! I usually plan to start near the front but today, I'm on the front row (almost) next to ex-olympian and Scott factory team rider Nick Craig again, I seem to be lining-up with him quite often these days! 11am and it’s me leading-out a Peleton of over 700 riders... "Don't look round"! The marshall’s motorbikes lead us through the town centre which is lined with loads of people clapping and cheering... Fantastic!
As the tarmac turns to dirt at the bottom of the first big climb the marshalls pull-off and the race starts in earnest, a young lad in Mammoth Kit (15 years old, and apparently a real emerging talent) jumps off the front and it takes a few minutes before the pack decide to chase him down, its not a pace I can live with this early-on (if ever), we've got about 30 miles to race so I settle into a pace that's going to get me to the end!
This first hill is one of the longest ascents of the day, there's a band playing at the hairpin bend 3/4s of the way up, and later a group of cheerleaders to welcome you over the top... This is The Dyfi... It’s different!
It’s a mix of long long forest road ascents, (Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” on a loop inside my head… not sure I should admit to that!) followed by screaming down loose slate and narrow ruts followed by more big long up-hill (more Gaga)… my specialty!
A new addition to this years course is the World Cup descent, taking a long and extremely steep line down a spectacular ridge... It’s awesome and terrifying! Have a look at this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUtSJTIUkMc its way steeper than it looks on here!
I'm amazed to reach the bottom alive and surprised to find a marshall telling me I'm 29th! Wow… but my chain is hanging loose, snapped! How do you snap a chain going down hill??? The fast link that joins the chain, normally the subject of much cursing in the garage when you need to split the chain, had somehow come apart and disappeared! It’s a frustrating few minutes listening to the marshal counting from 30th to 43rd places while I'm fixing my broken chain!!
The Red-mist descends... 15 miles to go and I'm going to bury myself to make as many places back as I can! There are a couple of guys that as much as I can reel them in and pass them going uphill, with full suspension bikes, they're way faster downhill leaving me to do it all again. Eventually getting the better of one, the other disappears on a very fast descent.
Another fast, loose stone shoot spits me out at the finish, 5th 40+ Male and 35th overall... Really pleased with that, even with my mechanical, I've been lucky to not puncture, many people having 2 or more punctures, only had 1 spare tube with me!
Congratulations to Alex and Rich Munro on finishing 94th and 74th on their Rigid Singlespeeds!
Click on the Link below to see Race Data from my Garmin.
Cracking write up that JB. Sounds like youre hitting some decent form!!
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