This was my second sportive this year after doing the Velo29 Manchester-Sheffield-Manchester sportive 2 weeks ago. Like the Manchester-Sheffield sportive, Velo29 were again offering a short route (41 miles), a medium route (70 miles) and a long route (103 miles) for the Tour of Lancashire.

This sportive was the second of four that I am using as part of my Ironman UK bike training. I signed up for the Long Route to get more miles in the legs and another opportunity to practice my nutrition for the Ironman UK bike leg. I didn’t do very well with this 2 weeks ago and struggled through the middle part of the ride, the plan today was the same but actually follow this plan this time.

I took two flapjacks out with me for a carb boost, the plan was to take a mouthful roughly every 20 minutes and then take a SiS Go Electrolyte Gel every 45 minutes. This is something I want to nail down and use at Ironman UK. I used this strategy when I did the White Rose Classic, Cheshire 100 and Ride London-Surrey 100 in 2019 and it seemed to work well.

Velo29 seem to be the only company running sportive events in the UK this spring. I have had the Tour De Manc and Devil Ride both postpone to autumn. To be honest, I don’t see why nobody else is running cycle events? The guidance from British Cycling is that events can go ahead as long as no large groups of 15 or more.

The procedure which Velo29 are operating feels really safe before the event, during and afterwards. In the days leading up to the event, we all have to complete a COVID questionnaire, which is basically asking if you have symptoms or have had or been in contact with someone displaying COVID symptoms in the past 2 weeks. All pretty standard stuff that we are all now used to. Once you complete the questionnaire, you are then invited to select a start time. 6 riders go off every minute (comfortably within the BC guidance of 15). If you do not complete a COVID questionnaire, you cannot select a start time. If you have not done this 24 hours prior to the event, you cannot ride. Everyone is temperature checked upon arrival.

At the feed stops, they limit it to 30 people at a time, although, I have seen some of the feed stops have more than that but everyone was well spaced out so it still felt safe. The food is in bags so you grab a bag and move away. Plenty of sanitiser around too.

So the ride. I picked a 7:10 start time and didn’t miss it this week. The weather was pretty chilly to start with 4’c and “feels like” 2’c but clear skies and little to no wind.

I spent the first 10 miles just following a couple of guys who started at 7:10, just taking it steady through Preston and getting warmed up. I have been suffering from tendonitis in my left knee for the past 7 months and I have found that it takes those first 30 minutes of riding before the knee feels good to go. Thankfully, the first 25 miles today were pretty flat so no real stress on the knee or body.

There were a few rollers but just gradual climbs, nothing too steep but the views of the hills and out to the sea in the morning sun were stunning.

There was one short sharp climb just before the first feed stop at Abbeystead and of course, the photographer is waiting at the top to capture the struggle.

The feed stop at Abbeystead is about a quarter of a mile off the route, including a 300m 20% drop just as you pull in. Being just off the course, that means you have to double back on yourself after the feed and go back up that 20% climb. It’s only short and coming only 28 miles into the ride, the legs still feel fresh so it isn’t too tough. I have an 11-28 on the back so these steeper climbs later on into a ride can certainly be felt but today was fine.

I made the decision to ditch the jacket after the feed stop. It felt a little warm with that on coming into Abbeystead but then felt cold just after. There was a nice 2.1 mile climb averaging out at 4.1% not long after the feed stop, which warmed me up and the descent down through Quemmore was nice!

The second feed was near a place called Lowgill around 52 miles in, the ride from Abbeystead to there was mostly downhill and flat. A couple of small hills but it was a quick section. The first proper climb of the day was just after that second feed stop where we go up over Cross of Greet in the opposite direction. Strava says it was a 4.6 mile, 3.9% ave climb coming in at 989ft of gain. Although there were a few downhill sections that really bring that average gradient down. In reality, the first 2 miles are between 5% – 8% then a downhill and the last mile really kicks up to between 13% – 18%. I love climbing and really enjoyed going up this one.

I am less confident descending, the first mile of this downhill was steep and on a narrow road with cars coming the opposite direction and there were 3 guys just behind me who were putting me on edge. Once they went around me I felt much better and passed them all again on a little half-mile climb.

After that, we were back on a wider road and still heading downward. I felt much more confident on this section, clocking just under 46mph coming through a town called Slaidburn just as a truck came out a few hundred yards ahead of me, I knew as soon as I saw it, it was going to end up slowing me down and if any cars coming the other way we will have to stop. Just as I thought, the truck was going slow so I had to slow down, then there was hay blowing off the back going all over me. Then we had cars coming the other way. It was painfully slow.

Eventually that truck got out ahead of me and I could ride at my own speed again or at least for a few miles before getting caught up with a bunch of cars going so slow and no way of getting around them. It says something when a cyclist is looking to pass the car. Sunday morning drivers!

Coming into Clitheroe at 80 miles, we were faced with the last big climb, probably the biggest of the day especially with 80 miles or 5hrs 40mins in the legs. Nick O Pendle climb was 1.29 miles at 7.9%. By this stage, we had merged back with the short and medium routes and there were quite a few riders on the road and struggling up here.

As with any big hill, the photographer was there halfway up to capture you in all your glory. I think I covered the pain well with this one.

The final feed stop was halfway down the descent, a tricky one to make coming down at speed. I initially went past to continue on with the final 20 miles but turned back to go grab another bottle and another bag of brownie and flapjack.

From that feed stop, the final 20 miles are mostly flat/downhill so it was a quick end to the day. The sun was out and it had warmed up to 15’c by this point. A really enjoyable end to the ride.

The fuelling strategy worked well today. I stuck to the plan throughout and felt a lot stronger across the whole 104 miles. All the climbs were fine and I was able to finish strong. The knee held up really well. Very little pain, just a bit in those first miles when the weather was at its coldest and the body was still warming up, really promising signs that I can do long rides and some hills without any discomfort, at least in the knee anyway. The quads and ass are a different story after 100 miles.

Another really enjoyable day in the saddle and another great sportive by Velo29. 104 miles and 9,000ft of climbing banked. All good training for Ironman UK which is slightly longer than today but less elevation gain. If I can do that ride in 6:30.55 I would be pleased.

Next up is the Daffodils Sportive in 3 weeks time, slightly shorter at 85 miles and less elevation but it should be a nice ride in mid-May.