Wicklow 200 2017

Beasty

Just to add I've no idea what's going on. However I do know it's a hell of a lot more difficult to organise a cycling event than many people around here may appreciate. You need the buy-in of the Gardaí, relevant local councils, and need to avoid clashing with anything else that may be scheduled for those particular bits of road (many of you will remember the issues surrounding the national championships last year which only came to light at short notice a couple of months before the event). I am sure that if they had finalised and received approval for the route it would have been published

Wishbone Ash

Beasty wrote: »

... I am sure that if they had finalised and received approval for the route it would have been published

Fair enough but why say anything about the change to the great unwashed until it's been decided and finalised?

(BTW it makes no difference to me one way or another but I can understand the frustration of others).

terrydel

dahat wrote: »

It has taken the edge off the event for me being honest.

As long as they don't increase the climbing then i won't be too pissed.

I swore I wouldnt do it this year, but Ive the maratona dles dolomites on july 2nd and was planning on the mb200 being my biggest training run before that. However Im at slane castle the night before that, so theres a good chance I wont do it. I dont drink but could take all hours to get home from slane, and a super tough 200km cycle first thing the next morning could be asking too much. So I begrudgingly signed up for the w200. Yes I could easily go out myself, but I find the sportives make those kind of hard training sessions bareable, its awful tough doing similar distance on your todd. But itll be the last year if I do end up doing it, its a ****e event for me, great route but run very poorly and even after last years problems, they seem to be adressing the issues that dont really matter rather than the ones that do, imho.

Beasty

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Fair enough but why say anything about the change to the great unwashed until it's been decided and finalised?

(BTW it makes no difference to me one way or another but I can understand the frustration of others).

I understand the frustration and think communication has been very poor.

My understanding is they released details of the new start location as soon as those arrangements had been finalised. I suspect that itself resulted in changes to their management plan which would then need to be agreed with the authorities - maybe that's what is holding things up (again although a member of the IVCA I am certainly not privy to what's going on and this is simply speculation on my part)

Macy0161

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Fair enough but why say anything about the change to the great unwashed until it's been decided and finalised?

Would've thought they were right to put the info of a change in start and end point asap tbh. For people who are traveling and staying for it and have to sort accommodation?

Wishbone Ash

Macy0161 wrote: »

Would've thought they were right to put the info of a change in start and end point asap tbh. For people who are traveling and staying for it and have to sort accommodation?

Point taken - I hadn't thought of that.

(Both towns are only a few kms apart anyway. I presume anyone who has booked accommodation in Greystones will just cycle to the start in Bray).

benneca1

, they seem to be adressing the issues that dont really matter rather than the ones that do, imho.

I fully agree have being doing this for years now but giving it a skip this year. Poor organisation of food and water stops and no atmosphere.

bbolger

I see on their website & FB page that the price is going up again after Easter Sunday, up to €60 :-(

dahat

I have booked two hotels, one in Newtown Kennedy and a second after the change in start in Bray, which is the nearest one to the start?
Is there any point in confirming the second booking if Newtownkeemedy is as near to the start/finish?

Wishbone Ash

dahat wrote: »

I have booked two hotels, one in Newtown Kennedy and a second after the change in start in Bray, which is the nearest one to the start?
Is there any point in confirming the second booking if Newtownkeemedy is as near to the start/finish?

A hotel in Bray would be much nearer than Newtownmountkennedy which is a good bit south of Bray (and the former start in Greystones).

dahat

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

A hotel in Bray would be much nearer than Newtownmountkennedy which is a good bit south of Bray (and the former start in Greystones).

Thanks, I'll hold the Bray booking then. Can't even remember the me of it!!!

ht9zni1gs28crp

terrydel wrote: »

I swore I wouldnt do it this year, but Ive the maratona dles dolomites on july 2nd and was planning on the mb200 being my biggest training run before that. However Im at slane castle the night before that, so theres a good chance I wont do it. I dont drink but could take all hours to get home from slane, and a super tough 200km cycle first thing the next morning could be asking too much. So I begrudgingly signed up for the w200. Yes I could easily go out myself, but I find the sportives make those kind of hard training sessions bareable, its awful tough doing similar distance on your todd. But itll be the last year if I do end up doing it, its a ****e event for me, great route but run very poorly and even after last years problems, they seem to be adressing the issues that dont really matter rather than the ones that do, imho.

Cant believe your still on this thread given the amount of moaning you do about this event. There is an off button on your pc/tablet/phone you do know that right? Just a suggestion...it might make your life a little easier

greenspurs

Eva Cool Rooftop wrote: »

Cant believe your still on this thread given the amount of moaning you do about this event. There is an off button on your pc/tablet/phone you do know that right? Just a suggestion...it might make your life a little easier

Everyones allowed an opinion?
You can always skip/ignore his posts if you dont like/agree with what he is posting, it might cause you less stress.

dahat

So the new route has been issued...

Can't link it just now but has anyone looked at it? Any opinion?

robyntmorton

http://www.wicklow200.ie/route-announced/

200 route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20453699

100 Route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20453781

Straight out of Bray Emmets and on to Ballyman road to Enniskerry.

ETA: End of the route takes it over Windgates, down to N11, and 20 bends road to Enniskerry to come back down Ballyman. Can't blame them for going that way. Running it down Bray Main St. would have been crazy.

Inquitus

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20453699

py

Not a huge change but will be interesting to see how the numbers work getting through Enniskerry early on.

dahat

2600 elevation doesn't look too bad over 200k.

What are the biggest climbs on it % wise?

Macy0161

Happy enough with the decision to skip it. Was tempted by the thoughts of a new route, but they've really done the minimum from last year really.

Moflojo

dahat wrote: »

2600 elevation doesn't look too bad over 200k.

What are the biggest climbs on it % wise?

The biggest climbs aren't, or shouldn't be, your biggest worry. It's getting through the last 30-40km. It's just constant rolling hills, short and stumpy with no respite. Try to keep some energy in reserve for it.

Wishbone Ash

py wrote: »

.... will be interesting to see how the numbers work getting through Enniskerry early on.

Yes, the descent into Enniskerry and the descent of Lover's Leap can be skittish enough on a wet day while solo never mind being surrounded by dozens of others.

dahat

Moflojo wrote: »

The biggest climbs aren't, or shouldn't be, your biggest worry. It's getting through the last 30-40km. It's just constant rolling hills, short and stumpy with no respite. Try to keep some energy in reserve for it.

That sounds testing alright, likely be food and gel enduced energy at that point.

robyntmorton

Route profile attached.

Inquitus

Here's a Strava version I did up.

https://www.strava.com/routes/8390491

lissard

By my calculations it's slightly more climbing than the old route - Strava tells me 3000m for this route vs 2900m for the old one. Both figures are fiction but I believe the increase. There are a couple of surprises for folks not familiar with Wicklow. The Old Long Hill is a much tougher start and the bit around Connery will be new roads to me. I reckon Windgates followed by Monastery Road will be tough with 190k in the legs.

dahat

Nearer this gets the more twitchy I'm getting with that elevation profile not doing me any favors....

Time to start doing long spins with steady climbs, working that into race training will be fun.

py

dahat wrote: »

2600 elevation doesn't look too bad over 200k.

What are the biggest climbs on it % wise?

Wicklow Gap climb hits low double digits about halfway up: https://www.strava.com/segments/635753

Slieve Mann is double digits early on but drops off towards the middle and the end of the climb: https://www.strava.com/segments/654036

Shay Elliot/Glenmalure hit double digits % early and is constant: https://www.strava.com/segments/9680758

Keep it in mind that the 2 later climbs are after 100Km and a good chunk of climbing already.

dahat

Mad 20% ramps will hurt but I can master most climbs that are constant, I was going to switch back to a compact set up but I'll stick with my semi compact and see how I go.

That's an excellent post, thanks.

lissard

The Old long hill is definitely >10% at the start and at the end. It's the short steep b*stards in the last 40k that do the real damage.

e.g. Conary - looks like heading towards 20% in places.
https://www.strava.com/segments/4763946

Wishbone Ash

dahat wrote: »

Mad 20% ramps will hurt but I can master most climbs that are constant, I was going to switch back to a compact set up but I'll stick with my semi compact and see how I go.

That's an excellent post, thanks.

There are a few short sections which are in the 12-15% area including the climb out of Enniskerry on the new route and the first bit of the Shay Elliott, but there's nothing anywhere near 20%.