Posted Dec 23rd 2007, 3:54pm

End of Sportive season

For now the cyclo-sportive season has finished in my part of Spain (Murcia) although it won’t be long before the new season gets underway. Following my introduction to this type of event in Cartagena in September, I managed to fit in a couple more, one based on the attractive coastal town of Aguilas, and the other just north of Murcia city. Both were around 95km in length, run off in good weather and each had its fair share of serious climbing. The Aguilas event incorporated 46km of climbing, one of the climbs being around 22km in length and the rest of the uphill kms were split between two other major climbs, gradients of around 12 – 13% max. The average speed of this event was quite slow at around 24kmh but I guess considering the terrain, that wasn’t too bad.

The final event in October, based on the town of Molina de Segura, some 15km north of Murcia, passed through some beautiful countryside where much fruit is grown for use in jams, hence the name of the event, “Ruta de Conserva” or “Route of the Jam”. Soon after the start we had a 4km climb through a golf complex and here the gradient rose to around 15%, quite steep with so few kilometres in our legs. Following a fairly undulating route after that we headed towards the famous town of Ricote which lies in a beautiful valley and is locally renowned for its cheese. However to reach Ricote we first had to climb over the “Alto de Ricote”, a demanding “little” hump of 5km but incorporating a “wall”, about 1000 mts in length and rising to a grade of almost 20%. Fairly bonecrushing and having reached the top of that section, the remaining 2,5km of normal mountain road to the final summit seemed tame to say the least. This was followed by a long fast swoop into Ricote where the streets were lined with spectators shouting encouragement. All this, was of course on roads closed by the rolling closure technique so we had kerb to kerb space. A great feeling. The event finished at high speed through the streets of Molina de Segura crossing the line outside the main sports centre. I was in a leading group of around a dozen riders and we had averaged just short of 28kmh. The event was well organised, fantastic police cooperation and good fun all round. Roll on the 2008 season of sportives which all being well will include a 4 day event around the plains and mountains of coastal Murcia.

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Posted Oct 2nd 2007, 10:16pm

Cartagena, Spain. Sep 07

The "Policia Local" police car swoops along the residential street, flanked by "Guardia Civil" on their big BMW motorbikes, sirens whaling, next the lead car, "Director de Carrera" emblazoned in its windows, a loud hailer on the roof playing loud music interspersed by announcements to the spectators on the road side, then the 160 strong peletón, gears and tyres whirring and the loud banter amongst the riders, swooping along at close to the legal 50km/h speed limit, then the service cars, the ambulance, siren whaling, and last but not least the broom wagon; whilst the officials and photographers motorbikes whiz past the peleton at breakneck speed, horns blaring as they go. Suddenly the whole "convoy" swoops around the final roundabout of town and the peleton spreads out across the full width of the road forming echelons to combat the cross wind before settling down for the final ascent of the day, the (352m vertical) 9,1 km Alto de la Cuesta where the peleton strings out more and more before reaching the last 12% graded kilometre. Spectators shout through megaphones and run alongside their "favoritos". Gears start to clatter as the big rings are found and the rear changers clang from the 25 down to the 12 sprockets as the summit PM line (premio montaña) is crossed and they start to swoop down the following descent at 80km/h and more.

But hang on, this maybe Sunday 23 September, the final day of the Vuelta a España, BUT this wasn’t that final stage. This was a "marcha" or Ciclo-sportive SPANISH STYLE, and I was right there in that peleton. Scary, fantastic and exhilerating are the only ways I can describe it. It was the first time in almost 20 years I’ve had a number on my bum and it was one of the best cycling experiences I’ve ever had. The only thing that spoilt it was the approach to the finish: it started to pelt down with rain making the previously dry road like a skating rink so instead of a spectacular swoop around the Plaza de España of Cartagena and then a final charge down the 1500m to the finish, those of us on slick tyres (including me) had to worry more about staying upright avoiding the risk of a pile of splintered carbon fibre in the middle of the road. However the META or finish was reached safely where we all received our plaques and our "I've done it" T-shirts etc.

The event itself was all part of the annual ROMANS AND CARTHEGENIANS FIESTA (Cartagena was where many battles between the two took place and at some time Hannibal and his elephants turned up to join in).

It was run over 108 km which we covered in 4h: 7mins (26,3 kmh) on mainly closed roads using the rolling closure technique of which the Spanish police are absolute experts. (Not that fast but bearing in mind the terrain, it wasn’t bad). Just on some sections, mainly the climbs, was traffic allowed to pass in the opposite direction but no traffic was allowed to pass in the same direction as us. Otherwise, the roads were totally closed, all traffic lights were "green" and it was awesome to ride along roads just totally full from gutter to gutter, with bobbing helmets.

There were two major ascents both of which start gradually and steepen towards the summits, the first around 15km long and the second being just over 9 km. Both are 3rd cat. status. The event even went through our village of Perin where folk turned out to watch. But it was the same through all the villages where people, hearing the police sirens would come out shouting "vamos, venga" , a sort of "dig-in" or "allez-allez" equivalent. The atmosphere was great and I really look forward to doing another soon.