Wicklow 200 - 12 June 2011

Beasty

It's that time of year again!

Entries open tomorrow

Same price as last year (€42), and again starting at the Shoreline Leisure Centre in Greystones

chakattack

Hope you're going to ride it this year Beasty!

I had your cert proudly displayed on my fridge door for a while

daragh_

Thanks Beasty.

Will be up at the crack of dawn, fingers poised over the keyboard so I can get a good number.

niceonetom

This the first year in quite a few that I officially don't give a monkey's about doing the WW200. I'll probably do an audax or two, but I just can't be doing with all the faff that goes along with the wicklow.

Vélo

daragh_ wrote: »

Thanks Beasty.

Will be up at the crack of dawn, fingers poised over the keyboard so I can get a good number.

Don't be too trigger happy with the mouse tomorrow.

I got number two last year, it wasn't worth it with the amount of comments I got.

Caroline_ie

It was freezing this year on the WW200... I won't do it this year either.

manwithaplan

Will give this a go alright. Dates haven't been confirmed for the Leinster championship but I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world if I missed Dublin v the winners of Laois and Longford. I could aim to do it in time to make the match - are you allowed start at 3 am?;)

mloc123

the w200 is a pile of **** imo, will not be doing it this year.

Harrybelafonte

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

tunney

mloc123 wrote: »

the w200 is a pile of **** imo, will not be doing it this year.

Ah the force is strong in this one.

billy.fish

Well mostly its pap cause you can just do it yourself and probably get better support

RobFowl

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

I is worth doing if only to be part of one of the biggest sportif's in the country.
It also has huge history and the route has epic and historic climbs.
It's a bit pricey but is well marshalled and the start , finish and validation is excellent. The food stops I always found ok but can be running low if you arrive at certain times.

petethedrummer

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

If you haven't done it, its worth doing.

I don't like long cycles so I won't be doing it again.

mloc123

Reasons not to do it...

-The cost.
-Food stations are a joke... queues,queues,queues
-It seems to attract idiots, the posy that flocked around kelly was a perfect example. Riding on the wrong side of the road, downhill on a blind corner is not smart and I don't care if you destroy yourself but I do care if you hit me.
-The support is pretty poor. I was with a group, about 150km one of them went down fairly hard and his day was over. Luckily they had their own support because he would still be on the side of the road now otherwise.

If you feel the need to pay for cycling on open roads choose a smaller 'sportive', the Louth 100 was decent when I did it in 2009.

DirkVoodoo

The truth is there are better sportives on in the summer. If you want a good target and to get in 200km, do the tour de burren and go for a short loop after the finish line.

Much better IMHO.

Wicklow 200 is overpriced for what you get. I might do another "Unofficial 200" and put my money to better food, maybe putting a little donation in afterwards.

Vélo

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

I'd do it if I was you. I can understand what some people are saying but if it's your 1st time then it'll be enjoyable. With all the comments you're reading you won't be expecting much either, so you might be pleasantly surprised.

I'll probably do it again this year.

tunney

Vélo wrote: »

I'd do it if I was you. I can understand what some people are saying but if it's your 1st time then it'll be enjoyable. With all the comments you're reading you won't be expecting much either, so you might be pleasently surprised.

I'll probably do it again this year.

So basically tell people that before the W200 starts they take your seatpost out of your bike and ram it repeatedly up your ar$e and then send you on your way and then when this doesn't happen people will be pleasantly surprised and think its good?

Vélo

tunney wrote: »

So basically tell people that before the W200 starts they take your seatpost out of your bike and ram it repeatedly up your ar$e and then send you on your way and then when this doesn't happen people will be pleasantly surprised and think its good?

You never know, one might be disappointed if it didn't happen after a promise like that:p

Just make sure you have your chamois cream

smacl

Only started cycling this year, so the w200 (100k route) was my first ever sportive, and I have to say I loved it. Friendly crowd, well marked, and very doable route for a beginner. Given how expensive just about everything is in cycling, I'm surprised people are upset over the price. I'd hope to do the 200k this year, and to do this I'll be obliged to save a small fortune on booze, crisps, etc... In fact the entry fee would be less than the cost of a modest night on the town.

Not wanting to go off topic, but if people reckon the W200 isn't great, what are the highlights of the sportive season? My plan is WW200, the Sean Kelly in Waterford event, Ring of Kerry, and Etape Hibernia in Clare (love that spin around Black Head).

Vélo

You make a valid point there. People complaining about the cost and then they drop around €200 on some Assos shorts.

Raam

Vélo wrote: »

You make a valid point there. People complaining about the cost and then they drop around €200 on some Assos shorts.

The fickle nature of cyclists.

I said I wouldn't do it again because 200km is I think is too much for me for one day.

Signed up today for the 200km, basically because I drunkenly agreed with a friend that he'd do the WW200 if I do the Dublin Marathon.

Well, next year should be interesting at any rate.

tunney

Vélo wrote: »

You make a valid point there. People complaining about the cost and then they drop around €200 on some Assos shorts.

Did anyone mention cost? I thought the general thrust was that it was just sh!t

Guybrush T

smacl wrote: »

Not wanting to go off topic, but if people reckon the W200 isn't great, what are the highlights of the sportive season? My plan is WW200, the Sean Kelly in Waterford event, Ring of Kerry, and Etape Hibernia in Clare (love that spin around Black Head).

I just signed up for my fifth consecutive WW200 and I'm not sure what all the moaning is about. The price isn't that bad, the food stops are fine if you get your finger out and get to Donard by 10:30 and the route is great. The one major thing it lacks IMHO is a mass start which is where the Sean Kelly wins.

Vélo

tunney wrote: »

Did anyone mention cost? I thought the general thrust was that it was just sh!t

In fairness it's only been mentioned once here but normally when there's a thread about the WW200 people complain about the price. The main complaint is that there are better sportives for the money and you'd be better off doing the Sean Kelly, Ring of Kerry or Tour de Burren.

I still think it's worth doing though but then again I haven't done any of the others I've mentioned above.

ROK ON

W200. Do it if you've never done it and don't live near Wicklow. If you live close to Wicklow it is just a longer version of your regular Sunday spin.

IMHO smaller is better. My three sportif highlights this year in no particular order;
Chain Gang Conor Pass challenge. crazy pace, challenging route, great food, top class marshalling. Cost a fiver.

Valley Wheelers Mick Dineen sportif. 130km in the Cork & Kerry mountains. Savage route. Unreal amount of food and cake. Showers. It was free.


Vicsous Cycle effectively a private sportif for 40people. 180km over a gruelling route. Climbs. Great food and craic.

When you see what small clubs do and the small price charged for great events, then WW200 looks poor.

That said I hope to do it and am aiming for 7h 45m as a time.

paddymacsporran

Last year I did The W200, the Sean Kelly Tour and Etape Hibernia amongst others.

Best IMO?
Etape Hibernia, Closed roads, timing chip, start, finish was fantastic.
2nd Sean Kelly - due to sheer numbers. massive event.
W200 loses out because the non-mass start is so non-eventful.

Food stops - Queues at them all. Sean Kelly was worst. W200 best. That's sportives. If you elect to use the stops, they are part of the craic. And they are a godsend if you need them, and can be ridden past if you don't.

Support - What do you want? The aim is to ride the feckin bike round, not look over your shoulder wondering if there's a mechanic hanging out a team car shadowing your every move. Every starter is given emergency numbers at the start of the W200, hopefully no-one needs them, but these guys have been doing this event for years, they know what they are doing.

Price - €42 is fair. If you want to ride it without paying, do it the day after so you don't get in the way. There are thousands of people who do this event as their first big cycling event, and god only knows how many become cyclists after it.

Nice to see about 2000 people riding the W200 in 2010, hopefully more in 2011.

DirkVoodoo

paddymacsporran wrote: »

Price - €42 is fair. If you want to ride it without paying, do it the day after so you don't get in the way.

?

How would someone be in the way? Do the numbers on your jersey make you move faster?

billaustin

Well I signed up for it just there. This year was my first WW200 and despite it being bloody miserable I was elated when I finished. Definitely looking forward to it, although hopefully the weather gods will be in a better mood!

NeedMoreGears

Just blew 42 quid.

I'm to old/slow/lacking in talent for races so I like to do a few sportifs and this is the biggest one near me.

This will be my 4th and the organisers did seem to learn a lot from the 2009 problems(long queues, limited food........).

I did a few sportifs last year and enjoyed them all. For me, WW200 came in the middle in terms of organisation etc. FWIW I thought Mount Leinster was best for food and organisation - I put on weight doing that one. The Kare TdF was good fun - a handy 100km with a mass start in April.

Target time 07:45 on the bike with maybe another 45 mins stops etc. - might as well start out ambitious and see how the training goes

penexpers

Never entered this and don't really think I ever will. The Etape @ 55 euro sounds like it was better value. Closed roads are really worth paying for - crap food stops aren't really worth paying for.

paddymacsporran

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

?

How would someone be in the way? Do the numbers on your jersey make you move faster?

Everyone goes faster with a number on their back....;)

And how do people KNOW the food stops are crap if they haen't done the event? Heresay?

DirkVoodoo

Ah, those magic numbers again.

I did it in 2009, queued for ages for a sandwich and a cup of tea. They were out of bars.

Contrast that with the tour de burren (all the strawberry cheesecake I could eat) or the Sean Kelly (sit down meal with pasta, sandwiches, cake, etc.) and the difference is like night and day.

No one is saying the achievement is less, which is what I think might be where the confusion is. Doing 200km is a bloody great big achievement and everyone should feel proud after it. My own view is that for 42 euro, the W200 should be in the same league as the An Post events and it just isn't.

Blowfish

paddymacsporran wrote: »

And how do people KNOW the food stops are crap if they haen't done the event? Heresay?

Most people have done the WW200 at some point in previous years.

I'd agree with the general sentiment, if you've never done it, do it once for the challenge/experience. There are other much better organised sportives that you'll want to keep going back to.

Harrybelafonte

Thanks. I'm already signed up for the Etape so it might just be easy to do the 200 as well.

smacl

penexpers wrote: »

Never entered this and don't really think I ever will. The Etape @ 55 euro sounds like it was better value. Closed roads are really worth paying for - crap food stops aren't really worth paying for.

I did the Etape Hibernia this year, loved in, and would recommend it, but there was no food, just some of the foulest gels known to man. Being a picky bastrd, I tend to bring my own supplies.

I'm looking forward to the Wicklow 200, mostly because it'll be a first attempt at 200k with hills, 175k mostly flat being as much as I've managed to date. tbh, I'd be far more concerned about my fitness and the weather on the day than the food or the €42.

smacl

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

...the tour de burren (all the strawberry cheesecake I could eat)...

The Burren and cheesecake, two of my all time favourites. Defo one to add to the list.

Planet X

Is this a mass start race?

Raam

Planet X wrote: »

Is this a mass start race?

It's self timed. Rest stops are excluded from the over all time.

paddymacsporran

It's not a race. It's a leisure spin....;)

Thing that lets the W200 down in my opinion is the lack of a mass start. That really adds to the atmosphere in the Sean Kelly and Etape Hibernia.

Agree re the gels on the EH - Zipvit blackcurrant are indeed the foulest taste known to man....

michael196

smacl wrote: »

Only started cycling this year, so the w200 (100k route) was my first ever sportive, and I have to say I loved it. Friendly crowd, well marked, and very doable route for a beginner. Given how expensive just about everything is in cycling, I'm surprised people are upset over the price. I'd hope to do the 200k this year, and to do this I'll be obliged to save a small fortune on booze, crisps, etc... In fact the entry fee would be less than the cost of a modest night on the town.

Not wanting to go off topic, but if people reckon the W200 isn't great, what are the highlights of the sportive season? My plan is WW200, the Sean Kelly in Waterford event, Ring of Kerry, and Etape Hibernia in Clare (love that spin around Black Head).

thats four realy good sportives

paddymacsporran

+1.

I would say your 4 and the 'cheesecake challenge' mentioned here would be the top 5 in Ireland by the sound of things....

velo.2010

Living relatively close ATM, I can do (and have done) 200km in the Wicklow mountains anytime I want. However, at 3 weeks before the the 'big event', it is ideal prep and going with the masses helps ease the boredom of longer spins in Wicklow.

Maybe sub 7 hours a target.

wersal gummage

only started 'proper' cycling this year. decided that the WW200 was on my to do list for next year, just wondering:

1) what sort of training would you need to put in for this ?? - i'm not a serious cyclist. i commute 100kms a week all year round - my usual spins during the nicer weather would be around 100/120kms on flat-ish roads @ 27kmph average, by myself; presume i'd need to spend a good bit of time in wicklow to get a taste of the hills beforehand ?? if i could complete say 150kms on my own, would the adrenaline on the day take me the rest of the way ???

2) does anyone turn up to anything like this on their own ?? would a group take you in ? i'd wouldn't have any friends who are into the cycling to be honest and i'm not pushed on joining a club and taking it too seriously.

DirkVoodoo

wersal gummage wrote: »

1) what sort of training would you need to put in for this ?? - i'm not a serious cyclist. i commute 100kms a week all year round - my usual spins during the nicer weather would be around 100/120kms on flat-ish roads @ 27kmph average, by myself; presume i'd need to spend a good bit of time in wicklow to get a taste of the hills beforehand ?? if i could complete say 150kms on my own, would the adrenaline on the day take me the rest of the way ???

Yes, maybe go to 160km. Although the route from Rathdrum is quite tough. Try and get various routes in that incorporate as much of the route and climbs as possible, so nothing will surprise you.

wersal gummage wrote: »

2) does anyone turn up to anything like this on their own ?? would a group take you in ? i'd wouldn't have any friends who are into the cycling to be honest and i'm not pushed on joining a club and taking it too seriously.

Wear a boards jersey or buy on if you don't have one already, easiest way to make friends on one of these.

Blowfish

wersal gummage wrote: »

1) what sort of training would you need to put in for this ?? - i'm not a serious cyclist. i commute 100kms a week all year round - my usual spins during the nicer weather would be around 100/120kms on flat-ish roads @ 27kmph average, by myself; presume i'd need to spend a good bit of time in wicklow to get a taste of the hills beforehand ?? if i could complete say 150kms on my own, would the adrenaline on the day take me the rest of the way ???

Throw a few hills into the 150k and you'll have no problem completing it.

Wersal Gummage wrote:

2) does anyone turn up to anything like this on their own ?? would a group take you in ? i'd wouldn't have any friends who are into the cycling to be honest and i'm not pushed on joining a club and taking it too seriously.

I went on my own last year, 'twas fine. As Dirk says, a boards jersey if you have one will always get you going, but even without it's not all that hard to kick off random conversations. With the relaxed nature of sportives, groups have people come and go all of the time. Even if it's a group made up of 10+ people from the same club, don't worry about tagging along with them, as long as you do your bit (if needed), you'll be fine.

petethedrummer

wersal gummage wrote: »

would a group take you in ?

Pretty much any group would take you in if you can keep up. The only problem is if you're in a large group over taking slower cyclists, this is where the madness occurs. I think its safer and less frustrating to just do these things on your own. You can make your own way round safely and not have to worry if you lose your buddies in a large group, which can become a pain in the ar5e if some are more timid than others.

On the smaller sportives, stuff like this is not an issue. But do the WW200 if you haven't done it. I haven't done the Sean Kelly so intend to do it this year.

CramCycle

RobFowl wrote: »

It's a bit pricey but is well marshalled and the start , finish and validation is excellent. The food stops I always found ok but can be running low if you arrive at certain times.

It's well marshalled in parts, but for the money, every major junction should be covered, last year I remember one boardsie came out to marshall a junction unofficially last year because he thought it was unsafe (IIRC).

manwithaplan wrote: »

Dates haven't been confirmed for the Leinster championship but I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world if I missed Dublin v the winners of Laois and Longford. I could aim to do it in time to make the match - are you allowed start at 3 am?;)

It's good to now this early your going to lose to Longford,

that is unless you start acting knackerish and start fouling off the ball when you realise, just to get back into it.

smacl wrote: »

Only started cycling this year, so the w200 (100k route) was my first ever sportive, and I have to say I loved it. Friendly crowd, well marked, and very doable route for a beginner. Given how expensive just about everything is in cycling, I'm surprised people are upset over the price.
Not wanting to go off topic, but if people reckon the W200 isn't great, what are the highlights of the sportive season? My plan is WW200, the Sean Kelly in Waterford event, Ring of Kerry, and Etape Hibernia in Clare (love that spin around Black Head).

Around Wicklow and Dublin:
Mick Byrne 200
The Dying Cow 200
The Dying Light 200

5 to 8 euro entry, better stops then the WW200, tea/coffee, bars/gels (as many as you can carry), sandwiches. When I got in at the Dying Cow 200 this year, i got two cups of coffee, 2 freshly made sandwiches and I was handed over 10 bars for the take home journey. The Mick Byrne I was picked up after I was unable to complete and dropped home. At the end of the Dying Light I was handed a Hot Port and 2 tremendously well stocked stops that gave me so much my pockets had left overs at the end.

Raam wrote: »

The fickle nature of cyclists.

Damn Straight

Guybrush T wrote: »

The one major thing it lacks IMHO is a mass start which is where the Sean Kelly wins.

Does kill the buzz a bit

paddymacsporran wrote: »

Everyone goes faster with a number on their back....;)

And how do people KNOW the food stops are crap if they haen't done the event? Heresay?

Heresay, but I am a scientist and my opinion is fact, the food stop is shocking, one sandwich, one cup of tea.

Have to say, despite my moaning, the people who take part are fantastic and it should be done once, you'll enjoy it, there is just far better out there for the money.

paddymacsporran

Agree there are much better sportives out there now Cramcycle, but I beg to differ on one point - Opinion is not fact. The fact you think opinion is fact is in fact only your opinion.

So come on geek boy, use yer scienctific boffin oversized brain, show us yer skills and get out of that one......(I should depart laughing in a James Bond villian style now....)

CramCycle

paddymacsporran wrote: »

So come on geek boy, use yer scienctific boffin oversized brain, show us yer skills and get out of that one......(I should depart laughing in a James Bond villian style now....)

Sarcasm, the last obstacle of the internet :pac:

paddymacsporran

How the hell did you get that photo of me?