Wicklow Peaks challenge

Lambretta

I see this Sportive is coming up for a noble cause. 120km option looks very tough – 10 category climbs… http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/31010442

Anyone do this last year? Would it be alot tougher compared to the Wicklow 100?

Cheers,
Lambretta

jaqian

Any idea when its on?

Sammo13

They go up the blessington side of the sally gap which steep over the last 2km, not overly steep though. Then go up the laragh side of the Shay Elliott which is longer than the other side but not as steep.
But the hard part is the Slieve Mann from the north side, tough climb, especially the first 2km, okay after it, but a hard test.
The drag to Dunlavin is also sneaky, not steep but can hurt the legs. The road from Davlin to Naas is rough as badgers..

Wicklow 100 is much easier and really only as the climb from kilmac and the one out of Avoca which are not as hard as Slieve Mann.

Defo recommed doing it, Bray Wheelers have a similar one in Sept...

Haldir

I would say in terms of difficulty The Wicklow Peaks is about half way between the Wicklow 100 and 200:) The Wicklow 200 has about 2,500m of ascent and The Wicklow Peaks has a mere 1,800m! So if you did the W100 this year and are thinking about the 200 next year, give this a try. Its on Sunday 1st July (the week before the Ring of Kerry) and all proceeds go towards providing a new playground at the Saplings School for Children with Autism in Kill. Received some good reviews from the Boardsies last year: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056312752&page=2 Further info on: http://www.naascyclingclub.com and https://www.facebook.com/wicklowpeakscyclingchallenge

Daithi BC

Lambretta wrote: »

Anyone do this last year? Would it be alot tougher compared to the Wicklow 100?

I did it last year and it's quite a bit tougher than the WW100, with three good climbs, but because it's "only" 120km, I still think it's very manageable if you have the training done. It was one of my favourite sportives last year, helped by the good weather, creme eggs (and a lot of other food) at Laragh, a great chicken curry at the end and all in aid of a very good cause.

Haldir

Just a reminder to those interested that the Naas CC Wicklow Peaks Cycling Challenge is on next Sunday. Sign up online at www.wicklowpeaks.com or from 8am on the morning of the cycle at the Town Hall, Main Street, Naas. Good training for the Ring of Kerry the following week... but if 7000+ turn up in Naas next Sunday I suggest a race to the foodstop in Laragh All proceeds go towards providing a new playground at the Saplings School for Children with Autism in Kill, Co. Kildare so if you like a bit of climbing, give it a try.

Daithi BC

Current met forecast (from http://www.met.ie/forecasts/)

"Sunday: At this stage, it looks like a lot of dry, bright weather on Sunday with sunny spells and light or moderate breezes but still cool with temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees."

Sounds prety good to me. It was a scorcher last year, so hopefully dry again this time around.

Lambretta

Great event today – a big well done to Naas Cycling Club, Marshals and Autism Saplings School, Could not fault the organisation. Hopefully this event grows bigger by the year and the charity will benefit more.

___________________________________________________________________________

On a negative point (and it was certainly nothing to do with the organisers) was the lunatic driver coming up the hill after the Ballyknockan food stop; he was driving a navy jeep and had kids in it, he appeared to be in mid/late forties and looked fairly overweight. He decided to swerve towards me and few other cyclists and put his fist out at us, we were on the opposite side of the road going in the opposite direction to him and nowhere near to him, he obviously had an argument with other cyclists /his wife /kids etc before he met us and decided to take his revenge out on us. I think I heard one of the other cyclists mention that he was a local. A hard man that swerves in the way of cyclists on a charity sportive and then drives off at speeed before he can be confronted. I could not get his reg number because he lashed off so quickly.

Did anyone else notice this maniac?

C3PO

I've never done a Sportive type event before but with the endurance MTB races coming up soon this looked like an ideal training spin! Thoroughly enjoyed the day! Challenging course, great marshalling and a fantastic spread back in Naas afterwards .... what's not to like!
Got much tougher after the break in Laragh and the climb up Slieve Maan seemed to be never ending!! Very surprised that I spent most of the day riding on my own but I suppose all the climbs split the group very quickly!
118kms/1925mts/4hrs24min/26.8km/hr average - happy with that!
Definately do this again next year!

Haldir

Thanks to everyone who supported Naas CC's Wicklow Peaks Cycling Challenge today. Hope you enjoyed the climbing, company and the weather. Here are some pictures of the day courtesy of Pat Mangan.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.490388984308845.126593.228551670492579&type=1&l=c26b77f95b

Daithi BC

Thanks to all the organisers yesterday. I think it's one of the best events on the sportive calendar - great route and marshalling, good food during it, and a hot meal afterwards.

kildarecommuter

Is this event on again next month ?

Haldir

kildarecommuter wrote: »

Is this event on again next month ?

Yes. More info here:
http://www.facebook.com/wicklowpeakscyclingchallenge
Like the FB page to be kept updated with the event as it draws closer.

Haldir

The online registration for Naas Cycling Club's 2013 Wicklow Peaks Challenge is now open:
http://www.wicklowpeaks.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=59

This year there are three routes, 55km around the Blessington Lakes, 100km over Sally, Lugalla and Wicklow Gaps and 120km over Sally, Lugalla and Shay Elliott and Slieve Mann. NCC have decided to add this third 100km route to facilitate any cyclists who feel that the 55km route is a little short and the 120km route with Shay Elliott and Slieve Mann a little too long. The good news is that you don’t have to decide which route to take home from Laragh until you get there and by that stage your legs will let you know!

The 55km route is virtually unchanged from last year, around the Blessington Lakes, foodstop in Ballyknockan and home via Valleymount, Tulfarris, Ballymore and joining the other two routes in Brannockstown for the run in to Naas via Kilashee. A callenging 55km with some nice hills and scenery.

The 100 and 120km routes will follow the same route all the way to Laragh via Sally Gap, Lugalla and Roundwood with the foodstop in Laragh. The 100km route will head home via the Wicklow Gap and Hollywood before heading to Ballymore and Brannockstown. The 120km will leave Laragh and head up Shay Elliott, Slieve Mann, Aughavannagh, Ballinabarney Gap, and home via The Glen of Imaal, Dunlavin and Brannockstown.

The event leaves Naas Town Hall, Main Street, Naas at 9:30am. The three routes leave together and ensure that their is a challenging route for all levels of cyclist. Sign-on is €20 when you register online (see above) or €25 when you sign-on on the morning. Mechanical, medical, broom-wagon, refreshments during and after included. All proceed go towards providing a Sensory Room for the Saplings School for Children with Autism and Complex Needs in Kill, Co. Kildare. Your support is appreciated for this worthy cause.

https://www.facebook.com/wicklowpeakscyclingchallenge

Haldir

The Online Registration for the Wicklow Peaks Cycling Challenge in aid of Saplings School for Children with Autism and Special Needs closes at midnight on Friday 28th June.
Please note that registration will only be accepted on receipt of payment. If you have submitted your details but have not proceeded to payment and have not received a confirmation of payment email then you will have to pay the full €25 on the morning of the cycle. The €5 discount is only for those who have pre-registered and paid online.
The weather for Sunday is looking favourable at this stage "pleasant, 23 degrees, with clouds and sun" but then again if snow was forecast we wouldn't tell you!!

nilhg

Haldir wrote: »

The Online Registration for the Wicklow Peaks Cycling Challenge in aid of Saplings School for Children with Autism and Special Needs closes at midnight on Friday 28th June.
Please note that registration will only be accepted on receipt of payment. If you have submitted your details but have not proceeded to payment and have not received a confirmation of payment email then you will have to pay the full €25 on the morning of the cycle. The €5 discount is only for those who have pre-registered and paid online.
The weather for Sunday is looking favourable at this stage "pleasant, 23 degrees, with clouds and sun" but then again if snow was forecast we wouldn't tell you!!

The last day I was up the Sally Gap and over Luggala was the DSI Cycle, lovely morning in the car park before we left, nobody told us what was coming that day either:eek:, hopefully this won't be quite as dramatic.

Pity it's clashing with the Kildare-Dublin match in Croker.

Who else is heading to this?

kencoo

nilhg wrote: »

The last day I was up the Sally Gap and over Luggala was the DSI Cycle, lovely morning in the car park before we left, nobody told us what was coming that day either:eek:, hopefully this won't be quite as dramatic.

Pity it's clashing with the Kildare-Dublin match in Croker.

Who else is heading to this?

Kildare match is not on until 4pm - me thinks start 100km at 9:30 - 25k average - 10 minute break - finish/ shower and in croker by 3:30....

Cookie_Monster

1200m in 120km is nothing special, 1% climb v dist is a normal figure. The steepness of those climbs may of course be an issue but certainly not the total height over such a distance.

Looks like a nice route though.

john23rd

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

1200m in 120km is nothing special, 1% climb v dist is a normal figure. The steepness of those climbs may of course be an issue but certainly not the total height over such a distance.

Looks like a nice route though.

Sure its practically all downhill! Of course....depends on what direction your coming from:D
ITS NOT CALLED THE PEAKS FOR NOTHING!!!

derealbadger

Looking forward to this nothing like Wicklow mountains when the weather is good

apm0003

Haldir wrote: »

The Online Registration for the Wicklow Peaks Cycling Challenge in aid of Saplings School for Children with Autism and Special Needs closes at midnight on Friday 28th June.
Please note that registration will only be accepted on receipt of payment. If you have submitted your details but have not proceeded to payment and have not received a confirmation of payment email then you will have to pay the full €25 on the morning of the cycle. The €5 discount is only for those who have pre-registered and paid online.
The weather for Sunday is looking favourable at this stage "pleasant, 23 degrees, with clouds and sun" but then again if snow was forecast we wouldn't tell you!!

Haldir,
The only email I received was the paypal confirmation email. I presume this is the email you mean ... I did not get anything from Naas CC itself.

kildarecommuter

apm0003 wrote: »

Haldir,
The only email I received was the paypal confirmation email. I presume this is the email you mean ... I did not get anything from Naas CC itself.

Me too!

Haldir

apm0003 wrote: »

Haldir,
The only email I received was the paypal confirmation email. I presume this is the email you mean ... I did not get anything from Naas CC itself.

Once you have received the confirmation email from PayPal you are fine. NCC are not sending out a separate confirmation email. Probably not a bad idea to bring that PayPal email with you to sign-on even though they will have a list of people who have pre registered and paid. A couple of people have entered their details but have not taken the next step and proceeded to pay so they will have to pay €25 Sunday morning if they don't do so before midnight Friday.

For the record the 120km route was over 1900 meters last year but we have taken out the climb to Ballysmuttan this year and are instead going up Sally via Kilbride. Loose chippings from Ballysmuttan to Kippure Village and again on Ballinabarney Gap around the Glen of Imaal courtesy of Wicklow CC. Loose chippings also on the 55km lakes route on the descent from Lacken so extra caution needed there.

Haldir

derealbadger wrote: »

Looking forward to this nothing like Wicklow mountains when the weather is good

We were up there today marking some of the roads and you are right, Wicklow is a class apart on a day like today.
https://www.facebook.com/wicklowpeakscyclingchallenge

t'bear

Love the art highlighting the potholes there, very clever. I cant do the official start of this one as I have to work for an hour Sunday morning, but I plan to following the route an hour or so after the off, but start and finish will be Blessington. I am only going for the hills :-)

derealbadger

t'bear wrote: »

Love the art highlighting the potholes there, very clever. I cant do the official start of this one as I have to work for an hour Sunday morning, but I plan to following the route an hour or so after the off, but start and finish will be Blessington. I am only going for the hills :-)

I wont be any help to you on the hills but on the flat you can grab a wheel

t'bear

derealbadger wrote: »

I wont be any help to you on the hills but on the flat you can grab a wheel

I should be so lucky to hold on to a badger 😄

njburke

Took the long way home from work today and went round the Blessington lakes today for the first time ever, I really enjoyed it,it reminded me of 20 years ago when I would tear up and down the lake in rowing eight. The blisters have only just healed.

Total for today is 80K, which is in keeping with the published training program for the ROK, I'm doing the ROK BTW.

Now the plan is to do my first ever sportive this Sunday, I live nearby and it all fits quite nicely.

The big question is, do I chance the 100K route rather than the 55k ?

More of a confidence booster for the ROK than anything else. I averaged about 22KM/H today round the lakes, I'm overweight, 44 and until 4 or 5 months ago I was a degenerate 20 a day smoker.

Sunday would be my last training day before the ROK.



Niall

nilhg

njburke wrote: »

Took the long way home from work today and went round the Blessington lakes today for the first time ever, I really enjoyed it,it reminded me of 20 years ago when I would tear up and down the lake in rowing eight. The blisters have only just healed.

Total for today is 80K, which is in keeping with the published training program for the ROK, I'm doing the ROK BTW.

Now the plan is to do my first ever sportive this Sunday, I live nearby and it all fits quite nicely.

The big question is, do I chance the 100K route rather than the 55k ?

More of a confidence booster for the ROK than anything else. I averaged about 22KM/H today round the lakes, I'm overweight, 44 and until 4 or 5 months ago I was a degenerate 20 a day smoker.

Sunday would be my last training day before the ROK.



Niall

In my opinion both the Sally Gap and Wicklow Gap climbs are considerably harder than anything you'll face in the ROK so if you make it over you'll be entitled to be confident about it.

If going around the Lake Drive today is the toughest you've done on the bike so far then maybe you should consider doing the 55km route and adding in a spin before or after to make up to about the 100km mark, just a suggestion but might be a good compromise.

njburke

Cheers Nilhg, I'll probably do something along those lines. I really find hill climbing a challenge, I'm getting stronger at it but the extra bodyweight is a huge disadvantage.

derealbadger

njburke wrote: »

Cheers Nilhg, I'll probably do something along those lines. I really find hill climbing a challenge, I'm getting stronger at it but the extra bodyweight is a huge disadvantage.

keep going with the bike and with hills and the weight will look after itself. I started on a bike at the end of Feb at 18 stone I am now 15 stone 7 and while I am still not quick on the hills there is nothing I wont go up

njburke

@derealbadger, Same weight loss here over the same time period, we could be twins ?

Given how my legs feel today I've decided to do the 55K route with another spin on the flat later in the day, I'll do the 100K route later in the summer.

Haldir

Just a reminder that online registration and prepay closes at midnight tonight. So register and prepay online to avail of the €5 discount. €20 online - €25 on Sunday Morning. All proceeds go towards providing a new Sensory Room at the Sapling School for Children with autism and special needs in Kill, Co. Kildare. Thanks for your support. NCC, Saplings and the natural beauty of Wicklow will endeavor to give you value for money on the day!

derealbadger

Looks like the weather is going to be nice

Daithi BC

Thanks to the organisers and marshalls for a great day out today. Lots of climbing and lots of chocolate milk! Hope you made a heap of money for a great cause.

LennoxR

That was fun. But harder than I thought. No matter what direction you come from, Slieve Mann is never easy.

nilhg

Good job I didn't miss this to go to Croker....

I had a great day, started a bit slow but got over all the big lumps at my own pace and then found a fast train home.

Thought the event was well organised and marshalled, plenty tea, sambos and some really nice cake, even the jelly babies went down well.

njburke

I really enjoyed it, bit daunting at the start as I've never cycled in a large group before.
Someone mentioned that NCC have another cycle in August, must keep an eye out for that.

Fig roller

Would like to say well done to organisers. Second year doing it and it was better than last year. Easy registration, good marshalling and great food stops . Loved the bags of jelly beans and homemade flapjacks in laragh:pac:. Really puts the W200 event to shame for value for money, great cause and character. Only negative is that climb up sliabh mann doesn't seem to get any easier.

Also latched onto a great train home for a change so I got in before the rain:)

Haldir

Great days cycling today. Thanks to everyone who took part or helped in any way to make the 2013 Wicklow Peaks Cycling Challenge such a successful event. Naas Cycling Club were delighted to help raise a considerable sum which will go towards providing a Sensory Room for the Sapling children in Kill. Some photos are being uploaded tonight and lots more tomorrow at:http://www.facebook.com/wicklowpeakscyclingchallenge

Haldir

Just an update to let those who signed on and cycled the Wicklow Peaks that the Sensory Room in the Saplings School for Children with Autism in Kill is now a reality and will be used by the children for many years to come. All the money raised by the cyclists who took part in Naas CC's Wicklow Peaks Cycling Challenge went some way towards funding the new Sensory Room. Congrats to all involved. Its great to know that having an enjoyable cycle can also effect others off the bike in such a positive way.
https://www.facebook.com/wicklowpeakscyclingchallenge?ref=hl