Cycle4DSI Lap de Gaps - May 13th 2017

py

I can't seem to find a thread on this year's version (if I've missed it, please delete/merge) of this on here already so thought I'd start one. Did it last year for the first time and really enjoyed it, struggled a little after the food stop then so hopefully this year is a little better. Lake drive is early in this one so legs should be fresh for it. Weather looking a little suspect early on but seems to be ok after 10am.

http://cycle4dsi.ie/

50Km + 564m climbing: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/3787307

100Km + 1300 climbing: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/3764846

Cost: 25 with CI license or 30 without

It's being run by Reservoir Cogs who always put on a good event.

strmin

Heard a good feedback from club mates so signed up for 100k. It will be my biggest climbing challenge to date.

Macy0161

Well I know it's highly thought off in my club - much giving out when a race was moved to this weekend to give a clash!

PaulieC

Great event last year, hoping to do it tomorrow, circumstances permitting.

OP, you might have struggled on the second climb due to the massive feast in Laragh. 'Twas hard to leave so much tasty food behind :pac:

py

PaulieC wrote: »

Great event last year, hoping to do it tomorrow, circumstances permitting.

OP, you might have struggled on the second climb due to the massive feast in Laragh. 'Twas hard to leave so much tasty food behind :pac:

It was actually my first time cycling out that way... was pointed to the food stop and thought, yes I'll have some of that. After an absolute magnificent feed and about 30-40 minutes of being idle, I headed off blissfully unaware that Wicklow Gap was about 1Km down the road. :pac: The food they put on for their events has been great but I'll probably skip it tomorrow so I can get finished and home in the allotted time provided by the Mrs.

Cb12345

py wrote: »

The food they put on for their events has been great but I'll probably skip it tomorrow so I can get finished and home in the allotted time provided by the Mrs.

I had almost the exact opposite problem last year (was my first 100k cycle). I got to laragh and thought "I'm doing well here", so just had a comfort break and refilled on liquids. To say I struggled on the wicklow gap is an understatement. Am definitely having food and a few minutes break here this year.

sullivlo

Did the 100 last year. Doing the 50 tomorrow. Great event.

gmacww

I've done this event each year since the start. It's a cracking sportive and really looking forward to the 100 tomorrow.

jon1981

Please don't rain tomorrow

Doing it also!

Unknown Soldier

jon1981 wrote: »

Please don't rain tomorrow

Doing it also!

Rain now (fingers crossed) is fine, today was the first proper summer type day!
It was 10 odd degrees at 6am this morning, and the rain was the summer type.

I've done this sportive over the last few years and it is top notch for looking after the entrants, great cause too.

The wind however, doesn't care for seasons, hopefully that will be calm'ish!

Mercian Pro

jon1981 wrote: »

Please don't rain tomorrow

YR is showing a gap in the rain between 8 and 2 in Laragh so it's bound to be wet 😉
Glad I didn't take the mudguards off last week.

Hope they have the tasty burgers at the end again this year.

py

Another great event. Weather pretty much held up it's end with just a small bit of rain ascending Wicklow Gap. Wind over Sally gap was nowhere near as bad as it was a few weeks ago for the Orwell Randonnee. Didn't stop in Laragh for a feed or rest and tbh, probably should've. Legs died with about 10Km to go and there was just no convincing them to produce enough power to go more than 20Km/hr once I got through Hollywood. Met a good number of people from Rathoat CC around Lake Drive and spent a brief period cycling with 4 of them past Kippure adventure centre, nice bunch. Met a lot of nice folk along the way, both participants and those out for their Saturday spin... cyclists really are a welcoming bunch. Got around in a little over the 4 hour mark so good improvement on last year.

Attendance on the day was defo down upon last year but it's my understanding that there was a lot of no shows from online registrants, presumably because of the mediocre day that was in it. Iirc, last year was a magnificent day. Hopefully a good chunk of change was raised for DSI.

Edit: forgot to add, very good spread on offer back at the finish. Burger was great and there was motherflipping ice cream on offer too! ICE CREAM!

mgbgt0_0

Pictures soon

Mercian Pro

Mercian Pro wrote: »

YR is showing a gap in the rain between 8 and 2 in Laragh so it's bound to be wet 😉
Hope they have the tasty burgers at the end again this year.

Well the Norwegians got it right - no real rain but a tricky S to SW wind. Endorse everything py says with the exception of the Laragh stop. It was grand though I spent a bit long there having to wait for a clubmate who punctured out the road.

Burger was great and I got in the queue before it got too long (lesson from last year!) Forgot about the strawberries and ice-cream

Only sour note was an idiot driving a new white Skoda car who very nearly side-swiped one of our group and hit another cyclist with his mirror.

Somedude9

Good sportive, great selection of goodies & sausage bap at the end was delicious. Not mad about the staggered start, guess it's understandable though. Weather was'nt great, cold at times, glad I didn't wimp out & did it all the same. Cramps kicked in after the halfway mark, which is a concern for future sportives. Thanks to all who helped out. Hope the guy who came a cropper on the descent into Hollywood is ok ( ambulance was called ).

Mercian Pro

mgbgt0_0 wrote: »

Pictures soon

Having withdrawal symptoms - when and where?

mgbgt0_0

hope to have later today
will post link

terrydel

Really enjoyed it, its a lovely route and good value for money. Numbers did seem down alright, when i stopped in laragh I couldnt believe there was only a dozen or so people there, asked one of the girls helping out and she said we are the first dozen arriving. Im sure the weather played a role in that. The spread of food was unreal, cant imagine it was all used up. The burger at the end was lovely too. Thanks to all those involced.

strmin

Great sportive. Nice route. Beautiful scenery. Food stop exactly where I needed it.
Got lucky with the weather. Dry climbs and descends. Some rain near Laragh.

Will definitely do it again next year.

mgbgt0_0

Pictures of Lap de Gaps 2017
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133249831@N04/albums
Feel free to use of share.

sullivlo

mgbgt0_0 wrote: »

Pictures of Lap de Gaps 2017
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133249831@N04/albums
Feel free to use of share.

Nice

I'm glad that you weren't at a different spot on Hollywood - my photos would not have been as flattering!!!

py

mgbgt0_0 wrote: »

Pictures of Lap de Gaps 2017
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133249831@N04/albums
Feel free to use of share.

No photos of me which I'm sort of glad of as I'd usually give a wave/thumbs up and I was worried I completely blanked you (and potentially other photographers). Great photos as always!

irishrover99

Was this an over 50's event. Not a young fella in one of the pictures :P

robyntmorton

That's quite a set of photos! Still working through them picking out people I know. I was meant to be there myself but life got in the way. There's always next time though.

jon1981

Great photos! I'm never snapped in any sportive I do, I'm starting to wonder whether I'm imagining these sportives I do maybe next time!

sullivlo

robyntmorton wrote: »

That's quite a set of photos! Still working through them picking out people I know. I was meant to be there myself but life got in the way. There's always next time though.

Please don't judge some of me

py

I know this was cancelled last year but any sign of it returning to the sportive calendar this year? Don't see anything on the CI leisure events calendar.

deweybible

py wrote: »

I know this was cancelled last year but any sign of it returning to the sportive calendar this year? Don't see anything on the CI leisure events calendar.

Unlikely. St James' HospitalWicklow Challenge on similar roads on same date.
As an aside, there are several leisure events clashing in May eg Ring of Beara/Tour de Connemara/Mick Byrne same weekend every year.