Wicklow 100/200 2019

Seve OB · 02-01-2019 2:25pm #1

I don't see a recent thread on this.

I was just wondering when you would realistically need to sign up by?
Does it sell out or close off?
I'm not 100% sure I can make the date yet and would be close to the time before I could fully commit.
Don't want to shell out €55 blibs if I'm not going to participate

monkeyslayer · 02-01-2019 2:45pm

I can't imagine it selling out anytime soon with the price they charge, if you did leave it too long and it did sell out there is nothing really stopping you from doing it on the day anyway... there are plenty of cafes, shops and service stages on the route

However, you just wont get the perks of having to queue for soggy sandwiches, lukewarm tea and have someone hand you a plate of five pieces of plain pasta and chicken paste at the end. It is well marshalled however, tho so are a lot of sportifs that cost a fraction of the ww200 price...

irishrover99 · 02-01-2019 3:48pm

My only goal for the year is to do the Evil and W200 back to back, all things going to plan of course.
I will not be paying the 55 Euro though.
Done it a few years ago and it was 40 Euro which was a fair price and never used any of the stops, other than having the meal at the end but 55 Euro when i'd most likely do the same again is not for me.
I'd rather pay more for an event if it was going to charity.

PringleDemon · 03-01-2019 10:30am

Shocking levels of food during and especially at the finish .
Not good enough for an event costing €55 . I don't really see the attraction of people going back to it year after year .
Great roads for cycling but not at that price .

terrydel · 03-01-2019 10:37am

Seve OB wrote: »

I don't see a recent thread on this.

I was just wondering when you would realistically need to sign up by?
Does it sell out or close off?
I'm not 100% sure I can make the date yet and would be close to the time before I could fully commit.
Don't want to shell out €55 blibs if I'm not going to participate

A day before should be grand.

py · 03-01-2019 12:16pm

Have signed up for this again, will be my third time doing it. Goal is to survive and then all going good, aim for 8 hours finish time if I can get a solid 4 months of structured training in beforehand.

I didn't experience any of the food issues that have been mentioned on either of the times I participated. I was however on the road earlier both times out, starting at about 7am.

ted1 · 03-01-2019 12:22pm

monkeyslayer wrote: »

I can't imagine it selling out anytime soon with the price they charge, if you did leave it too long and it did sell out there is nothing really stopping you from doing it on the day anyway... there are plenty of cafes, shops and service stages on the route

However, you just wont get the perks of having to queue for soggy sandwiches, lukewarm tea and have someone hand you a plate of five pieces of plain pasta and chicken paste at the end. It is well marshalled however, tho so are a lot of sportifs that cost a fraction of the ww200 price...

Well organised, well marshalled , well attended , minutes from Dublin. What other one can tick those boxes ?

It might be the only one I Do all year. And is a great incentive to hit the hills at the weekends

irishrover99 · 03-01-2019 12:52pm

ted1 wrote: »

Well organised, well marshalled , well attended , minutes from Dublin. What other one can tick those boxes ?

It might be the only one I Do all year. And is a great incentive to hit the hills at the weekends

Orwell Randonnee and most of the money raised goes to a charity.

Euro Fred · 03-01-2019 1:01pm

irishrover99 wrote: »

Orwell Randonnee and most of the money raised goes to a charity.

The Randonnee is brilliant and tickets went sale already

ted1 · 03-01-2019 1:03pm

irishrover99 wrote: »

Orwell Randonnee and most of the money raised goes to a charity.

I’ll add it to the list. It’ll be the second one I do this year, well first then ww200

terrydel · 03-01-2019 1:12pm

Euro Fred wrote: »

The Randonnee is brilliant and tickets went sale already

I wonder will Lord Ross show up this year?! What with his huge understanding of the nuances of cycling safety and all that.

terrydel · 03-01-2019 1:16pm

py wrote: »

Have signed up for this again, will be my third time doing it. Goal is to survive and then all going good, aim for 8 hours finish time if I can get a solid 4 months of structured training in beforehand.

I didn't experience any of the food issues that have been mentioned on either of the times I participated. I was however on the road earlier both times out, starting at about 7am.

I'd like to get under 7 this year, was 7:06 last year. I'm **** at taking advantage of groups.

monkeyslayer · 03-01-2019 4:07pm

ted1 wrote: »

Well organised, well marshalled , well attended , minutes from Dublin. What other one can tick those boxes ?

It might be the only one I Do all year. And is a great incentive to hit the hills at the weekends

I'll suggest the Mick Byrne also. Its your money, spend it as you choose, fair enough tho do it once, get the medal and support the organisers. But I guess having done the ww200 many times and seen the greedy hike in their prices as the popularity in cycling sportifs spiked, it'll be its undoing. I guess I do those roads all the time, and the route is far from a novelty, by all means if you are not from Wicklow and need someone waving a flag at every junction it's somewhat decent value, but for the food and support it's shockingly over priced compared to the welcome and quality other and quite often smaller and more charitable sportifs offer.

Luxman · 03-01-2019 4:12pm

Both the Orwell and Mick Byrne get my vote, I avoided the Orwell for a few years based on the abhorrent amount of suffering reported but did it last year and was in good shape. Brilliant day on the bike. the MB is a different spin, could spend hours on your own, much more audax feel to it (but supported food wise superbly). Avoiding the W200 at all costs

Macy0161 · 03-01-2019 4:32pm

Did both the Orwell and Mick Bryne last year. Plan to be back to the Mick Byrne (minus the personal puncture fest before Shankill last year). I would be back to the Orwell one too, but a week after L-B-L sportive/ weekend, that might be pushing things at home!

S_D · 03-01-2019 8:46pm

irishrover99 wrote: »

Orwell Randonnee and most of the money raised goes to a charity.

Thanks for the reminder on the Randonnee! Just booked it again,, was a good one last year, hope weathers the same :cool:

ED E · 03-01-2019 11:00pm

S_D wrote: »

Thanks for the reminder on the Randonnee! Just booked it again,, was a good one last year, hope weathers the same :cool:

Don't jinx it, don't want a 2017 again :eek:

py · 04-01-2019 8:52am

ED E wrote: »

Don't jinx it, don't want a 2017 again :eek:

Worst conditions I've ever had on a sportive.

irishrover99 · 04-01-2019 10:00am

py wrote: »

Worst conditions I've ever had on a sportive.

Nothing will beat 2015.
It was that bad that we only done a 125 km course and never went near sally gap or the wall. It was the worst conditions i've ever seen and i ended up in one of those tin foil wraps at the end i was so cold.
https://www.strava.com/activities/296650148

2016 was also bad. I went up Turlough Hill as a bonus when we got up the Wicklow Gap and the snow up there made me feel like i was racing in the Giro. Ill never forget that.
https://www.strava.com/activities/560920136

I think the Orwell is the most unreliable in terms of weather but the support out on the roads is amazing.

Wishbone Ash · 04-01-2019 12:51pm

PringleDemon wrote: »

... I don't really see the attraction of people going back to it year after year ....

For many cyclists, it's the longest cycle they do each year. Have a look at the profiles on Strava and it's often their longest ever cycle. I suspect that a lot of people wouldn't manage a 200k cycle solo but the buzz on the day with large numbers keeps them motivated. Forget about the food. No one does a sportive just because of the food available.

The Mick Byrne 200 is a great event but spending hours on your own in remote parts of Wicklow/Wexford doesn't have mass appeal nor does climbing 1,000m in the first 40k.

Seve OB · 04-01-2019 6:33pm

I've done the ROK in 2012. Was my longest spin ever. Probably had got up to about 100k a few times before doing it. Haven't done anything of note since.

Need a challenge, something to work towards. Reckon at the moment I would struggle to get 20km!!

Mercian Pro · 04-01-2019 8:57pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The Mick Byrne 200 is a great event but spending hours on your own in remote parts of Wicklow/Wexford doesn't have mass appeal nor does climbing 1,000m in the first 40k.

No need to spend hours on your own on the MB200. I had great company in 2015 & '16 and was very sorry to miss it last year

It took me a few years of doing the 100 and 160 to build up the fitness and confidence to take on the MB200 whereas many do the W200 without even completing a 100 beforehand. The easier route and buzz on the day count for a lot but, like the RoK, I won't be rushing back when there are so many other better sportives around.

P_1 · 04-01-2019 10:33pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The Mick Byrne 200 is a great event but spending hours on your own in remote parts of Wicklow/Wexford doesn't have mass appeal nor does climbing 1,000m in the first 40k.

Climbing 1000m in the first 40k is wonderful for killing a hangover/sobering yourself up though

Gerry · 05-01-2019 1:27am

Mb200 was so much better than the ww200 in every way. That's the thing, it doesn't have mass appeal and they aren't trying to make a bucket of cash out of it. I felt privileged to take part in it.

maxamillius · 05-01-2019 9:27am

New to road cycling but would like to get involved In Some sportives, is there anywhere that lists all sportives throughout he year so I can look at dates etc?

Cheers

mirrormatrix · 05-01-2019 9:29am

Pretty sure cycling irelands website has a complete list of all sportives doe the year grouped by date

maxamillius · 05-01-2019 10:09am

mirrormatrix wrote: »

Pretty sure cycling irelands website has a complete list of all sportives doe the year grouped by date

Thanks for that, will check it out!!

Takca · 05-01-2019 9:53pm

maxamillius wrote: »

Thanks for that, will check it out!!

Doesn't look like this years ones are up there yet, hopefully it won't be long.

Wishbone Ash · 05-01-2019 10:24pm

mirrormatrix wrote: »

Pretty sure cycling irelands website has a complete list of all sportives doe the year grouped by date

Not all - the Wicklow 200 for example, won't be on CI's page as it's run by the IVCA.

maxamillius · 05-01-2019 11:48pm

Takca wrote: »

Doesn't look like this years ones are up there yet, hopefully it won't be long.

Ye had a look and couldn’t see anything so wasn’t sure if I was in the right place or not

S_D · 06-01-2019 9:31pm

Whats peoples thoughts on the black stairs challange and Serc 3 peaks?

Wicklow 100/200 2019

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