PTW

Congratulations to all those that took part in the Dragon Ride yesterday. Looks like you had good weather, and not too hot.

I've started a new thread for your post race stories because the last one was at two pages already. I wonder if there are any results up?

Well, yes there are, but there are several people called Ian Davies, so how do I know which one is which? Anyone have a complete list of entry numbers?

From what I can work out, these are some of our finishers. I know that Ian Davies is missing from the list, but I don't know which one he is. It's possible I have some of the following wrong, since the results service doesn't say what club each rider belongs to. If so please let me know.

120K - 721 finishers

1st	Derek Smetham	Male	01:27:55	03:40:11
379th	Christine Lloyd	Female	02:04:51	05:13:36
403rd	Laura Dacey	Female	02:20:36	05:16:29
641st	Kevin Rattenbury	Male	02:20:34	06:06:16

180K - 1237 finishers

1st	Dan Staite	Male	01:27:56	05:11:49
478th	Richard lewis	Male	01:50:00	06:40:15
597th	Timothy O Leary	Male	02:00:56	06:53:07
845th	christopher allen	Male	02:00:59	07:18:29
1129th	Peter Jones	Male	02:29:30	08:13:05
1145th	andrew lewis	Male	02:29:21	08:16:36
1163rd	Andrew Thomas	Male	02:29:24	08:21:45
1204th	Ian Davies	Male	02:29:24	08:41:13
1205th	Ian Rattenbury	Male	02:29:28	08:41:17
1215th	Christopher "Five Punctures" Price	Male	02:03:13	08:54:37

Well done to all those who rode the Dragon Ride yesterday. Excellent day ,Blessed with good weather. The feed stations I thought, could have been a bit better stocked (The Cray,only had Bananas and The Cimla, halves of banana and three Bourdon biscuits).All in all, thoroughly enjoyed the day and thanks to Andy Smith and Ian Davies for their great company all the way round the course.

I done 6:40:15. Wanted to get under 7 hours so was a happy chappy.

Good day out and must have rode my luck some how as I punctured between the finish line and the goodie bags. Not sure on how ''good'' they were tho.

Chris Price had a nightmare which resulted in me driving back up the route on finishing to give him my back wheel. He went through 3 tubes and some patches!!!

Yep, it was 5 punctures for me (yes 5, is that a record?), but enjoyed the ride none the less. Rode with a mate of mine who was going to ride the shorter course but i twisted his arm into riding the BIG ONE.
well done to all finishers.

All in all a very good day.
Started off a bit slow waiting in the very long snaking queue to get to the start line. We all set off eventually at about 9:15.
A steady pace away from pencoed, then getting caught up in a slow pace at Heol y Kew. I picked up the pace across pencoed common and joined on with some faster riders. Peter Jones and Chris Allen caught up with me before the first climb of the Bwlch, then Peter dropped off before the top. Me and Chris ploughed on to Treochy and up the Rhigos to the first feed station. A quick wee and a bottle fill we were soon hitting 40mph down past Tower coilery where a mechanical glich almost saw me lose my chain. Tootled onto Pendyryn where Chriss pointed out that my chain was "skippng through the derailler. A quick pit stop before the timing mat (2hrs)soon sorted a twisted chain out. Off out across the Beacons and me and Chriss took in in turns to lead from the front and jump across to faster groups into bit of a headwind. we caught up with a group going pretty well and I told him to tuck in with them till we got to the resivoir. Unfortunately before we gotthere I turned around only to see that I had lost Chris. (not to be seen again till the finish line sorry mate).
Grat bit of descending past the Storey arms until the turn for Dyfynog, started the climb only to meet up with Chris Price (he had started earlier) mending one of his punctures. I had a quick gel then offered my sympathy and was away again. Nice bit off work across newly laid chippings on the road, saw me dropping some riders, down the fast descent to Sennybridge. who were tailing me. Staedy drag up to the top of the Crai valley and pit stop 2. Again quick pee and water fill. Nice fast descent to Abercrave (was stuck behind RAC van for a while but passed him at about 36mph) before we started the climb up the Coelbrin. Passed Andrew ??????? on the climb then pushed on to Glyneath. Bit of a headwind down to Neath so stuck on the wheel of Colin Price ( triathlete mate) who was out on a training ride and met up with us.
Cimla hill saw me starting to get the twinges of cramp setting in so took it easy up the hill (is there any other way ). Feed station 3 took on plenty of water and energy drink (no wee this time = signs of cramp ).
Started to not look forward to the Bwlch at this stage and my house being only 5 miles away was almost to much of a temptation.
Got up the sharp climb to the Afan valley road and headed up to the top of the Bwlch. This was going to be tough . A long slog up to Cymmer then a caffiene gel before the real climbing started. Passed the cattle grid and I kept thinking about the Hill climb TT race I had done 2 yrs ago on this stretch, I knew I could get up there but halfway up i was fighting the temptation to get off, the balls of my feet were on fire (New shoes on order ) Passed only one or two but got passed by many more. Eventuall to the top and finished of a power bar before descending down the Bwlch to Bridgend. Now earlier Ian Davis said we were going over the mini Bwlch on the way back, I was hoping he was wrong. Uh oh he was right. This was a cruel blow to me at this stage as I had a target time to beat and now this was slipping away. Up again but dug in with a few boys from Swansea Wheelers and wew were soon up and over and heading home. Really starting to fade now but stuck on their wheels for the last few miles back across the common to Pencoed. My target time was back on track and soon we were passing the college entrance and back around to the timing mat .
Yes I had tamed the Dragon
1331 Timothy O Leary Male 02:00:56 06:53:07. (target < 7 hrs)

Well marshled good safety cover.
Poor feed stations value cakes (if you could get any)
and bananas (which I dont do on rides)
not a single energy gel or bar in site. I've done smaller Cyclos and they have been well stocked with H5 energy products. Must tell Lou!!!

Well done to all finishers hope you recover well.

p.s. Bill, Dai Smith did not do the ride so that time is not his

Great Report Tim!! Cracking read. Well done to you and to all who ode.

Incidentally there was the same complaint last year about poor quality feed stations. I'm going to do the Iron Mountain sportif this Sat and last year the feed stations were a veritable feast of energy products. No excuse really.

Good write up Tim and well done to all PTW riders who rode and finished.

If the above table is now (we think) accurate, then I will post it as an article on the website. We have to try and keep the front door of the website ticking over, for a number of reasons.

I've just had the following by email.

Quote

Please excuse the unsolicited email.

I rode the Dragon Ride on Sunday and had a wonderful time, and this was due in no small part in friendly assistance given to my by some of your members. At the top of Bwlch for the second time, after I had started to feel more than a little tired I came across Ian Davies and Ian Rattenbury as well as Andy (didn’t get his second name, who was just along for the ride!). I asked if they minded me tagging along for a while and they said that would be fine. What I didn’t expect is that they would wait for me at a couple of points and stay with me all the way to the finish. For a first time sportive rider I found this attitude absolutely fantastic and I hope you can pass on my thanks to them in person.

I would have put a message on you forum, but you (quite wisely) do not accept anonymous posts.

Once again I hope you will pass this on.

Many thanks

John Easy (Race Number 272).