Event Report and Galleries: The Cheshire Cat Cyclosportive
News Posted: 27 March 2007
Event Date: 25 March 2007
Pictures by Richard Robotham
Summertime and the riding is easy (well sort of!)
The first of Kilotogo's cyclosportive events took place on Sunday 25th March, officially first day of British Summertime and heralding some genuinely pleasant weather, with temperatures hitting a balmy 15 degrees, a stark change to the weather of the previous week.
The event took riders on a choice of 59 or 97 mile loops starting and finishing in Knutsford and taking in some of Cheshire's finest scenery, including the imposing castles of Peckforton and Beeston and including the killer climb of Mow Cop which certainly gave a few riders a wake up call.
We caught up with event organiser Geoff Saxon yesterday who was thrilled with the way the inaugural event went: "Kilotogo are immensely pleased with how things went on the day. We are especially pleased that everybody we talked to seemed to have enjoyed the ride and though that the organisation was very good. Above all, we're pleased that just about everybody had a safe ride. Only a few riders got into trouble requiring pick-up in the recovery vehicle or medical attention.
"Kilotogo were resourced to deal with all these incidents on the day - one poor chap who had travelled up from Birmingham to ride snapped his 4-week old carbon frame just before the first feedstation. Our team managed to salvage the day slightly by getting him back to the HQ. We've picked up on several useful comments and observations and will be striving to make things even better for the remaining kilotogo cyclo-sportive rides this year."
Free Hi Res Images
We had a photographer on the course to capture the day's action and we can offer a free hi res version to anyone who took part in the event.
To get your image:
- Make a note of the image reference number (top left of all images) - for e.g "Ref: 20070325-001-CSS"
- Then email pressoffice@britishcycling.org.uk with the reference numbers of the images you require (max 3 images per participant).
- Please put "Cheshire Cat" in the subject field of the email.
- Please quote your full name and mailing address (for security purposes - ensuring you were a participant)
- Allow 7 days for turn-round.
Please note this service is exclusively via email and we cannot offer prints.
Image files are large (typically greater than 1MB) so please email us only if your email connection can handle files of this size.
Click here to go the the galleries now (link to British Cycling)
Click here for the list of finishers and times (link to Kilotogo)
Rider Review
Who Said the Cheshire Plain was Flat?
For me, this event was to be used as preparation for the Etape. It was a cool morning so most were wrapped up and as the groups headed out and the pace was brisk. Personally I felt pretty good being on a new bike for the year and being a bit lighter than last year, so when a few wheels went past at speed I decided to jump on. This led all the way through to the second feed at Audlem where one of the organisers asked if we were enjoying the Cheshire countryside. I then realised I had spent the last hour and a half staring at the back wheel of the guy in front who was keen to press on hard at the front, however my lack of miles showed at the 55 mile mark and I was starting to regret my eagerness by following someone clearly stronger than me.
Keeping fuelled up and spinning the gear enabled me to keep going and to sit in with a steadier group before being faced with the mighty Mow Cop which rears up from way back. I know the climb as I used to live at the base of it. However I think this made it worse as I normally ride it feeling a lot fresher. Cramp took the better of me, so riding non stop was not to be on this occasion, mind you I was not alone...
The next climb around the back of Cloud End coming out of Congleton was also tough, especially with the headwind, however once over the top it was then a steady ride through the lanes back to Knutsford, . I picked up my second wind after Cloud End and managed to get in a strong group to pace me back to the headquarters for a welcome refuel.
In a sadistic way it was a great day, especially as I knew the whole journey. It passed my house in Peckforton, my parents house in Scholar Green and also where I used to live in Goostry. Did this help? I guess to a certain degree although it certainly didn’t make it easy.
In short, a great, well-organised event and I’m looking forward to the Cannock one.