National Hill Climb Championship Sunday 31st October- Winnats Pass

[colin54]

Being held this year at Winnats Pass; first off - at 08.01 a.m. According to the link the HQ is a couple of miles from the start- line. It's an early start as the road closure is from 6.30 -11.00. I think the clocks go back next Sunday as well just to confuse things.
https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/22015
If you click on the the 'download startsheet' in the event details section within the link , there is an interesting article about the history of the event at Winnats with photo's of previous winners, more detailed information, maps etc, interesting even if you are not attending.
This is the first year there has been a Womens class, when Winnats has been used for the championship.

[TrevA]

I was planning to go but was put off by the awful weather. I’ve seen lots of photos of the event and there was a good crowd present. I went to the previous championship on Winnats in the 1970’s. As I remember it was a similar sort of day, wet and windy but with a good crowd in attendance.

[S2L]

I was lucky enough to qualify, in a very competitive field, many didn't. My expectation was to avoid being last... I knew I could beat 2-3 for sure, but if they failed to show up, I would have been stuffed!

The rain was cold and relentless, it got worse as the morning progressed, I started with no. 71 and it was bad enough, but having seen the photos of those with higher numbers, I think I "got away lightly".
However, we enjoyed a rare tailwind, quite a monster tailwind, in fact, I managed to better my PB going up the pass by almost 40 seconds, caught my "minute man" (we set off in 30 seconds intervals, so he was my 30 seconds man, so to speak) and overall, I am quite pleased with how it went. Finished tenth from the bottom, 2 minutes slower than the winner, but still in the top 2% of the best times on Strava... that shows you the level.

Great race, great memories... on the way down I got cold, then took me ages to get changed in the car... a big faff, so I decided to head home, rather than wait around 2 hours for the prize giving ceremony... probably a good call, 200 people in the same room sounds a bit of a Covid fest to me...

Upwards and onwards... the Old Horseshoe pass next year... the old nasty lane that goes up at 20% (it's actually very nice)

[mattsccm]

The Old horseshoe! Steep. I would rather ride Winnats.

[colin54]

That did look grim, well done S2L
6 minute video of the men's event
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6vsp1KD0dI&t=283s
6 minute video of women's event
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUdDvxcFi1M

[gom]

... the Old Horseshoe pass ...

With a cafe at the top. Maybe not the cyclists dream cafe, but very welcome in the lashing rain.

Staying at Rhuthun for the Welsh Festival of Cycling, a great ride there via World's End, and a great descent from the Ponerosa.

[Mike Sales]

In some decades of riding the corrugated road of North Wales the hardest hill I remember is the minor road leading north from Glyn Ceiriog towards Llangollen. I did not manage to ride it.

[S2L]

The Old horseshoe! Steep. I would rather ride Winnats.

It doesn't really matter... I am probably more suited to a longer climb like the old Horseshoe, or in other words I tend to lose to my direct competitors over the 2-3 minute things and beat them up the longer climbs. Anything "closer" to an FTP climb is also more trainable...

Also, given the road is pretty much disused, I expect the organisers to be able to close it for the all day and therefore allow more competitors in, so better for those like me who are on the qualifying knife edge. Basically I had to be at my peak in late summer, to get the qualifiers in, whereas faster riders, who have the qualification in the bag, can plan the season to peak in late October...

[TrevA]

... the Old Horseshoe pass ...

With a cafe at the top. Maybe not the cyclists dream cafe, but very welcome in the lashing rain.

Staying at Rhuthun for the Welsh Festival of Cycling, a great ride there via World's End, and a great descent from the Ponerosa.

I remember the last time the Hillclimb was on the Horseshoe. We rode over from Nottingham to Chester YH on the Saturday, on Sunday rode from Chester to the climb in the pouring rain. As we got nearer, the rain turned to snow. They had to delay the start of the hill climb by 2 hours to allow the roads to clear. Everyone was packed into the Ponderosa Cafe trying to get warm. We didn’t hang around and wait for the event, as we were riding on to stay at Shrewsbury YH that evening.

[mattsccm]

That's a swine as well Mike. Did all the climbs, around Llangollen, in Simon Warrens Welsh Climbs book one day last summer. The GC one was last. Hanging I was at the end of the day.

[S2L]

I remember the last time the Hillclimb was on the Horseshoe. We rode over from Nottingham to Chester YH on the Saturday, on Sunday rode from Chester to the climb in the pouring rain. As we got nearer, the rain turned to snow. They had to delay the start of the hill climb by 2 hours to allow the roads to clear. Everyone was packed into the Ponderosa Cafe trying to get warm. We didn’t hang around and wait for the event, as we were riding on to stay at Shrewsbury YH that evening.

1981?

[TrevA]

I remember the last time the Hillclimb was on the Horseshoe. We rode over from Nottingham to Chester YH on the Saturday, on Sunday rode from Chester to the climb in the pouring rain. As we got nearer, the rain turned to snow. They had to delay the start of the hill climb by 2 hours to allow the roads to clear. Everyone was packed into the Ponderosa Cafe trying to get warm. We didn’t hang around and wait for the event, as we were riding on to stay at Shrewsbury YH that evening.

1981?

Sounds about right. Ironically, as soon as we set off for Shrewsbury, the weather started to clear and it was quite a pleasant afternoon, as I remember.

[S2L]

I remember the last time the Hillclimb was on the Horseshoe. We rode over from Nottingham to Chester YH on the Saturday, on Sunday rode from Chester to the climb in the pouring rain. As we got nearer, the rain turned to snow. They had to delay the start of the hill climb by 2 hours to allow the roads to clear. Everyone was packed into the Ponderosa Cafe trying to get warm. We didn’t hang around and wait for the event, as we were riding on to stay at Shrewsbury YH that evening.

1981?

Sounds about right. Ironically, as soon as we set off for Shrewsbury, the weather started to clear and it was quite a pleasant afternoon, as I remember.

Same as last October then. It started raining around 7 AM, the race began at 8 and finished at 11. It stopped raining around lunchtime and the afternoon was glorious...

[S2L]

Just signed up for the National 2022 up the Old Shoe... apparently there will be plenty of spaces, so qualification should be automatic.
Anyone else doing it?