As the Giro D’Italia organisers came back to run the first of three of their world famous timed sportives from Belfast, KCC members took on the main Mournes route & the shorter Strangford route then took the time to tell us about it. Unfortunately the event clashed with the popular Bangor Coastal but we had plenty of presence there too:

 

Jane’s Gran Fondo (Mourne Route)

Having trained for and completed the Wicklow 200 a fortnight previously, I didn’t give too much thought to the Giro d’Italia Grand Fondo. I decided that rather than resting and “carbing up” in the week beforehand, I would continue my training with extra miles. These decisions gave me plenty of food for thought as I slowly ground my way up almost 10,000 feet  including Dree Hill, the infamous “S Bends” at Spelga and lastly Slieve Croob.

The day before I had helped Sustrans marshall their Piccolo Fondo along the Comber Greenway and when we eventually arrived at the Titanic Quarter I got my first real sense of anticipation and excitement as I registered and collected my goodie bag. The set up all seemed rather professional and with plenty of crowds milling about I started to look forward to the following day.

My wisest decision on the morning of the event was getting a lift to and from the event with David Dunlop and we wasted no time getting to the starting line and quickly moving off. Initially the main focus was avoiding other riders and not least the out riders, but as we progressed past the Arena and up onto the Castlereagh Road, we got a real sense of what was to come with the closed roads and the supporters that lined the route despite the early start.

It was some sight to witness all the cyclists ahead of us starting their climb onto the Ballygowan Road and it wasn’t long before we found ourselves whizzing through Ballygowan and Saintfield and then onto the rolling back roads to our first big climb of the day.

Dree hill I have tackled before with varying degrees of success. The last time was my quickest time yet I had actually walked up that steep bit. I am not sure what that says about my cycling skills but it can’t be all that good. At the Grand Fondo I kept her lit thanks to the supporters screaming and shouting at that same steep bit. There were a few men walking up the side so I gritted my teeth and kept spinning. It was then I heard the first cry of many throughout the day; “C’mon the girls” and I realised I was neck and neck with another lady cyclist. The crowds sensed an opportunity for some healthy competition and with the cheering and clapping I managed to overtake my female companion just at the corner. It was a tiny glimpse into what it might be like for a real cyclist and I guess that is what the Grand Fondo was all about.

Some lovely descents and a few sharp climbs followed Dree and we found ourselves down in Rostrevor where again the crowds were out in great numbers. A long lovely climb back up to Leitrim followed and I had at this point fallen in with Foyle cycling club and we had good chat and craic on the way up.

The “S Bends” and Spelga were to be “the most challenging climbs of the day”. As most of you know I like to chat and probably scared the wits out of some poor Ards CC cyclist when I cycled up beside him as we approached the Spelga Dam and announced that I had met and had been chatting to his brother from Bray earlier.

A fast descent followed then into Bryansford and soon we were onto the last and most brutal climb of the day.

I had mistakenly thought that the worst was behind me, but as Slieve Croob seemed to go on for ever and as the rain came pelting down I soon realised that this was going to be a far greater challenge. The only thing that kept me spinning was the thought that the bike was easier cycled up the hill than pushed and I was far more likely to slip and fall on the wet road in my cleats than fall off the bike. I was never so glad to reach the summit and by the time I had descended the rain had cleared and the sun was threatening to put in an appearance.

The last few miles from Dromora fell away as the end was in sight. But somewhere coming into Ballygowan I caught a whiff of some-ones Sunday Roast Dinner and then I could think of nothing else but food. Never had the Ballygowan Road seemed so long or such a drag. David Dunlop was just inthe distance and Mark Rowe helped me spin down those last few miles to the finish line. It was a long tough day in the saddle but I was buoyed up when the timings came out and I had finished 26th in the female category. So despite telling Rob to throw my bike in the bin when I got home I am already gearing up for the next one and Slieve Croob is first on my hit list.

 

James’s Gran Fond (Strangford Route)