We need to decide whether LEL is a distance challenge with a mildly scenic route or a TCR-challenge with deliberately tough parkours*.
It's a interesting question, what LEL "should" be.
While the terrain this time is a small notch up in challenge from 2017, pretty much
half a third of the route (south of Horncastle) is pretty benign, climbing-wise.
Overall I'd still say this was only a moderately hard route - we're not talking Andy Corless or Will Pomeroy levels of difficulty by any means. Similarly it's not an "easy climbing" long route, like Tomsk's forthcoming "Flattish ACME Grand" (which mirrors some LELs of yore). AUK caters for different tastes.
I suppose it's up to the organizers to decide what to offer. Personally I think the UK's "blue riband" event should show off the best of what cycling in Britain can be, and, given the very many constraints I think this year's offering looks fantastic. The North Yorks Moors are tough, but it's amazing cycling. The event is still, as advertised, "a test of your mental and physical resilience" but it's a fair one. I think given reasonable control discipline, the 12km/h minimum speed means finishing should be within the reach of any rider with a reasonable level of fitness and conditioning, and the appropriate mental toughness. (DNFs due to knee/arse/back problems are indicative of physically undercooked riders I think).
The British weather has thrown a curve ball this year. But that's what British weather does.
Maybe the challenge of the event could be emphasized more. I know that this time special instructions went out to Indian riders encouraging them to train in tough, hilly conditions. Maybe the same sort of instructions need to go out to British riders since some of them seem surprised that riding 1500km up and down the country turns out to be rather difficult!
