Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Racing => Topic started by: slugbait on 24 March, 2021, 08:49:59 pm
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Let's be optimistic and start a Race around the Netherlands 2021 topic. Still not canceled, supposed to start on May 1.
The website is here: https://www.adventurebikeracing.com/ratn/
Can it take place in May? Obviously travelling to the Netherlands is difficult, so most participants will be living in the Netherlands. The curfew (from 10pm to 4:30am) is a pain in the ass, but good chance it will be lifted by the first of May. And we can still ride solo, sleep in hotels, shops are open and take away is possible everywhere. If they can sort out how to do the bike check and start of the race, then it should be possible. Otherwise, postpone until September like last year?
Anyhow: I'm on the start list and in training (back-to-back 200km days planned for this weekend!). To be honest, I have no idea how to train for these things. I'm generally quite fit and can do properly long rides at any point of the year. My "training plan" is to get some long rides on consecutive days and see if I can handle it. If it goes ahead, then I'll do a DIY600 with full gear as final test.
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There is optimism and there is madness.
Seeing how things are going in Europe at the moment, May is madness
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Let's be optimistic and start a Race around the Netherlands 2021 topic. Still not canceled, supposed to start on May 1.
The website is here: https://www.adventurebikeracing.com/ratn/
Can it take place in May? Obviously travelling to the Netherlands is difficult, so most participants will be living in the Netherlands. The curfew (from 10pm to 4:30am) is a pain in the ass, but good chance it will be lifted by the first of May. And we can still ride solo, sleep in hotels, shops are open and take away is possible everywhere. If they can sort out how to do the bike check and start of the race, then it should be possible. Otherwise, postpone until September like last year?
Anyhow: I'm on the start list and in training (back-to-back 200km days planned for this weekend!). To be honest, I have no idea how to train for these things. I'm generally quite fit and can do properly long rides at any point of the year. My "training plan" is to get some long rides on consecutive days and see if I can handle it. If it goes ahead, then I'll do a DIY600 with full gear as final test.
I got an email this morning from dotwatcher asking me to commentate again.
Do you need any advice on cycling in the Netherlands? :p
Don't over do your training. If it does happen on may 1st, that's less than 6 weeks away. You don't want to go in with an injury.
J
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There is optimism and there is madness.
Seeing how things are going in Europe at the moment, May is madness
I know, I fully expect this to be postponed until later in the year.
Do you need any advice on cycling in the Netherlands? :p
Don't over do your training. If it does happen on may 1st, that's less than 6 weeks away. You don't want to go in with an injury.
Advice is always welcome. With respect to training: it's my usual routine of cycling when I feel like it plus two big weekends. Besides the two consecutive 200's this weekend, I'm aiming for a DIY 600 about three weeks before the race. If the race is postponed, then I will skip the DIY 600.
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Just received an e-mail, the organizers have chosen madness (to quote Geriatricdolan). Anyone else riding :P
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I emailed a few weeks ago to say it's not possible for me to attend from the UK & not to bounce me to a future date this time.
Not heard anything back, but also not heard anything about when it may run running, so I assume i've been silently removed form the start list...
Good luck to all that take part - be that in May, delayed to Sept, or bumped again to 2022..
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Just received an e-mail, the organizers have chosen madness (to quote Geriatricdolan). Anyone else riding :P
There is still a month to go, cases in Holland are increasing rapidly and they will have to lock down pretty soon... they have reported 8800 positives yesterday, which is equivalent to about 40,000 in the UK. When we got to that level, we were in pretty deep shxt...
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Just received an e-mail, the organizers have chosen madness (to quote Geriatricdolan). Anyone else riding :P
There is still a month to go, cases in Holland are increasing rapidly and they will have to lock down pretty soon... they have reported 8800 positives yesterday, which is equivalent to about 40,000 in the UK. When we got to that level, we were in pretty deep shxt...
We already are locked down. We already have a Curfew.
J
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Just received an e-mail, the organizers have chosen madness (to quote Geriatricdolan). Anyone else riding :P
There is still a month to go, cases in Holland are increasing rapidly and they will have to lock down pretty soon... they have reported 8800 positives yesterday, which is equivalent to about 40,000 in the UK. When we got to that level, we were in pretty deep shxt...
We already are locked down. We already have a Curfew.
J
Clearly not locked enough... curfews are a ridiculous idea... we are not in WW2 and there are no German bombers coming after dark. The virus doesn't care what time it is
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Clearly not locked enough... curfews are a ridiculous idea... we are not in WW2 and there are no German bombers coming after dark. The virus doesn't care what time it is
No, but it stops people from mixing so much. Which is the aim. I must admit I find the avondklok really annoying, it's limiting what bike rides I'm doing. But I also find people dying even more annoying, so am happy to obey. I'd quite like them to get the vaccine rolled out a bit faster tho.
J
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Clearly not locked enough... curfews are a ridiculous idea... we are not in WW2 and there are no German bombers coming after dark. The virus doesn't care what time it is
No, but it stops people from mixing so much. Which is the aim. I must admit I find the avondklok really annoying, it's limiting what bike rides I'm doing. But I also find people dying even more annoying, so am happy to obey. I'd quite like them to get the vaccine rolled out a bit faster tho.
J
Point is that looking at the numbers, I don't see an alternative to further restrictions... it looks pretty dire. I would be very surprised if this event was really going ahead
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Point is that looking at the numbers, I don't see an alternative to further restrictions... it looks pretty dire. I would be very surprised if this event was really going ahead
I think the way the government are playing it, there won't be further restrictions, but the ones we have will remain in place.
I agree re the event tho.
J
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Each lockdown is less effective, because people are not sticking to the rules (plus that "British" mutation is not helping). For me, it's very simple. I picked a start time on May 1 and unless the restrictions become less severe (in particular no curfew and preferably cafes opening to some extent), I am unlikely to start.
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I don't know where you are based, but the other thing is that as far as I am aware, going abroad from the UK without a valid reason is illegal until May 17th. Obviously, RATN is not a valid reason
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How can it be run if the curfew is still active? It will be reevaluated in mid april but I can't see it being lifted before there is some reversal in the infection level or hospital admissions drop off. Both are unlikely as long as schools are open which is the only measure left they could reverse.
I also cannot believe that the local authority responsible would sanction it anyway.
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I don't know where you are based, but the other thing is that as far as I am aware, going abroad from the UK without a valid reason is illegal until May 17th. Obviously, RATN is not a valid reason
I live in the Netherlands.
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Been sent a final start list for this race.
There's some conspicuous absences.
Slugbait for one... and Daan...
Looks like it may be Bas' ride to lose.
J
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Yes, in the end it didn't seem like a good idea to participate. The curfew is gone, but cafes and restaurants are (effectively) still closed. That is not ideal for long days on the road. Instead I'm going on a "relaxed" bicycle tour through the Netherlands that week. I'll be back next year. (There were also other considerations but not stuff I feel like sharing on YACF.)
My pick for the win in the pair category is Martijn and Ralph. Their semi-offroad "1000km in 3 days" training ride was very impressive. For the men, Bas is the obvious pick. @QG: I'm curious about your pick for the women's. I don't see anyone with serious ultra race credentials on the list.
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Belatedly, my race preview is up.
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/race-around-the-netherlands-2021
I'm mildly amused by the fact that Bas forgot his front wheel. Gonna be interesting watching him moving through the field.
J
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Nice preview, but I have to make one correction. It is not true that "Hotels are also not allowed to serve meals." They are allowed to serve meals, but it's room service only. This is actually an advantage in my view. You don't need to dress (up) for dinner.
The Saturday starters started really fast, but Paul Hesen (among the first to start on Friday) has a good chance to make it to the finish first.
Bapistine Smets is definitely a standout: old steel bike, appears to wear jeans and sneakers. Yet she still did 300km on the first day!
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Really having to pay a lot of attention to the timing sheets, and do way to much base 60 maths.
Latest update is up.
J
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Good to read the latest update and particularly the pro cyclist, how she is getting on. I’ve always wondered. Bas 1,000km in 36 hours. I can but dream of being anywhere near that. I’m happy with 600km in that time. Paul going 870km before sleep :o
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And we have a winner: Bas Vlaskamp, 1900km in 91hr 49 min. Absurd. Because he started last, he overtook the entire field except Paul Hesen who finished a couple of hours in front of him.
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How much did he sleep?
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One sleep stop in Den Helder, after 1000km.
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I’ve never get much beyond 400km before a sleep. I did once have the idea of a 600 without sleep. But when it started raining heavily whilst I was stopped at sleep stop. I decided I’d take a sleep to miss the rain. A 1000km is very good going.
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Belatedly, my race preview is up.
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/race-around-the-netherlands-2021
I'm mildly amused by the fact that Bas forgot his front wheel. Gonna be interesting watching him moving through the field.
J
Thanks for sharing this, and your updates. I can't imagine doing a ride on this scale, although a touring holiday in the Netherlands with 40 miles against the wind might have given me a small impression of how impressive the achievement and motivation of the participants is.
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I’ve never get much beyond 400km before a sleep. I did once have the idea of a 600 without sleep. But when it started raining heavily whilst I was stopped at sleep stop. I decided I’d take a sleep to miss the rain. A 1000km is very good going.
Did I mention that he rode singlespeed? A sensible 50x17 gear, but the bit through the south of the country has a couple of 15-20% hills...
With sleeping, I think of hours not distance. My longest ride without sleep is 31 hours (and sleet and subzero temperatures at night). I managed 600km in that time frame, but these guys manage 800-900km in the same time.
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On a SS holy cow!
Longest I managed "fresh" here at home is about 530km inside 24 and could have continued albeit not for too much longer.
Longest I rode without a proper rest (but an odd micro nap) was on TCR to make the CP in Poland from Slovenia. It was 675km, headwinds and bloody hilly. Not something I would ever want to repeat.
I have a loose goal of trying for a 700km 24 hour TT before my 60th, so a few years to refine it. Id need to use a faster set up than my endurance outfit though.
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I’ve never get much beyond 400km before a sleep. I did once have the idea of a 600 without sleep. But when it started raining heavily whilst I was stopped at sleep stop. I decided I’d take a sleep to miss the rain. A 1000km is very good going.
Did I mention that he rode singlespeed? A sensible 50x17 gear, but the bit through the south of the country has a couple of 15-20% hills...
Provided he could use full width to tack the grade can be brought down quite a bit and I don’t know how you grade roads but here it’s the steepest bit not the whole thing.
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The steepest bits are 15%, but on really narrow roads where zigzagging won't reduce the gradient by much. Keutenberg briefly hits 22% and it is considered the steepest road in the Netherlands.
These are the two worst ones:
https://climbfinder.com/en/climbs/keutenberg
https://climbfinder.com/en/climbs/gulperberg-partij
Not much by British standards, I know. A couple of years ago I was on a cycling holiday in Northumberland and Yorkshire, tackling as much of the 100 greatest climbs I could find. Soon after, I went down to Limburg for a weekend of cycling. The uphill bits really felt easy in comparison.
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On a SS holy cow!
Longest I managed "fresh" here at home is about 530km inside 24 and could have continued albeit not for too much longer.
Longest I rode without a proper rest (but an odd micro nap) was on TCR to make the CP in Poland from Slovenia. It was 675km, headwinds and bloody hilly. Not something I would ever want to repeat.
I have a loose goal of trying for a 700km 24 hour TT before my 60th, so a few years to refine it. Id need to use a faster set up than my endurance outfit though.
Nothing to be ashamed of, I would say.
I still have this plan to cycle to Edinburgh in one go at the next LEL and then cycle back at a "relaxed" pace. I was hoping to try out this strategy at RatN (first sleep stop at 750km), but alas.
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Quite a lot do the PBP without sleeping, I would have thought the first 50-100 riders in.
I did the first 700km before sleeping but despite a couple of tries I have never succeeded in cycling through the night on a 600. I wonder if it is adrenaline related or maybe start time.
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To be honest, my only 600 without sleep was due to the lack of suitable hotels. Otherwise I also check-in for a shower and a couple of hours of sleep. But at longer rides (1000+) I also feel that urge to push on through the first night.
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Baptistine has finished in 253hours and 23 minutes.
All riders who were still running are now finished.
I no longer hold the record for youngest woman to finish the course. I also no longer hold the record for the slowest time to complete the course.
J
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Really having to pay a lot of attention to the timing sheets, and do way to much base 60 maths.
Latest update is up.
J
Sexagesimal baby (in my best Austin Powers accent)