The worst bit of the Newtown climb road is the early bit, before the diversion. Motorbikes hug the bends at high speed. Well before the turning the road widens and the sightlines are much better.
All but maybe 3 miles of A40 can be avoided by crossing the river at Crickhowell, then picking up the lane South of Abergavenny which emerges at Llanfair Kilgeddon.
The Talgarth main road can be avoided by taking the parallel lane that emerges at Pengefford.
Personally, I wouldn't take 200 riders down the South side of Gospel Pass, in summer, when they have 500k in their legs and might be sleep deprived. There can be debris in the road, walkers, loose dogs, cars etc.
“The worst bit of the Newtown climb road is the early bit, before the diversion.”
Comment: I took the Middle Dolfor Road out of Newtown last year and climbed almost traffic-free. It is shorter and very easy to navigate.
“All but maybe 3 miles of A40 can be avoided by crossing the river at Crickhowell, then picking up the lane South of Abergavenny which emerges at Llanfair Kilgeddon.”
Comment: I took this route (to Llanfair Cilgedin) at dawn after the Llangattock control of the Brevet Cymru (in 2016). It’s a good minimal traffic route and avoids the A40, Abergavenny and the A40/A465 double roundabouts.
“Personally, I wouldn't take 200 riders down the South side of Gospel Pass, in summer, when they have 500k in their legs and might be sleep deprived. There can be debris in the road, walkers, loose dogs, cars etc.”
Agree. Climbing from the south is fine but descending that way has all those disadvantages (which are not a problem descending into Hay) plus bends/poor sightlines and a poor surface with potholes (easy to avoid when climbing).
I think the way back should go through Hay on Wye, which should be a control. Then some will choose to go up the pass and some won't... . . . and avoids that horrible stretch on A 40. It also brings the mileage up where it should. be at 600 Km.
On the current route, the Aberhafesp control is at 440km. The Llanidloes Wells control is only 50 odd km further on and then 100+ to Chepstow. Here’s a route from Aberhafesp to Chepstow which is longer than the current route and rather than following the A483, and then retracing the route out (A470, the A479, A40, and via Usk) all the way home, from Dolfor it heads for Hay-on-Wye (as the control – almost exactly half-way): Aberhafesp, Newtown, Dolfor, B4355, Knighton, B4357, Old Radnor, B4394, Clyro, HAY-ON-WYE, Golden Valley (B4348/4347), Pontrilas, B4347/4233, Monmouth, B4393, Chepstow.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27563862