MGM 1200

[vorsprung]

MADRID-GIJON-MADRID 2009 now has a website

It is a 1200km event a bit like LEL or PBP
The date is the 18th-22nd of August
Spain is the most mountainous country in europe - see the profile of the route on the website

MADRID-GIJON-MADRID 2009 - 2ª EDICIÓN DE LA SUPERBREVET DE 1200 KMS

[mattc]

Spain is the most mountainous country in europe

What, more so than Andorra?
Google Maps

[frere yacker]

Jings, that profile looks interesting.  Particularly the drop to Gijon *whee* followed by the climb out of there *grunt*

Do any UK "mountains" even reach 1500m?!?

[Martin]

Jings, that profile looks interesting.  Particularly the drop to Gijon *whee* followed by the climb out of there *grunt*

Do any UK "mountains" even reach 1500m?!?

No; Ben Nevis 1,344 metres

[DanialW]

I'm so going to do this in 2009.

[frere yacker]

Jings, that profile looks interesting.  Particularly the drop to Gijon *whee* followed by the climb out of there *grunt*

Do any UK "mountains" even reach 1500m?!?

No; Ben Nevis 1,344 metres

Jings an help ma boab.  Didn't some chap do MGM followed by LEL in 2005; Richard Lyons?  Awesome.

[Ivo]

Didn't some chap do MGM followed by LEL in 2005; Richard Lyons?  Awesome.

Richard Leon. If I remember correctly, he finished MGM on friday, travelled to London on saturday and started LEL on sunday. A mate of his took a fresh set of bikeclothes from Paris to London.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I think former AUK Jan Christiansen (sp?) did the same.

EDIT: Jan signed up for both but did not ride LEL.

[iddu]

Jings, that profile looks interesting.  Particularly the drop to Gijon *whee* followed by the climb out of there *grunt*

Do any UK "mountains" even reach 1500m?!?

Eminently FFOD'able.  Bit o'early training on the Fred Whitton should see you right

[border-rider]

Didn't some chap do MGM followed by LEL in 2005; Richard Lyons?  Awesome.

Richard Leon. If I remember correctly, he finished MGM on friday, travelled to London on saturday and started LEL on sunday. A mate of his took a fresh set of bikeclothes from Paris to London.

PeterM and I had the honour of escorting Richard into the finish.  He was very tired by the end, after MGM, and he left Lincoln with us early in the morning - he was looking for someone to help him navigate, I think.  We were painfully slow by his standards and he must have found it very frustrating...

Anyway we left him at Lea Valley and headed North to do the last 300.

[Bez]

I've looked at the website. I've no idea what it says. However the way that it says it and the pictures make it a must do - at some point

I'm assuming that only likely to run every four years subject to support and as a newish event as much support in 2009 as possible?

[iddu]

Bump

Any enquirers had a response yet? Nothing back from pre-registration form or direct e-mail for several weeks, even just acknowledging receipt...

[Von Broad]

ummmm....looks interesting. But I have been so sofa bound for donkey's months now.
Just out of interest, what's the closing entry date, I couldn't seem to locate it on the web-site?
ummmm......and we have to do an SR to qualify?....blimey....even that seems like a mountain from where I sit right now....a big leap of endeavour is required....
but there's a part of me that would love to have a crack at this......

[iddu]

Bump

OK - so the just the usual suspects then? Hopefully it'll be warmer & drier than here

[mattc]

Text from Iddu last night along the lines of:
18:10 and still 40 degrees.*

Believe he starts/started today sometime.

*he is surprisingly verbose in SMS.

[Hummers]

I believe a Mrs J Swallow is riding this too.

H

[Salvatore]

And Peter Turnbull, I think. Also Ray Robinson.

[Salvatore]

Text from Iddu last night along the lines of:
18:10 and still 40 degrees.*

Believe he starts/started today sometime.

*he is surprisingly verbose in SMS.

Any news today?

[Salvatore]

There's a start list here. www.mgm2009.com doesn't seem to be working, but google cache has it.

Other names: Chris Wilby, John Barkman, Jan Geerts, Robert  Luyckx (BEL, both rode LEL), John Evans, Alain Collonges (9 PBPs and asked for demanded wine from F Coppi's cousin), Jukka Salonen (Finnland - HBKH & 1001 Mig veteran), Peter Mennicke and lots of other people.

[Paul D]

If it all went to plan for him John Evans has done the Scandanavian 1200 between LEL and this.

[Rob]

If it all went to plan for him John Evans has done the Scandanavian 1200 between LEL and this.

And he did the Gold Rush 1200 before LEL. 

[mattc]

Clearly a 1-trick pony, distance-wise.

[Paul D]

Clearly a 1-trick pony, distance-wise.

Yeah, I bet he really suffers on a 200.

[Salvatore]

I've read elsewhere that there was rain, fog and cold at the 900km mark at an altitiude of 1400m.

They should be nearly finished now.

Any news?

[mattc]

Yup:
[21:56 Sat]  All UK riders got round.

[some other unintelligible stuff from Iddu which I shan't transcribe.]

Up the AUKs!