[Event] Gravel Xpress 2016

[BDF]

Sadly it's not to be ..... 

Aggenee NSBB. What is a pink slip? I have a pen and can easily sign your pink slip if you want

[Guest notmyname]

Just saw this comment on an e-mail from Victor at Van Gaalen:

 

"There’s a “slight hill” on route, Breedt’s Nek, its eroded"

 

Anyone ridden this hill recently who can give us an idea of what to expect?

I haven't been that way this winter due to being bashed and battered by wave after wave of various illness'. The road climbing South to North (short side) has always been quite rough but not so tech you can't ride it. There are a few places where choosing your line will save your legs a bit. Descending South to north I would suggest keeping your wits about you. Ride within your capabilities and look for the lines between the rocks and erosion. Its quite the descent at pace and you can crash.... HARD. Loads of people would have been using the breedts route for stage race training over the past few months. The north to south climb(long side) is trying and it gets very important to look ahead and choose your line carefully as to not loose momentum. Descending north to south(short side) is my favourite. Keep you poop together, look far ahead, stay loose and send it. Be careful at the S bends it gets lekker fast through that first 300m or so.

 

Hope this helps.

[NotSoBigBen]

Aggenee NSBB. What is a pink slip? I have a pen and can easily sign your pink slip if you want

 

'pink slip' - back in my early working days leave forms were small pink slips and once signed you were allowed to take the time off 

 

My wife mostly gives pink slip permission these days, in this case she said go do it  ..... just so happens that the prize giving for a TT series I recently took part in has been moved from last Saturday to this Saturday 

[Pulse]

So, how bad is the road surface over Breedt's?

[BDF]

Man that was one tough race!

[arendoog]

Breedt,s climb was the easy bit .Still relatively fresh legs for that part .Those long drags against a headwind going back was tough . Might be mostly dirt road but a good route .I don,t know what those 2 sedan car owners were thinking riding up Breedt,s ?

[BDF]

Breedt,s climb was the easy bit .Still relatively fresh legs for that part .Those long drags against a headwind going back was tough . Might be mostly dirt road but a good route .I don,t know what those 2 sedan car owners were thinking riding up Breedt,s ?

Glad you felt fresh for Breedts! I did a stupid thing and spent way too much energy the first 20km staying with the lead bunch. That stuffed me up. The ride from the spaza shop to the top messed me up in a big way! I agree that the wind and long drags made it hard. I think this was one of my hardest ever rides!

[arendoog]

Glad you felt fresh for Breedts! I did a stupid thing and spent way too much energy the first 20km staying with the lead bunch. That stuffed me up. The ride from the spaza shop to the top messed me up in a big way! I agree that the wind and long drags made it hard. I think this was one of my hardest ever rides!

I was trying to hang onto the lead bunch ,but the pace was getting hectic ,so a spared my legs for breedt,s instead and it worked for me 

Edited August 21, 2016 by Blitzer

[Pieterlab1]

Where's my medal?

[Pulse]

That wat tough!

Was also still okay going up (and down) Breedt's, but the ride back killed me...

 

Good reality check on how unfit I actually am!

Edited August 21, 2016 by Pulse