Sportive

Riding the Deloitte Ride Across Britain

We tagged along for stages one and two of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain for a taste of the action, and instantly caught the bug

I’ve never had much of an interest in riding the length of Britain. There, I said it. Somehow, the British Isles have never captivated me in the same way the continent has.

Maybe that’s because I grew up a Tour de France fan, always looking forward to the three-week odyssey and the beautiful sun-drenched images I’d see on Channel 4, then ITV.

Nevertheless, riding the end-to-end has always represented a serious challenge for any cyclist – domestic and foreign – and is one of the most popular long-distance rides in the world, be it on DIY rides on organised events.

The Deloitte Ride Across Britain offers an accessible means of riding the ‘end-to-end’ – Land’s End to John O’Groats (pic: Threshold Sports)

The Deloitte Ride Across Britain is one such organised event that makes the challenge accessible, if not easy by any stretch of the imagination. Among the 700-plus riders registered for the 2016 edition, there were South Africans, Swiss, Dutch and Americans all ready to complete the challenge of 969 miles over nine days, in the process climbing almost twice the height of Mount Everest.

Thankfully, for me, it wasn’t the whole nine-day journey, but the first two days I’d be riding, starting in Land’s End and finishing in the historic town of Bath to get a taste for what it’s like to ride the Ride Across Britain. That adds up to 217 miles in two days – plenty of time to get a full taste of the experience, and perhaps stoke the fire for a full attempt one day.

Arrival and camp life

Instead of using the booking services for my bike to be transported ahead of me, and one of the various organised coach shuttles to take me and my luggage to Land’s End, I chose to make a day of it – preferring to keep my bike on-hand for practical reasons – and instead getting the train down from my base in Bath.

That meant arriving in Penzance, with a quick jaunt over the width of Cornwall to the start point. Choosing the flattest and shortest route possible, thanks to the forecast of gusty coastal winds and my 10kg backpack, I soon discovered it was anything but flat – magnified by the strong cross-headwind I was riding into. It was an unexpected grind, and prompted a look of shock on the faces of the staff when I arrived.

Still, on arrival, what strikes you is the comprehensive level of organisation. Now’s the time to get your bearings, because this first base camp is the template for the rest of your trip, minus the non-camp stopover in Bath at the end of day two.

Welcomed by the security staff at the entrance, you’re directed first to the bike park to rack your machine, then to the sign-in marquee, which doubles as your social home for the majority of the Ride.

It’s here that the sense of clockwork really hits home because, once you’re signed on, you’re then directed to the tent allocation awning. With tent number and your own inflatable floor mat in hand, you find your section and tent, depositing your belongings. Time to explore.

The camp is made up of the three main contact points you’ve already visited, plus hot-running portable shower blocks, maintained portable toilet blocks, towel allocation awning, as well as the various partner marquees.

Additionally, there’s a kit drying tent set up (blown with dry warm air to help expediate the process), as well as a therapist’s tent, complete with foam rollers, masseuses and plenty of expert advice from the medical team that rolls with the event; always willing to help you with your concerns.

It all results in a setup that you really feel you can rely upon; a sense of regularity sure to become welcome after repeated long days in the saddle.

As many of us know, too, nutrition is key to maximising performance on the bike, and, oh my, do Threshold Sports have this one well and truly covered thanks to their use of caterers, Beau Nosh.

Even on arrival, there’s tea, coffee and soup available as an afternoon tea, with both breakfast and dinner covered every day you camp with the Ride.

And, I don’t just mean ‘covered’ – this is one of the absolute highlights of the trip from word go, with at least three balanced variations cooked each day, you can eat as much as you need – and that’s not to mention the bewildering array of carbohydrate-based salads, cakes and deserts laid on as well, each evening. Certainly, the route to a cyclist’s heart is through their stomach!

Let’s get going

After a motivating briefing with event director Andy Cook that evening, I awake with a little trepidation on the morning of day one. A 5:30am wake-up call starts the day, with breakfast served in the main marquee, and it’s a full spread, just like the night before. Eggs, beans, sausages, bacon, yoghurt, fruit, cereal, porridge – all is on tap, allowing the riders to set themselves up as they choose for the following day.

Stories of riders sleeping in their cycling kit, recalling the howling gail and rains we all experienced that night, dominate the topic of conversation at the tables.

But, soon the focus moves onto the forthcoming day – rated the hardest single ride of the entire course. With 103 miles and more than 2,500m of climbing, the journey starts with a real toughie; all rolling terrain with steep ascents on predominately quiet, narrow roads as you wind your way right through the heart of Cornwall, and into Devon.

Cook described the route as ‘grippy’, and he wasn’t wrong. It’s a baptism of fire, and it makes you wonder just what you’ve got yourself into – especially considering the following day also features more than 2,000m of climbing.

The route deliberately picks out the ‘best’ riding, as opposed to the easiest – so there’s plenty of climbing early on (pic: Threshold Sports)

But, therein lies the real challenge. This is a psychological hurdle, as well as a physical one, making the task all the more significant.

Camaraderie is rife, though, with banter and jokes spread along the route. Thanks to the terrain, it’s hard to immediately pinpoint a group to ride with that matches your ability – so no-one (thankfully) bothers, instead allowing groups to form organically as the route takes its toll on individuals.

Eventually, I stumble across a rider called Phil – I’m sure he won’t mind my naming him – who largely matches my ability to tap out a tempo. Time to make friends!

We spend the final 75km riding together, in what can only amount to a two-up time trial, gently pushing each other on while getting on with the usual ‘meet and greet’ conversations.

He’s a top lad, and suddenly I regret not being able to go the whole way with him. It’s here I make a decision – I’m going to do as much work as I can, helping him and any others get through the tough first couple of days. Doing my bit, as it were.

Deloitte Ride Across Britain, Cheddar Gorge

Getting organised

Arrival at the first bona-fide base camp is a chance to put my plan of action in motion. A friend, who acts as one of the chaparones on this odyssey, advised me that routine is key, so you can minimise faffing with repeated trips and maximise your time to relax.

As I’m certainly a champion faffer, I valued his advice – and boy, was he right.

My routine proceeded thus:

Drop bike off in bike racks and consume recovery drink
Pick up bags from the awesome DHL guys
Go to tent allocation awning for new digs
Deposit kit and unpack necessaries
Pick up towel and shower
Relax – potentially book for a 15 minute massage ahead of dinner at 6pm

It’s a simple template I recommend for all, and thanks to how all the riders are spread out, coming in dribs and drabs, congestion is rare.

Even on my two nights with the Ride, chill out time proved key to feeling good both physically and psychologically the following day.

The next day

An early night beckons that evening after gorging myself on chicken and roasted vegetables, followed up with apple pie and custard on a fresh evening in the heart of Devon.

I’m keen to get rest in as I’ve another day in the saddle, on roads that I’m lucky enough to know well, taking the wind as much as possible.

First we enter Okehampton proper, before rolling on towards and through the town of Bickleigh. The roads today are bigger, wider, smoother; they’re conducive to a faster average speed, and once again I’m in a two-up time trial with new buddy Phil.

We’re storming it, and after a little help from one of the particularly strong chaperones, we arrive full of vim into the first stop of the day in Bampton. The pit stops, like the catering from Beau Nosh, are something to be savoured. While High5 energy products are available, it’s the ‘real’ food that really attracts the crowds.

Delicious sausage rolls, pork pies, scotch eggs, fruit, crisps, chocolate, nut bars and even various rolls and sandwiches and slices of cheese at the second pitstop of the day on the Somerset Levels are always replenished, ready for everyone that comes through.

Well-stocked, and constantly replenished feed zones at the pit stops have been well thought out (pic: Threshold Sports)

It’s impossible to eat one of everything, allowing for a real dilemma in some cases; do I want another sausage roll on the basis of how delicious it was the previous day… or do I want a pork pie instead? A Twirl bar at the lunch pitstop, or a Crunchie?

Rest assured, you become attached to your favourite bites, with preferences emerging so strongly that you actively seek them out.

Orange energy drink? No thanks, I’ll stick with tropical; and the gels aren’t working for me, so I’ll leave those altogether.

You learn quickly what really works for you, and how overlooked real food actually is in these days of scientifically-optimised sports nutrition.

Day two also highlights the Ride’s tendency to take you over some of the most picturesque and, in some cases, challenging terrain.

While all the talk of the day was centred on saving something for Cheddar Gorge, it’s actually the Cothelstone climb onto the Quantocks earlier in the day that really bites.

Thanks to growing up in the area, I knew this to be the case, but it goes to show that really knowing the route characteristics, asking questions of the experienced and super-helpful chaperones, will help you mentally and physically divide and conquer the parcours, which is openly designed to provide the ‘best’ route, not the fastest.

Threshold Sports, who organise the event, have everything from medical assistance and feed stops to mechanics, bike washes, ride chaperones and more (pic: Threshold Sports)

The essentials and coming home

All the while, support from all quarters is extraordinary. From the staff who are up earlier and to bed later than you to ensure everything runs smoothly and the aforementioned chaperones who attract riders into their protective web to make sure you arrive safely at the finish, to the catering staff of Beau Nosh and the roving crew who man the pitstops, drive the lead car and broom wagon, and set up the camps and cheering squads atop the most challenging sections of the route each day, and the motorbike paramedics patrolling the route, you feel encouraged to strive forward and smile as you go.

You get the sense this isn’t just a job to these guys – they really want you to succeed and invest themselves in you so you can get the job done. From chatting away with the security staff who stay up all night to ensure the bikes are secure, to bantering with the DHL crew who transport your kit from start to finish as you ride, they genuinely become your family on this journey.

As we approach Bath, on roads I’m very used to riding with my local club, I suddenly get the sense that it’s over before it’s begun. Contrary to my initial trepidation, my initial concern that riding 100 miles-plus day after day (even for two days) wasn’t for me, suddenly I want to go on and continue the journey; thanks, I think, in no small part to the excellent organisation.

Pictured riding with new friend Phil, it’s easy to catch the Ride Across Britain very early on (pic: Threshold Sports)

No doubt there are struggles to come, metaphorical and literal mountains to climb for the 650-odd riders on the Ride, but if the first two days are anything to go by, the following seven are to be an incredible journey.

I started this dip-in review wondering if my taste of the action might stoke an appreciation for this type of endurance riding, and now I conclude it knowing that it has.

It’s not just the ride that counts, but it’s genuinely the camaraderie and sense of family, as well as the fantastic support around you at the event that gave me that sense of ‘yes, I can do this’. It’s a journey; one I hope to complete myself one day.