Snake Pass 2013

Coming back from two weeks in America, I wondered whether my diet of donuts, American diners and triple Chocolate Chip cookies might have caused me to put on any weight. But, fortunately, my bathroom scales seemed completely unmoved by two weeks of American food. It’s a funny thing America. Most days I cycled to the velodrome in Kissena Park, past the huge Queens hospital complex. The slightly bizarre thing is the numerous fast food outlets selling donuts and hamburgers right outside the gates of the hospital, it seems a bit ironic. Anyway, this is to digress from the British hill climb season…

My last race was back in early August – a very fast 10 on the V718. I’ve been looking forward to Snake Pass for quite a while. It is organised by Glossop Kinder Velo.

Snake Pass

• Snake Pass: 6 Km
• Average Grade: 5.7%
• Elev Gain 348m
• Max Gradient 7%

Last year I set a course record of 11.41. And with a forecast of a decent tailwind, I was hopeful that it would be another good day. The first challenge was to get out of bed in the morning. Only 36 hours after returning from the US, the jet lag is still around. But, fortunately it was OK. This years event had a good entry with about 75 riders. It included Team Raleigh rider, Graham Briggs. Briggs is the current National criterium champion and has been prominent in this year’s popular Tour Series of city centre criteriums. – One of the top domestic pros, but Snake pass is a long way removed from a city centre criterium! I think Graham will be more at home on a punchy climb like Monsal Head. Snake Pass suits me pretty well. It’s more of an endurance event. To be the perfect hill, I’d like it a bit steeper. But, to start the hill climb season, it’s good to avoid a really brutal out of the saddle job. You can treat Snake Pass as more of a short ‘prologue’ time trial.

The event was well organised, there was even a marshal to suggest a good car parking place.  I did a warm up on the rollers, and I was shocked at how little power I could put out on rollers, when your tyres are blown up to 140psi! I tried to do a sprint to over 300 watts, and nearly fell off as the bike wobbled at 120rpm. Rather than risk crashing into my car before the season began, I settled for some steady tempo riding and set off for the start line.

One nice thing about the start of the hill climb season is being able to get out the super-lightweight, morale boosting wheels from the loft.  With a 300 gram AX lightness front wheel, you really notice the difference – especially since I’ve been riding a 9kg ‘entry level’ road bike in New York.

This was my first race with a power meter, so I couldn’t resist having a look, but next time I won’t be looking. The start of the climb is probably the hardest, it’s slightly steeper and one bend was a strong cross wind / almost headwind, but after that there was a nice tailwind blowing you all the way to the top. Even with the tailwind, the gradient is still unrelenting and constantly up. It never seems to dip below 5%, apart from right at the very top. Half way up, I saw my power dipping, a little bad for morale, but I should have listened to advice and not bothered with looking at power. Anyway, I caught a few riders and at the top enjoyed the very fast finish, with a gale blowing you along.

Back at the HQ, I found I finished 1st and set a new course record of 11.36.6. There was some nice homemade food, and a good atmosphere amongst the riders and organising club.

Graham Briggs did a very good ride to finish second in 11.48. Third place was Ben Gillespie, Saddleworth Clarion in 13.04. 1st lady was Joanne Blakeley Champion System/Maxgear/base – 15.41 and 1st junior, David Murphy Liverpool Mercury Dolan CC, 15.40.

If it’s possible to – come first, set a new course record and still be less than satisfied – I would say it probably wasn’t as good a ride as last year. The stronger tailwind this year was probably worth more than 5 seconds. But, it’s not bad for the first race of the season. Hopefully, I can get a little faster.

• Time 11:36
• Watts – 390 Watts
• Watts / kg – 6.2
• VAM – 1701

Jackson Bridge

After driving for 3 hours to hill climb heaven in the Pennines, it would have been rude to just turn around and drive home. So I put on my training wheels and went looking for Jackson Bridge – a hill climb used in a future Huddersfield CC event. It meant going over Holme Moss and getting a little lost around Holmfirth. I eventually found it. A classic hill climb of steep gradients and twisty roads. I look forward to a real steep one later in the season. The only drawback was grovelling back on the (A628) Road between Sheffield and Manchester. It was one of the most demoralising rides for a long time, 7mph on the flat into a strong tailwind. If it’s as windy as this when the Tour comes to Yorkshire next year, the peleton will be split to pieces. But, if you’re thinking of riding the 2nd Tour stage, be warned the A623 is a horrible road for cyclists – best avoided.

Next week is another long and fast one on Long Hill, organised by Buxton CC. I hope the wind is in right direction!

Thanks to Mark and the Glossop Kinder Velo team. I think there is a £50 voucher for breaking the course record from a local cycle shop.

Photos from  Snake Pass 2013 Adrian Shingler, Flickr

 Results

Snake Pass at Glossop Kinder Velo

Snake Pass 2012

hill climbs