The 2023 national championship is on The Struggle. Rising over...m out of Ambleside, The Struggle is one of the hardest courses in the country.
\nI describe it as the hardest 10 minute hill climb, followed by a minute descent then going up The Rake. It's a real struggle (in italics). One of the newer courses, it has gained popularity with a particularly social media presence from Cold Dark North. I took part in the inaugural event placing second to Dan Evans.
\nIn 2016 stage 2 of the e tour of Britain ascended with in the latter part of the stage. The conditions on the day were particularly miserable and Bradley Wiggins ran up to the top emulating Chris Froomes antics from Ventoux in the tour de France that year.
\nIn 2023 the national hill climb is on The Struggle. It's a fitting climb to host the nationals due it it's length, severity and setting. of climb and main features
\nI describe it as the hardest 10 minute hill climb, followed by a minute descent then going up The Rake. It's a real struggle (in italics). One of the newer courses, it has gained popularity with a particularly social media presence from Cold Dark North. I took part in the inaugural event placing second to Dan Evans.
\nIn 2016 stage 2 of the e tour of Britain ascended with in the latter part of the stage. The conditions on the day were particularly miserable and Bradley Wiggins ran up to the top emulating Chris Froomes antics from Ventoux in the tour de France that year.
\nIn 2023 the national hill climb is on The Struggle. It's a fitting climb to host the nationals due it it's length, severity and setting. of climb and main features
2023 Event
In the end it was all a mess. I was so well drilled, I'd been up the previous week for a full race effort and managed 13:29 with bottles and winter gear on. I was peak weight, fitness and freshness. I felt just so well dialled with pacing and preparation that I'd eliminated every worry that I could control.
spoke to a few familiar faces
I'd warmed up well with no issues, took my bike off the turbo and started to ride to the start. I went literally 100m I'd not even left the car park when the chain went into the 11T at the back. I tried to change down but it didn't go. I assumed the electronic Di2 was in crash mode so went to reset it. But this didn't work, it started flashing red meaning dead battery. T
This couldn't be, I'd charged it fully the previous day. I kept trying the reset and it kept flashing. It was now sinking in that I had a fault. My national champs curse had struck again and I had to come to terms with my bike was broken. This was a complete disaster and I was, as you can imagine, quite annoyed. What could I do, I was stuck with a 40x11 gear. I literally cannot ride up 25% with that.
When warming up, I'd spotted former teammate Captain Andy warming up. He was off just after me so was still warming up. I rushed over in distress and he calmed me and said I could use his winter bike that he was warming up on. This would have to do, I was now short on time. We swapped the wheels over to mine, raised the saddle and I set off to the start.
Obviously this is a disaster, Andy is a few inches shorter than me, so the position is awful, the bike had no wahoo mount so I had to shove that down my skinsuit. I was just in disbelief, how could this happen, and why at that moment? If it'd have happened the day before, I could have sorted it, if it have have happened even an hour before I could have sorted it. I'm genuinely cursed for national champs, I'd literally charged it the day before and it was working fine during the warm up.
Regardless, I got to the start and the organisers yelled at me for being tight for time. I tried to explain but I only had 30s to go before I started. As I knew that climb so well, I could pace on feel. But I had to try surf the line, if I went too hard in the first 5 minutes I would collapse at the end but too slow and I would not place well.
It was all a blur really, my head was all over and I was trying to focus but when I got to the final ramp I didn't have that sharp edge to dig deep. My head had gone, I distinctly remember thinking "lets just get up here". Rather than giving everything.
The final 500m was incredible with the crowd, it's something you must experience. There's nothing like it, I don't have the words to explain the intensity.
In the end I crossed the line in 16th place with a time of 14:02. This wasn't what I wanted, I was there for a top 10 and it felt cruel to have that misfortune. I was only 13s off that and my bike is easily 13s faster. Still 16th on a winter bike is some achievement but I always want more.
Next year will go my way. I've come to terms with it now and because the battery literally broke, at least it's easier to accept than it being temporarily broken.
Comments on the day.
The times from Feather and Laverack were just incredible. They were just a different league on the day, I know Ed was upset to lose but his performance was incredible. Feather pulled out a worldie and he put an entire minute into me in the last 700m.
Also thrilled for Paddy who placed a well deserved third.
Images from the day
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100713057@N05/albums/72177720312287197
https://www.mightyquinnphotos.com/p487117540
https://www.mightyquinnphotos.com/p419623087
https://www.ttlegends.org/mens-womens-year/?mile=hc&gen=1&y=2023
spoke to a few familiar faces
I'd warmed up well with no issues, took my bike off the turbo and started to ride to the start. I went literally 100m I'd not even left the car park when the chain went into the 11T at the back. I tried to change down but it didn't go. I assumed the electronic Di2 was in crash mode so went to reset it. But this didn't work, it started flashing red meaning dead battery. T
This couldn't be, I'd charged it fully the previous day. I kept trying the reset and it kept flashing. It was now sinking in that I had a fault. My national champs curse had struck again and I had to come to terms with my bike was broken. This was a complete disaster and I was, as you can imagine, quite annoyed. What could I do, I was stuck with a 40x11 gear. I literally cannot ride up 25% with that.
When warming up, I'd spotted former teammate Captain Andy warming up. He was off just after me so was still warming up. I rushed over in distress and he calmed me and said I could use his winter bike that he was warming up on. This would have to do, I was now short on time. We swapped the wheels over to mine, raised the saddle and I set off to the start.
Obviously this is a disaster, Andy is a few inches shorter than me, so the position is awful, the bike had no wahoo mount so I had to shove that down my skinsuit. I was just in disbelief, how could this happen, and why at that moment? If it'd have happened the day before, I could have sorted it, if it have have happened even an hour before I could have sorted it. I'm genuinely cursed for national champs, I'd literally charged it the day before and it was working fine during the warm up.
Regardless, I got to the start and the organisers yelled at me for being tight for time. I tried to explain but I only had 30s to go before I started. As I knew that climb so well, I could pace on feel. But I had to try surf the line, if I went too hard in the first 5 minutes I would collapse at the end but too slow and I would not place well.
It was all a blur really, my head was all over and I was trying to focus but when I got to the final ramp I didn't have that sharp edge to dig deep. My head had gone, I distinctly remember thinking "lets just get up here". Rather than giving everything.
The final 500m was incredible with the crowd, it's something you must experience. There's nothing like it, I don't have the words to explain the intensity.
In the end I crossed the line in 16th place with a time of 14:02. This wasn't what I wanted, I was there for a top 10 and it felt cruel to have that misfortune. I was only 13s off that and my bike is easily 13s faster. Still 16th on a winter bike is some achievement but I always want more.
Next year will go my way. I've come to terms with it now and because the battery literally broke, at least it's easier to accept than it being temporarily broken.
Comments on the day.
The times from Feather and Laverack were just incredible. They were just a different league on the day, I know Ed was upset to lose but his performance was incredible. Feather pulled out a worldie and he put an entire minute into me in the last 700m.
Also thrilled for Paddy who placed a well deserved third.
Images from the day
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100713057@N05/albums/72177720312287197
https://www.mightyquinnphotos.com/p487117540
https://www.mightyquinnphotos.com/p419623087
https://www.ttlegends.org/mens-womens-year/?mile=hc&gen=1&y=2023
How To Ride
brief description of how I advise to ride it. notable steep sections and gear choice etc
During.
After
My Efforts
Year |
Time |
Power (W) |
Placing |
2023 (National Champs) |
14:02 |
N/A |
16th (spare bike) |
2019 |
13:49.0 |
468 (Old PM) |
2nd |
The tree marking 2km to go
