[Closed] 3 Peaks Cyclocross - Who's in? What's your tips?

I'm not riding this year but loved it last time.

The one thing I got absolutely right was dropping a stash of food and drink at the bottom of the PyG lane. Was a big morale boost when I got to it (as I'd had a major mechanical on the road after Ribblehead).

I also did far too much work on the road after Ingleborough and dragged a big group to Whernside.

Remember - it's supposed to be fun!

The road section is a real slow pace at the start, so make sure you get on the front line, that way you'll get a good approach to Ingleborough.

What works for me:

The smallest lightest most minimalist CamelBak you can get. In it goes a 1L pouch of water, pump, 2 tubes, gas can and multitool. I hate using a saddle bag on the 3 Peaks, it just rattles around and hits me on the back of the head when I shoulder the bike.

Occasionally the organiser tell you to carry a waterproof if the weather is looking particularly rubbish but it can be worth popping a shell jacket in there anyway - if there are any problems and you're forced to retire it can be a long cold walk!

The bike has a water bottle of energy drink and I pick up another bottle at Ribblehead. Mount the bottle on the seat-tube, not the downtube. That way it's much less likely to be ejected and doesn't get in the way of shouldering the bike.

Back pocket has 3 gels (one per hill!) and sometimes a bar but generally I find if I fuel up well beforehand I can cope for 3.5 - 4 hrs or so on 3 gels and then just have lunch when I get back.

The orange survival bag gets wrapped up and taped under the top tube/seat-tube junction as padding for shouldering the bike.

It's well worth recce-ing the road start, knowing where the hills and pinch points come. The start is chaotic. Like a road race multiplied by 10 - except that a lot of riders have never ridden in anything more than a race of 60 so having a group of 600 confuses them. There is always:
one big crash
two big tyre blowouts
many thousands of mis-shifted crunching gears
a lot of squealing brakes and it's here that you suddenly find the massive difference between rubbish cantis on carbon rims and full hydraulic disc brakes!

But other than that it's fine. 😉

I'm not racing this year but I'll be up there watching. Enjoy and good luck!

I'm absolutely crapping myself 😐

I expect to shit loads thereby reducing a lot of weight 😆

The road section is a real slow pace at the start,

I haven't done it since '02 but it used to be a flat-out start, well over 20mph. 🙁

and in the last month and a half carrying my bike up and down the local moor.

Enjoy.

Just enjoy it.

I always spectate on PyG and its great seeing smiles on peoples faces when they know the end is not far away.

Good luck 🙂

Yeah,
Crapping it but will try to enjoy it!

Good luck everyone!

The start is very tame isn't it. Nothing like a crit.......

Yep. I will be there, vélo club de la bievré kit red and white and my Uncle John.

3rd consecutive time for me.Last year was a horror show. Rear mech tangled up on simonside in a tumble. Punctures on Ingleborough and Whernside. Descent down to RIbble head on the rims..... After thqt things went smoothly 😉 .

Normally work away so struggle to get training in esp. as it comes 1 month after the annual family touring holiday. Last month I have been qt home this year though. Have been concentrating on the running. Been doing some 20km runs with upto 1300m of vertical. No bike carrying yet this year. Bike is in bits in the garage after smashing up the sti in a storm last weekend. This weekend I have a 6hr team of 2 mountain bike race that we are doing on the crossers.

2013: 5h09
2014: 5h40
2015: 4h45hopefully....

I'm in, having been on the reserve list - so only had 3 1/2 weeks notice instead of the 12 weeks training I managed last time. Still really looking forward to it.

Found a dropper post to borrow too!

I'm in, done it a few times and still crapping myself. Take from that what you will 🙂
There's some great blog posts over on http://3pcx.blogspot.co.uk/ if you dig back. Don't get utterly psyched by the road start if you find yourself towards the back and thinking you're a punter in a pro's race.

The start is chaotic but not all that fast if you are used to racing. However, there is always incident or two due to numbers and the various pinch points so keep alert. If you deserve to be near the front you have plenty of time to move up on the road section so don't stress too much about your position on the road.

You will be walking up the hills not running.

Use the road sections to eat and drink. If you have support get them to hand things to you before you go on the road. Make every effort to get in a working group on the road. IT can be quicker overall to drop back if there is a group behind you. Saves energy for the off road bits.

Pipe lagging - I did it once without and regretted it.

If you are riding unsupported I found a small backpack better than bottle and saddlebags as the terrain takes its toll.

You probably won't need that many clothes - you should be a little chilly on the start line. Most years I've needed nothing other than a summer jersey for warmth.

Pace yourself don't get caught up in the madness to be fast on the first hills.

There are no prizes for riding. It is a race to the finish. It is often quicker to carry on climbs and really hard bits. A broken wheel or pinch flat will cost you more time than the few seconds to jog the real dodgy bits.

Landcruises are needlessly heavy. You won't get thorn punctures you'll get pinch flats from rocks. I've always gone on std intermediate/dry tyres (SB8s) and pumped them up to 60-70psi.

Pump up your tyres hard.

Smile for the camera and enjoy yourself. It really is one of the best races out there.

I'm in, last year was my first go, finished a few mins over 4 hrs. Hoping for quicker this year, now I know what to expect. Singlespeed last year, same again this year.

Agree with crazy-legs on the fuel - gels and jelly babies did it for me last year. I don't like a bottle cage on the CX bike, so went for about 1l of drink in a compact camelbak with an isotonic bottle stashed behind a wall in Horton, just before PyG, which I necked in the first 100m of the climb.

Used pipe lagging at the top tube/seat tube junction, will do likewise this year. Tools, tubes, survival bag and everything else in the camelbak.

Toe studs are useful for the way up Simon Fell. Descent off Whernside I found sketchy in places, with the water running over the slab. PyG descent is fantastic.

If you're after a quick time, you can make up good ground on the road sections.

Can't wait!

OP to be honest if you've done all that it will be fine.

Start is fast, everyone lies about their finishing times so get there early if you are going for a time and want to be near the front. don't dress too warm it's a fast race and you are only up high briefly. It's quicker to fell run through parts of the bog coming down ingleborough than it is to get stuck in a queue riding round it. marginal gains and all that. Watch the driving between ribblehead and penyghent its nuts. dont race the belgium singlespeeders on the road they will still beat you. if you figure out how to ride the steps off whernside let me know. breath in the atmosphere going up penyghent lane its amazing.

breath in the atmosphere going up penyghent lane its amazing.

Try and stay left going up PyG lane or you'll be hit by all the people coming down!
Similarly, try and stay left coming back down PyG lane or you'll hit all the people still going up!

Try and stay left going up PyG lane or you'll be hit by all the people coming down!
Similarly, try and stay left coming back down PyG lane or you'll hit all the people still going up!

I marshelled the bottom of PyG 2 years ago. The biggest idiots were the 'support crews'. Apparently riders going up and down were irrelevant, so long as they got up the hill to support Johnny Hasbeen 😈

Some helpful stuff above, reassuring... I think

I had heard the start was very fast, so was thinking I should warm up before hand, I normally take a while to warm up, and if I dont it kills me for the rest of a ride. If its moderate pace though I assume the initial controlled start would be enough warm up?

I had heard the start was very fast, so was thinking I should warm up before hand, I normally take a while to warm up, and if I dont it kills me for the rest of a ride. If its moderate pace though I assume the initial controlled start would be enough warm up?

People will be on the start line for anything up to 30 minutes before the start, as a general rule warm up is pointless. Warm up and start right at the back or don't warm up and get your place in the correct "area" at the start (you line up roughly according to the time you expect to finish). Although there will always be a few idiots trying to carry bikes through the crowd or push in towards the front, generally they get fairly short shrift.

Mrs Kilo is doing it for the first time. I think the pre race nerves will increase over the next few days but she's done a lot of walking up hills with a bike on her shoulder and is usually a bit of a diesel on long tough events so should be ok. She's going camleback rather than bottle cage, it;s quite tight with a cage on a 48cm frame. Landcruisers fitted and a new bike bought to replce the rather heavy boardman crosser she had.

I think she's looking forward to it but she does seem to swear at me a bit when the race is mentioned- something about puting her name in without explaining the full story of the race 😀

I marshelled the bottom of PyG 2 years ago.

I remember chatting to you Duncan, you'll do fine. I rode it for the first time last year, and will be back on the start line again next w/e. There's not a lot to add to the points above, but two things that stick out from my first race are:

1) How early people line up, and where they line up wrt their "estimated" finish time.
2) Simon Fell is brutal. Nothing could have prepared me for Simon Fell. Just dig in, you'll get over it.

Last minute tips:

1) Watching as many videos from past events on YouTube really helped me familiarise myself with the course
2) I recced parts of the course by foot (Whernside and PYG) several weeks before. That was really helpful to know the terrain and also how it felt walking w/o the bike. Maybe too late for you now.
3) If you've not already done so, check you're happy carrying/riding with a hydration pack. I didn't like it so opted for a bottle cage, with a refill looked after by my family on PYG Lane.
4) I carry CO2 canisters in addition to a pump. Quicker if you're unlucky to have a puncture.

Good luck, and remember to enjoy it.

Dont get on the front for the start unless you are planning on being in the to 10
you will just embarrass yourself and get in the way.

pump your tyres up hard 60 psi
try get in a group on the road sections, and sit in, better to keep your energy for the hills

enjoy it and remember its a race not a sportive.

Enjoy it and get over the thoght of curling up ina ball on simons fell. I had thoghts of dnf within the first 30min becuase of that climb.
The start is fast (at the front). Get a 36t sprocket for the back (bit late now if not already on). Get a new bottle at every opportunity (i didn't and paid the price). The fell runners will refuse to work with you on the bike sections (or did in my case). Eat throughout the race.
Above all: enjoy it! Its a brilliant event, fantastic support from walkers, runners, old folk, local road clubs. Its flipping brilliant and i'll be back next year.

try get in a group on the road sections, and sit in

Don't sit in. Work together. Roll through and do shorter turns. No one likes a passenger and if everyone sits in you grind to a halt.

Fit Stans Grails rims and run tubeless, disc brakes.

Personally their is too much faffing and walking for me so I stay clear.

2nd the getting in a group on roads, roll through so everyone takes a turn and it'll go much quicker. as mentioned, you'll fail to get a turn from the fell runners on the road, so catch them on the decent and drop them like a stone.

My tip is that there aren't any tips that will prepare you for how tough this will be 🙂 However Dean Barnett has some more useful tips [url= http://awkwardcyclist.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/dean-barnetts-three-peaks-route-guide.html ]here.[/url]

If one wants to go and see some of the race (and give the wife some support)would chucking a roadbike in the back of the van for me to cycle from the start be a better choice rather than trying to drive?

The mrs is using a hydration pack so should be self sufficient for food and water so it's not a support role as such.

I'll be marshalling at rownsley leap so wave as you pass 🙂

If one wants to go and see some of the race (and give the wife some support)would chucking a roadbike in the back of the van for me to cycle from the start be a better choice rather than trying to drive?

Yes, it's dead easy to ride round and spectate/support, I've done it a few times. Just watch out for the actual competitors and don't get in the way. Don't try and drive, there's never anywhere to park and some of the behaviour of the drivers as they hurtle round trying to park and desperate to unload bikes/wheels leaves a lot to be desired!

Hi All,

I want to clarify a couple of points raised above re: the start.

1. Line up at the start. There will be a change this year and riders will line up in expected finish times based on entry form details and historical times. The race numbering system has been revised accordingly and, broadly speaking, the lower the number, the faster the expected finish time. There will be start pens for <3h30, <4h etc... with clear direction on who (i.e. which numbers) should be in each start pen. This change is as a result of feedback from BC and competitors alike. The feedback has been that some of the recent crashes have been partly contributed to by slower riders moving back through the field during the neutralised start rather than holding position. By getting everyone in the right place, we should hopefully minimise this effect somewhat.

2. Start speeds. It's difficult to state the exact speed at which the bunch will travel and this is at the discretion of the Chief Commissaire. Ideally we want to keep a nice steady pace of c.15 mph. Problems can arise at a steady pace when we riders moving up start to bunch out over the white centre line. One option is for the commissaire to increase the speed which does line out the bunch naturally. If riders didn't infringe on crossing the white centre line then we wouldn't have the issue of variable speeds. Riders crossing the white centre line (along with illegal training on the cycling exclusion zone) are the two biggest risks to the future of this race...I just can't stress that enough.

So...to help with the start - please line up in your expected time (and not all alongside Rob Jebb), and ride sensibly and consistently in the bunch without crossing the white centre line.

High pressure weather front is forecast and the long range doesn't seem too bad for the weekend.

Hope you all have a great race.

MR

pump your tyres up hard 60 psi

Unless you're running tubeless,weigh about 5 stone or have mega floaty skills that will be too low to avoid pinch flats. Grip isn't an issue but pinch flats very much are. I put 85 psi in mine.

It's quicker to fell run through parts of the bog coming down ingleborough than it is to get stuck in a queue riding round it.

This is a good point. It can quite often be quicker to run down some bits rather than ride them.

Spin - Member
pump your tyres up hard 60 psi....
I put 85 psi in mine.

I'd struggle to get 60psi in my griffos' 😮
Maybe Limus are for the day 🙄

As is I did more trianing over the weekend, I got off the bike maybe ten times and I pushed it for about 200mtrs up a really stiff/steep crumbly rock strewn path where I shouldered it for the last 75mtrs.

Clearly I'm well set up for this mammoth rideout 😐

I put 85 psi in mine.

With Landcruisers and 35-42 tubes, at the weekend I was riding up and down Ilkley Moor with 70 psi on stone slabs very much like that coming off Whernside. There was a tiny bit of give rather than being rock solid. I weigh 80kgs.

It can quite often be quicker to run down some bits rather than ride them.

As part of training I ran a Whernside loop, and already thought it would be quicker to run down the majority of the section from summit. Those drainage channels just look like too much of a pinch puncture waiting to happen.

There will be a change this year and riders will line up in expected finish times based on entry form details and historical times

Nice one - I had no idea what to expect last year and started close to the back (partly because I'd had an extra half hour in bed, but still) as I couldn't figure out what the deal was.

http://grit.cx/competition/2015/09/one-sunday-in-yorkshire

Good luck to anyone who's going.

IdleJon - Member

http://grit.cx/competition/2015/09/one-sunday-in-yorkshire

Good luck to anyone who's going.

Have to keep off this thread now - I'm hoping the Mrs doesn't see that article; "the descent where riders break legs and heads...." 🙂

I'll be marshalling at Cold Cotes again this year and will be randomly shouting encouragement. Give the big lad a wave as you pass 🙂

Good luck to all of you competing!

Yeah be careful, kilo. That's the drop off Pen-y-ghent, it's rocky and fast. I've double punctured thete but the reason I wrote about broken legs and heads is that in different races I've seen a bloke with nasty head injuries being attended by paramedics and another who had apparenyly broken both ankles. (Although being pre-internet that was just written in a mag months later...)

Oh shit.

Sorry, that's it. That's my contribution. Telling myself this year's a recce, and I'll give it a proper go next time. I may have over tapered.

IdleJon - Member

Yeah be careful, kilo. That's the drop off Pen-y-ghent, it's rocky and fast.

I'll be fine - I'm not racing the wife is 😀

I'm really looking forward to not-racing and actually properly watching, having a ride round, enjoying the day and maybe ringing a cowbell or two at passing riders.

🙂

Good luck everyone!

😐

I'll be dibbing you in at the finish; good luck!

Weather is looking excellent, not sure how dry under foot/wheel it will be but otherwise great.

Chris

How was it for everyone then?

Seemed like perfect conditions, barely a breath of wind, lovely blue sky and sunshine but not too hot.
The usual complete carnage from traffic, some of the driving by support vehicles was just lunatic.

Busted bike.. 😕

Bent rear mech into wheel. Tried to fix it then bust the hanger 😛

Mrs had a mare on second hill and ended up just missing the cut off at pen y gent. She had been going ok until then so she is gutted Thanks to all who helped out it's an awesome event. Bikebuoy were you staying at the falcon in settle?

I finished but way slower than I would have liked in 5:45 and to be fair at the moment I can't see where I could get quicker apart from doing a lot more training.

Hardest race I've ever done but also the best, the views going up Simons Fell were amazing.

Saw some odd stuff including a lorry blocking the road up to ribblehead, a nasty looking fall on whernside, and then a car v motorbike accident on the way back to ribblehead.

Thanks to all the folk who gave me water up PyG. I lost the valve to my camelback going up Simons Fell, only for a few seconds, but it was enough for my bladder to empty a lot of its contents!

Thanks to the organisers too, especially the best commentator ooop north

I'm walking like a man with rickets after finishing just over 5 hours, had an ace pyg descent made up loads of time but couldn't put the hammer down on the road due to cramping, otherwise might have been sub 5. Not much chit chat on the climbs, but I kept trying out my new joke 'you know from the top, on a clear day, you can see Rob Jebb' - he didn't win this year though have to come up with something new for next year.

Well done to all of you who entered this year. I marshalled at ColdCotes and welcomed most of you into the finishing tent to collect your dibbers at the end. Superb effort from all of you. Amazing how most of you still had a smile at the end of such a gruelling ordeal. Hope the people who were rescued off the course all heal quickly

And what wonderful weather!!!

No PB but happy with my time (4:15) given lack of prep. Any word on the lad who crashed on Whernside? Looked like he was in a bad way, hope he's ok.

...kept trying out my new joke 'you know from the top, on a clear day, you can see Rob Jebb'

I think I heard that joke just before the top of Ingleborough - was that you bantering with the photographer? New BB needed, shoes split and bendy, twisted mech to check for bodgeability. Quite an expense race on bike and body.

Anyways, just snuck under 5h which is frankly rubbish. But as a kindly mate pointed out, everyone's a hero and I'm putting it about that I'm in the Top 500 IN THE WORLD. Marshalls and helpers were utterly superb and seemed more plentiful than ever. Thanks for making it happen.

Well done all. A superb day.

I was spectating at Ribblehead.

The usual complete carnage from traffic, some of the driving by support vehicles was just lunatic

The marshaling at Ribblehead T-Junction was farcical. There was a women who was supposed to be marshaling there but was too busy talking to people than instructing cars etc

That road from Hawes to Ingleton, man alive the motorcyclists on there, absolute lunatics. I was riding to Ingleton and an ambulance was going towards Ribblehead. We pulled over to allow the Ambulance up yet 5 motocyclists thought they would go through first so the Ambulance with blue flashing lights had to wait. Complete bell ends. Think Bike, think ****s.

Well, I'm going to say it was mentally frikin hard.

A day of mixed emotions...

I started well enough, paced off until the first real Fell (I think it was a fell, who knows!!) and tried in vein to make up some time where I could see a gap or space to ride.. I entered a small gap between two huge stones and the front got bogged then almost 15 riders pilled in to the back of me, the nearest bloke behind hopped out of the way leading to chaos and a clatter of bikes and groans.
Busted I tried to get going again to find my mech bent into my rear wheel, no spokes busted so pulled over and with adrenaline running pulled too hard on the jockey wheels to bend it back and snap. Shite. Such a simple "take your time moment" could have saved my ride.

Called the Mrs, car and wife arrived.

Took me bloody ages to get calmed down, I was furious with myself. To say I spat my dummy out was an understatement. All that pent up training and expectation, jeeze. 🙄

I think, next year I'm going to spend more time riding up there in the fells and hills just to get more an idea of conditions.. I've been doing well riding in the NYMoors over the last year thinking this would be enough practice but hey, shite happens.

It's the biggest event I've ever ridden in, on the start line I'm normally calm and relaxed in a "yeah whateva, just a rideout" attitude, but I couldn't settle.. Watching all the other riders made me nervous as hell.

Glad to hear some good stories, really hope you all enjoyed it.. and sorry if I spoiled your race by causing some unwanted chaos.

The saving grace was watching Sagan win on the iPad whilst being driven home on the A1...

😕

@Bikebuoy that there above sounds like some good motivation for next year.

Hats off to anyone who attempts this. One day i might have a go but i need a chunk more fitness and bike-handling skills first

I think, next year I'm going to spend more time riding up there in the fells and hills just to get more an idea of conditions.. I've been doing well riding in the NYMoors over the last year thinking this would be enough practice but hey, shite happens.

The problem is that there's really only 2 sections you can ride outside of the actual race. The lower half of the Whernside descent (from the stile junction where the FP joins the BW) and Pen-y-Ghent lane.

Every year I've raced I've done at least one walk/run over Whernside and a couple of rides around on the roads. It's rarely done me much obvious good (I kind of hang around the 4hr mark most of the time so I'm a good hour behind Jebby!) but it can't do any harm.

Funny thing that race, you do it and think never again and then 10 minutes later you're thinking "hmm, if I'd have taken that line off here..." or "if I did some running practice..."

But then as you say, all the training can be undone in one puncture or breakage, one day of dreadful weather.

It was nice to watch it though, I think taking a year out was for me mentally the right thing to do.

First one for me. Great day, lots of fun, and an absolutely superb event. Determined to do it again.

4:36 was slower than my mates - a lot slower than some - but I know where I can find a few minutes. (Not getting stuck at the back at the start, not veering pointlessly off route up and down whernside, being a bit lighter and fitter (the former easily said...) carrying a bit less shite, being a bit luckier re not getting stuck behind a motorbike crash on the way down to Horton, yadda yadda.

Also I'm older than the event but am reluctant to concede yet that that might be a factor.

Some great times as I only managed a lowly 6 hours on my first attempt!
Last guy at the cut off at Pen-y-ghent which I was pleased about!
Throughly enjoyed it apart from an exploding tyre on the road after Ingleborough.
Big thanks to the lady in the car who lent me a track pump rather than use my mini pump!
No thanks to my helper who make me sink 7 pints in Settle on Friday nite!
Max

Turner fan ,I must have spoken to you as I was last to finish this year .Was inside the cutoff by 10 minutes but was shattered.I was riding the bright orange Dave Lloyd and wearing green and black bikecity kit

Edric you will have seen me marshalling at PYG lane and also the van tour this morning at the bridge hotel. Good to meet you.

Just going through some photos now. I was marshalling halfway up PyG, by the gate - and trying to stop the downy riders colliding with the uppy riders - which I mostly achieved, apart from Jebby bumping into one of his team mates... oops.
What a great day! And thanks to the cheers and smiles and thanks on the way up and down. You're all rockstars - and I'll see you next year for number seven...

Edric 64 I spoke to you a couple of times I think,you had cramp?
Saw you going up pen-y-gwent as I was coming down?
Said you were doing your own race?
Still kept soldiering on,great effort!
Max

Ah Chipps, I thought I recognised you from your pics from here.... Oooh, I've been in the presence of (stw) greatness! See you next year 🙂

Various photos have popped up in my Twitter feed, none more impressive than that of John Dowell, 80 years young who completed the race. 😀

I've just checked the results - he finished in 5hrs52 and wasn't last.

crazy-legs - Member
The problem is that there's really only 2 sections you can ride outside of the actual race. The lower half of the Whernside descent (from the stile junction where the FP joins the BW) and Pen-y-Ghent lane.

Yeah I know it's mostly closed off, what I mean is riding up and over Moors in the NYM area more. And more off the farmer tracks, more in the single rutted rock strewn/peat bog tracks.. that kinda thing.
I try to ride everywhere flat chat see, which means I take the line of least resistance always.. More technical bog/rock hopping stuff will help me no end.

Enjoyed seeing everyone though, some proper fit lads there..

Next year? Hmmm..

A great weekend. It's a big trip for me to come over, but not as big as some: I did PYG and finished just ahead of a guy from NZ. Ayyway from the airport my head was in such a better place this year. Last year was pretty disastrous and I was all over the place from the airport!

Had a great day on Saturday chilling out in the field (1st tent there!). Met some great people, rally good vibe. As Chipps said : " Village Hall atmosphere". Spot on.

The race went really well. Slow descending off Ingleborough. Like a whippet on the road to Whernside. Legs felt heavy on Whernside but ok. The upper sections of PYG were a slog as ever. Great hammer to the finish. No mechanicals. Best finish time yet (by 5 mins...) Perfect weather. No particularly dark times in my head..... But oh so disappointed with not getting my goal of 4h45. Came in 5h04. Oh well. Best get ready for next year!!!!!!

Well done all. Please be proud. Racers and volunteers. Chipps: stand on the correct side when dishing out jellybabies! I so wanted some but couldn't find the energy to move over to the other side. Luckily someone higher up had some too!

Good effort from everyone taking part, and a big thanks to all the organisers, marshals and supporters.

It was my second and I managed to beat last year's time by 5 minutes so I've got to be pleased with that (4h 20m 55s). Like many, I feel like I've left something out there on the course.

I was close to all my target times for getting close to a 4hr ride, but I pinch-flatted going down the slabs off Whernside. It cost me ~10 minutes, and I spent the rest of the ride convinced I'd not got enough air back in the tyre, and holding back to defend against another puncture. Lesson learned; back to Landcruisers next year. From Ribblehead to the end I was fighting against cramps in my legs, so never felt like I could really put the hammer down.

Apart from Whernside most of the Strava segments were PRs over last year, so I was going well (for me). Sub 4hr10m is doable. I'll be back next year for sure ...

Talking to a friend at the gym today who's dad did it with him as support. Sounded like a great day with the weather and all but I heard about the nasty crash, something about a guy just heard a snap come from his neck so just lay on the ground awaiting assistance as he didn't dare move. I hope everything was ok and it wasn't too serious!

It was my first go and turned out to be quite eventful. The car v motorbike biff between Ribblehead and PYG was actually my car, being driven by a friend acting as support. So 2hours 40minutes in I get to ride past the remains of my faithful old Golf with a motorbike planted in the front end. Checked everyone okay, nothing for me to add to situation so I carried on because i figured i might get sub 4 hours.

Really special day out, I will definately try and go back again next year.

Was interesting to see a few of the top riders running tubeless rather than tubs. I ran tubeless at about 60 psi and got around without a flat. Really pleased with that bit.

Does anyone known who the photographer was on the smooth gravel fadeaway near Ribblehead? I think I got air.

Well done to all organisers, marshalls and riders. A unique and special event.

Loads of 3 Peaks photos [url= http://3peakscyclocross.org.uk/photo-gallery/ ]here[/url].

Chris Meads has some photos from Ribblehead

The motorbike stuff is interesting. The roads are obviously good to ride or drive on a normal day but why do the bikers insist on riding like idiots when there is so much traffic around? I had an altercation with one when I drove my brother's car as support about 12 years ago. Biker behind me took offence to the fact that I slowed because there were cyclists blocking the road ahead of me - surprise! - and spent the rest of the drive down to Horton brake testing me. 🙄