ONE OF THE BEST SPORTIVES IN THE SOUTH!!
They don’t get much harder than this one south of Watford and I’ve done this for the last 4 years, it’s a great season opener and with nearly 2000 meters of Climbing in 107 Kilometers reminds you of all that fitness you’ve lost over the winter. It’s a saw tooth profile of a ride and there ain’t much flat; it’s either up or down.
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This year the weather was more like May than mid- February and with a light wind and a very dry day by the time I was 20 miles in I was regretting the Gabba and full length tights! The route searches out some sketchy roads where you need to keep your wits about you and throws in some brutal climbs with the Kidd’s Hill or ‘The Wall’ being the moist iconic. A dead straight road with an average gradient of 12% for nearly 800metres hitting 20% at the steepest point. It reminds me of the first 2 hairpins on Alp d Huez; although on the Marmotte you tackle this with 100 miles in the legs! Ouch!
Once past Groombridge you cross the weald and with a slight tailwind I really enjoyed this with the second timing stop and Hubbards Hill under my belt I was looking forward to the finish. But it’s 5 miles before the end the ‘game makers’ change the landscape and throw in Hogtrough Hill aptly named as my snout was nearly on the floor with the vicious gradient. After that it’s a sufferfest back to Hell HQ and well earned refreshments. This event is run by Catford CC and in my opinion one of the best organised sportives you can do!