Surrey Hills Classic 2022 Sportive
Simon hughes
Rubbing sleep from their eyes, eleven Marlow Riders crawled from their beds around 05h30, loaded bikes on or in cars, and hit the road. Picking up fellow cyclists along the way, the group assembled at the start line for the 2022 Surrey Hills Classic Sportive at Cranleigh Sports Ground near Guildford. Once registered, timing chips attached to helmets, and course briefing done, the assembled riders split into two groups of ET/Jags and Leopards (with a Cheetah in their midsts) and rolled out over the start line.
Setting off at a very brisk post-Mallorca pace, the Leopards shot off down the road, assisted by an unsuspecting solo rider who towed everyone along for some time until he took a wrong turn, reappearing some 3 km later to hare off again. Eventually, things settled down and the group progressed at a more modest and realistic pace.
The groups tackled the various climbs including a surprisingly enjoyable Leith Hill, the horrid 18% Whitedown Hill (surely White-up, no?) and the now - thanks to the National Trust and Zwift - iconic Box Hill. This ascent was somewhat comical, with numerous sportive riders egging each other on into a fulgaz sprint for the top. Jonas was tailed up Box Hill by an electric tandem, which Warren then used to draft on the descent and following lanes (see picture) until the tandem’s passing tactics became so hectic that we let them zoom off up the road rather than end in splinters of carbon by the roadside.
The rest of the day was spent rolling along country lanes, surrounded by beautiful scenery, marred only by a driver who did not understand the dimensions of their Land Rover blocking a steep banked single-track climb, backing numerous riders and cars up in both directions.
The day finished back at Cranleigh, with Owen and Simon sprinting for the line, with the former taking the ‘win’ by a tyre’s width. The Leopards group found Geoff and Mel at the finish, as they had departed earlier than the others. The ET/Jags group made the cut-off for the long route by 1 minute (hurrah!) and then soldiered on to complete the entire 125 km course, coming in about an hour after the others. Great ride all.
All riders marked the finish with a rather nice medal, almost passable alcohol-free IPAs and decidedly dodgy 0% lager, followed by coffee then pizza made by a team in a van who had a captive market of slightly chilly, Lycra-clad, jelly-legged cyclists.
The Surrey Hills Classic was a well-organised event in beautiful countryside that I think we all would recommend for future participation for all Marlow Riders. However, the distance to start did make for an early start. Thanks to drivers for sharing rides.