Back to Slay the Dragon - A modern-day Legend of Treachery and Heroics
One of the visual highlights of the Devil Ride - the sumptuous Llyn Brianne Dam
The Dragon Devil is one of the most iconic sportives in the UK (returning for its 15th year in 2018), and offers the perfect representation of the world’s most famous cycle event, the Tour de France. Riders can choose to ride the Gran Fondo (223 km); the Medio (153 km); the Macmillan 100 (100 km) or the Dragon Devil (300 km). There's even a 3 day tour which takes place over 2-3 days, finishing with the rider's choice of distance on the Sunday.
Far and away the hardest road event I have done to date was the Dragon Devil in 2017. The 300 km of riding are punctured with a combination of long and steep climbs, totalling a massive 5000 m of vertical ascent, and with Wales throwing in dreadful weather conditions of strong winds, incessant rain and even hailstones, I really suffered last year. However, as we lined up at 6.30 am to start the event, the sun was shining, the sky was clear and it was already warm. This seemed like a perfect day to 'slay the dragon'.
Andrew, Jay and myself in the starting gate
A group of around 25 riders from the first wave were setting a decent pace at the front as we motored towards the first climb of the day - the Bwlch. There appeared to be a large patch of broken glass on the road and we took evasive action attempting to avoid it. Shortly after, I heard hissing and a rider in front of me pulled over with a suspected flat, while my Bigfoot team mates, Jay and Cassie stopped suddenly to fix punctures. There was confusion in the group as more and more riders pulled to the side of the road. I looked down at my front wheel and it was glistening in the sunlight. I stopped to find ten drawing pins in my front tyre and four in the rear. It soon became apparent, the event had been sabotaged by a mindless minority. I quickly extracted the multiple pins out and replaced the tubes, while Andy patiently waited beside me, both of us being bitten by a plague of midges. We rolled back out to start the climb, riders strewn everywhere fixing punctures.
With only 2 spare tubes, which I had now used, I needed to get to the first feed station 34 km away to replace them. Riders were still puncturing and so it was necessary to keep a watchful eye on the road ahead. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before my front tyre lost air and I was on the side of the road again, preparing to patch the new tube. Ross, a client from my Wattbike classes, saw me and quickly passed me one of his spares. I fixed the third puncture and then climbed and descended the Bwlch and Rhigos without further incident. I was still not at the feed station when my rear tyre lost air and I was stranded again. A group of guys from a club in Beckenham stopped immediately and generously provided a fourth tube and co2 gas cannisters and waited until I set off again. The wheel was bouncing as the tube was bulging to the side and so the same guys helped locate and solve the problem and I was back on my way. When I arrived at the feed station, all the spare tubes had been bought by other riders and so I would have to ride another 37 km, hopefully without further incident, before I could get spares. Furthermore, guys from Bigfoot, who had started an hour behind me, had also reached the first feed station, emphasizing how much time I had lost - perhaps this was going to be another victory for the Dragon. I contemplated another tough, and overly long, day in the saddle.
The Devil's Elbow, the first of two very steep climbs
Whatever goes up must come down. Despite the large amount of climbing, the descending had been absolutely exhilarating - at one point, at the bottom of a long, sweeping downhill a rider turned to me grinning and exclaimed how brilliant the last descent had been and I couldn't agree more. The sun was shining, the temperature warm and I was thoroughly enjoying myself again. As we climbed the Devil's Elbow, Didi the Devil appeared on a 20% switchback, jumping up and down at the side of the road with his pitchfork and red tights and thoughts of suffering legs temporarily vanished. Over the past 25 years Didi has become one of the Tour de France's most recognisable sights but this experience is no longer reserved for the professionals.
Didi the Devil offering riders encouragement on a switchback on the Devil's Elbow
With 96 km gone, I was finally able to buy a couple of spare tubes and I was on my way again. With so much time lost I was just going to enjoy the day but it was becoming harder to find allies to ride with. I would connect to a train but the climbs seemed to eventually shed them and I would then need to forge ahead to the next group. Suddenly, on a long climb I saw one of my teammates, Cassie, at the side of the road. I stopped and, knowing the next feed station was not too far away, I managed to get Cassie to follow my wheel up a series of hills, working hard to hold a fast enough pace for Cassie to follow. The feed station revived spirits and, as we were leaving, we were joined by a couple of members of Team Yorkshire, including Joss, a member of my Wattbike classes. We worked well together but after a couple of short, punchy climbs, Cassie dropped back, content to hold her own pace. Soon after, those doing the Gran Fondo (230 km) route peeled off and our group shrunk further. Four of us descended into a small village and towards the next feed station. However, the other guys were held up by traffic and so I forged on alone. I decided to forgo the feed stop and rode predominantly solo until the next big climb, the Devil's Staircase.
The Devil's Staircase, deep in the Welsh wilderness, quickly ramps up to 25%, levels slightly then ramps up again. It is some time before you reach the top but one of the highlights of the Devil ride awaits. Last year, at this same point I was hit by hailstones and high winds. This time, however, there were clear skies and stunning views of Llyn Brianne far below. This beautiful reservoir sits at the head of the River Towy, its dam the world's largest clay core dam in the world, built in 1968 and holding 62 million tonnes of water.
Llyn Brianne Reservoir - reward for climbing the brutal Devil's Staircase
I drank in the sensational views and then enjoyed the steep descent towards the valley below. Undulating through several pine forests, the route finally worked it's way down, where I joined a group of strong riders keen to keep pushing a fast pace. The drink stop shown in the road book never materialised but despite a lack of water, the work rate in the group was high and the kilometres ticked off quickly. At 219 km, we pulled in to the penultimate feed station and took on more water. Like many others, my feet were hurting in the heat but I was keen to keep moving and not wait for others. I was joined some kilometres down the road by three members of the last group I had been in and the pace picked up again. Climbing Black Mountain split us up but we re-grouped on the descent and at 256 km, we swept by the last feed station, which would have been an unnecessary break to our rhythm. Our team of four became two as we hammered the last two smaller climbs, passing many groups and riders from the Gran Fondo. We finished strongly, swapping turns and riding on our limit to the very end. We crossed the line together, nothing more to give.
My second experience of the Devil was certainly memorable if not quite the stuff of legends. On the one hand, the worst of people came to the fore at the start of the event with the mindless tack attack. Indeed, the Dragon Devil promises entrants a 'Tour De France' experience. In 2012, defending champion, Cadel Evans and around 30 other riders were victims of a spectator tack attack. I fear this was not the type of experience the Race Organisers had in mind!
On the other hand, I feel it only appropriate to focus on the generosity and camaraderie of the riders who helped me during my difficult moments with the punctures. Without their willingness to help, offer tubes and co2 cannisters and even wait and ride me back into the event, I would have really suffered. With their assistance, I was still able to finish 27th overall, in a time of 11:44:51 (10:51 moving time), an average speed of 27.6 km/h and barely an hour behind the winner. It's at times like this that it is an honour to be part of the cycling community.
On the other hand, I feel it only appropriate to focus on the generosity and camaraderie of the riders who helped me during my difficult moments with the punctures. Without their willingness to help, offer tubes and co2 cannisters and even wait and ride me back into the event, I would have really suffered. With their assistance, I was still able to finish 27th overall, in a time of 11:44:51 (10:51 moving time), an average speed of 27.6 km/h and barely an hour behind the winner. It's at times like this that it is an honour to be part of the cycling community.
A new wheel for Cadel Evans on the Mur de Peguere after tacks were thrown on the road during the Tour De France in 2012
Bigfoot Role of Honour
Dragon Devil (247 riders):
Andrew Gleeson 21st Overall 11:36:47
Phil Welch 27th Overall 11:44:51
Cassie Baldi 81st Overall (2nd Female) 12:46:36
Gran Fondo (1207 riders):
Dean Turner 79th Overall 8:24:50
Graham Cheeseman 135th Overall 8:51:30
Edward Wardill 165th Overall 9:00:41
Dragon Devil XL
Jay Baskerville 1st 13:04:21
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