The Epic Cymru 5 day stage race has been kicking off over the last few days. Aidan Bishop is on the ground to report on the racing action - here's what he had to say about days 3 and 4... Day 3 of Epic Cymru is now done and dusted, and it was some day. Everyone left Margam Park this morning, we rode the 52km route over the valleys and ended up at Dare Valley Park near Aberdare… the sight of many Pedalhounds DH races in the 90’s, this place has some stories I can tell you!
4 timed sections today, but to get to them we would cover around 25km, mostly uphill. First timed section was two combined really, where we had a 1km fireroad climb before crossing the timing mat to start a ‘TrailKing/Queen’ section down some nice singletrack finishing at the feed station. Then just along the road was the main talking point of the day, a 10km timed section all uphill! As it turned out we rode up the skyline trail I believe something of a novelty, but tough on the legs to keep balance, grip and momentum to propel your bike up and over the dozens of rock steps that you would usually blast down. One rock section in particular was super technical and I believe no one managed to completely ride it clean.Flat sections of the trail felt like dh sections, such was the relief on your legs. Climbing out of the forest and you still had plenty of loose rocky track to summit, some sections steepening up to really challenge the limits of traction.
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With this segment finally over with, you were rewarded with some pretty spectacular views across the valley. From there some nice singletrack across a ridge line and down and along some road parts before arriving at the start of the final ‘Trail King’ section, just over 3km and the finish line would be at our final destination of Dare Valley Park. A pedal to start and picking up speed, but quickly you turned into a climb that went on for longer than I hoped. Once over that and you once again picked up speed down a loose and rocky fireroad, into a deep grassy section with hidden ruts (that caught me out!) and finally a flat out blast down to the line.
All in all it seemed we pedaled up a lot and didn’t get the reward of the same amount of time going back down, but again a satisfying day on the bike. Tomorrow it’s a loop taking in BikePark Wales, should be good.
Day 4
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