Gore Bike Wear TransWales
Day Four: ‘The Climachx’
Matt Skinner/Transwales / 18.08.2011
Llandidloes to Machynlleth
Total distance: 84km
Climbing: 2250m</b>
The fourth day of the Gore Bike Wear TransWales, powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport rolled out of Llandiloes at 9am under promising skies as yesterday’s rains receded into memory. The riders warmed their weary legs up on the Tarmac before hitting the dirt to follow the River Severn towards its source in Hafren Forest.
After navigating the Cadbury Flake like folds of the forest the riders left the wooded darkness behind to climb Penycrocben at 469m – an open moor which was the site of a small Roman fort that today merely guards stunning views to the south-east. The trail then gently sped downwards towards a tricky rocky chute that spat riders onto a bridge before a short hike-a-bike.
Riders then headed to the highest point of the day – Foel Fadian at 564m – before plunging downwards into the Dovey Valley over a tricky wet rock slab that claimed more than a few victims. Both steep and slippery it was an intimidating drop over the summit and straight into its merciless maw. Many chose to dismount and walk, leaving only the foolhardy and the skillful to tackle it head on. The smoothest and fastest rider down was Hannah Thorne (Unattached), currently placed second in the female Solo category. Her form was outstanding and boded well for her attack on the downhill special stage on the Climachx trail at the end of the day.
After the lunch stop the trail hooked up into the woods that hide the infamous – and oft overlooked – Climachx trail. The riders climbed and careered deeper into the wood’s depths, getting into the swooping singletrack groove before they arrived at the crunch point of the day: the downhill special stage. With so many categories still running so close, today’s special stage was the opportunity for the gravity gifted to nose ahead of their rivals in the overall classification.
Beginning off a rolling start down some fireroad it swoops downwards on undulating singletrack and into the woods for an extended section of flowing but rockier terrain. Stone slabs and steps pepper the descent as it snakes its way around the flanks of Myndd-Fron-Felen, with the first third seeing a tricky rocky section which only the smoothest conquer, whilst others opt to run. The trail then careers faster and faster along sumptuous singletrack until the bermalicious crescendo.
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