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Another One Home!

Day 4 - Our First Finisher

Day Three - Cranking it through Cymru

Day Two - Philippe is Flying

Day 1 - Into Wales

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Route Preview

Philippe Béchet

Harry Fisher

Linda Farczadi

Christopher Southern

William Bishop

Daniel Wald

Peter Worsfold

Sean Smith

Wesley Burden

Steve Eastwood

Jonathan Riding

Steve Heath

Chris Pugh

Crew 1

Crew 2

Linda has made it back to Brimscombe! Her finish marks the end of MOTM24, with just three riders making it to the finish line.

She set out with the aim of finishing in five days, but lost time during the second half of the route, as conditions worsened and fatigue kicked in. But she pressed on and put in some very long days in the saddle to finish only a touch slower than planned.

![DSCF2106](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/b8IfTDk5Ng0MNdWsV4YkJ/279208f8e18eb0fbfdf7132f82df2abf/DSCF2106.jpg)

It was an impressive ride, in spite of some wetter conditions during the final two days. Linda's commitment to her "vacation pace" may not have survived the challenges (unless your idea of a vacation includes riding all night), but her positive attitude certainly seemed to. She arrived tired but still smiling, buzzing from the experience.

![P1052695](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/d9cS2fhWBPlBZtPQC6mb7/0119fc52872816f1a21ddfef9ee6e9a1/P1052695.jpg)

It's also worth noting that Linda was the only woman to start, meaning that women riders still have a 100% finish rate at MOTM. Given the high scratch rate overall this year, that is particularly impressive!

Harry rolled into Brimscombe just before 18:00 to become our second finisher. A relative newcomer to the sport, he rode consistently throughout and maintained a strong pace.

After struggling for energy early on, he said he really found his rhythm on the afternoon of day two and was feeling good after that. The highlight of the ride for him was the section into Snowdonia, which he did as the sun was setting.

Despite bivvying for four nights in a row, he seemed fresh at the finish and said he had slept more than planned due to the cold mornings, which had made it difficult to leave his bivvy.

![P1052670](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5lI0IdggQtm8Gki7URpWM6/5b1a07ce413d878bd63156ce1aa66862/P1052670.jpg)

Last night, he slept just before Hay Bluff in order to do it in daylight. However, he said the cloud was low and the track was wet and slippery, making it slow going even in daylight. But he sped up from that point on and was quickly back in the Cotswolds, dodging most of the thunder storms.

![P1052639](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7syBSAvNCYTQRvfRshzBXk/b010bc2c2d53432657afb5b57e67ba21/P1052639.jpg)

Linda has been less fortunate with the weather and apparently found last night very tough, with the rain and darkness making the off road sections especially slow. She didn’t reach her booked hotel in Paincastle until 07:30 this morning! One there, she slept a bit, had breakfast, then slept a bit more before leaving.

From the looks of her Instagram, she had the same conditions over Hay Bluff, which is a pity because it’s a very big hill to climb for no view! Since then, she has picked up speed a little and is closing on Ledbury, where she is planning to stay tonight, pushing on to the finish in the morning.

![Screenshot 2024-09-01 205702](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2uoIPLw2LJGQQjdMUIP8iX/2e95f375e6fcf9f43566c15607d84cab/Screenshot_2024-09-01_205702.jpg)


We have our first finisher! Philippe arrived back in Brimscombe at 17:24 this evening, with his crank surviving all the way to the finish.

He was smiling on arrival but declared that he needed "to sit down and think about his life choices" before swiftly heading for a beer. Despite a very rough final 24 hours, he's in good spirits and happy to have finished.

![P1052622](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5eyqffGOM0PwqDY08SYkN8/5c8f0b78b8b9afcbb503540cac42ea08/P1052622.jpg)

It was an incredible ride from Philippe, who set off fast and managed to maintain his pace over the increasingly challenging terrain. He has remained upbeat throughout, constantly commenting on how varied and beautiful the Welsh scenery has been.

Last night, he traversed Hay Bluff almost entirely on foot and in total darkness, just to add to the challenge. Despite this, he reported that the hike was actually quite nice in the dark, but he said the wheels fell off a bit when he began pedalling again. He limped to Hereford, only to realise his hotel was actually 5km before, right next to where he had passed on the route.

![P1052633](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4GUvfEXYmGBB3XfXa4jMvn/c523f947a6c9c19c8d774b59ccf703f4/P1052633.jpg)

The issue with his crank arm would have been a ride ender for most people, so he did remarkably well to keep going. It undoubtedly slowed him down, but he nursed it to the finish by riding incredibly carefully and patiently, showing amazing discipline.

He’s now off to a hotel to shower and sleep, commenting that he’s already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow, despite demolishing two dinners when he arrived!

![DSC 1543](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6TBnSn6sblQ4cLCfLDqxfP/86e2b8a36aa367557433c1391f3b2436/DSC_1543.jpg)

Back on the route, Kitty caught up with Linda just after Lake Vyrnwy this morning. She had a huge day yesterday, riding from Rhayader to Bala, where she finally stopped at 04:30.This section includes a massive amount of climbing, as well as some challenging surfaces.

Despite this effort and only a short sleep, she was buzzing this morning and enjoying the route. Keen to push on, she confessed that she might have a quick nap at some point to compensate for the late night.

![DSC 1522](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/PGoC0z0O8wnu6Frx4UMxx/3743c86bc13a3341c9c218a52a3715c1/DSC_1522.jpg)

However, this late start and lack of sleep has meant that Linda’s progress today has been limited. She is aiming for Paincastle, where I know she had booked a hotel, but it seems unlikely she’ll make that until the early hours of the morning, so it could be another late night.

Harry is around 40km ahead of Linda and had another good sleep in the bivvy last night by the looks of it. He stopped in the forest below the Hirnant Pass, before tackling the gravel climb up to CP4 in the morning.

We haven’t managed to catch up with him today, but he is still on track to finish tomorrow. He’s approaching Builth Wells now, so it will be interesting to see if he looks for a hotel or presses on and bivvies for a fourth consecutive night.


This morning, we awoke to Philippe having stretched his lead even further. After a couple of catnaps on the first night, he treated himself to a 45-minute sleep last night. This was unsurprisingly much less than everyone else.

In particular, Linda was staying true to her “ride hard, recover harder” mantra by enjoying breakfast at her hotel in Rhayader before setting out. I met her as she rode through the Elan Valley and she said this tactic of prioritising recovery was helping her enjoy the tough route.

![P1052369](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2zPrmMW6aXGh5HRFqeXJnW/7e5b5dd3e77862191e967991f63fb784/P1052369.jpg)

Harry also had a lateish start, albeit for different reasons. He bivvied in the forests above Llangurig and found it very cold when he awoke, waiting for it to warm up a little before he set off. However, this extra rest was welcome after the tough day previously and he was in great sprits when I met him by Nant-y-Moch.

![P1052436](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/VF90vHWF9xDdXOIGnQ2mw/ed614be66f9b90ad4ff3d69d87fbfed7/P1052436.jpg)

Wes on the other hand, had a much more difficult day. Despite seeming in good shape apart from a sore back yesterday, he developed a sharp pain in his knee. This gradually worsened all day and eventually he scratched near Coed y Brenin.

Back at the front, Philippe has been nursing a very unhappy left crank arm since 03:00 this morning. The aluminium insert has come loose inside the carbon arm, forcing him to soft pedal on one side.

![P1052470](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/40LQhNUIpkkHcDBaxkqW65/da05a0963a3e38a38d0f57203cdbc76e/P1052470.jpg)

After visiting three bike shops, he has been unable to find a replacement and is pressing on. Despite all this, he remains positive and was enjoying the variety of the route when we caught up with him after Builth Wells.

He has slept very little, napping on the first night and lying down for 45 minutes last night. But you wouldn't know this, as he remains chatty and seems very relaxed.

![P1052526](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/15jh7gDouedo9U5wDmjDGF/7339251cef39ebd0c9a8b1d6fe05f50e/P1052526.jpg)

He is pushing on for a proper bed in Hereford tonight, which meant traversing Hay Bluff after sunset, under star-filled skies. Unwilling to climb out of the saddle for fear of damaging his crank further, he was pushing his bike when we left him.

The first night always brings changes, with sleep strategies coming into play for the first time. This morning, it was clear that we had one outlier amongst the riders, with Philippe Bechet opting to ride through the night without stopping. By sunrise, he was already past CP2 at Strata Florida.

With everyone else opting to sleep, this has allowed him to open up a huge gap. At the time of writing, he is still riding, having blasted through Dolgellau with only a very quick resupply. I had been expecting him to sleep here, but perhaps the lack of available hotels (Google shows none with vacancies tonight) has influenced his decision making.

![P1052254](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7FOUUHAlbwxBSzv8MaKmim/5614f4cd29582dfc15d7bb47d6e564ac/P1052254.jpg)

The rest of the riders all slept a handful of hours, although both Linda Farczadi and William Bishop treated themselves to hotels and longer sleeps. This was for different reasons, however. Linda is riding to a five-day schedule and stayed to enjoy breakfast, whereas William was struggling with a bad stomach and needed the recovery. He sadly didn’t improve throughout today and scratched this afternoon, having made it to CP1.

For those of the riders who bivvied, it was a chilly night with a heavy dew. But everyone seemed to have found somewhere passable to sleep, with the forests above Aberdare, Hirwaun and Neath offering plenty of sheltered options.

![P1052337](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/262xq4xsxmaYI1xwgCvKHw/7f9fea339163cf5885d36229ca22f4d3/P1052337.jpg)

Behind Philippe, Wesley Burden has been quietly ticking off the miles. I caught up with him next to the Claerwen Reservoir and he was struggling a bit with some back pain, which he put down to not enough time on the bike in recent weeks. However, he was still riding strongly and stopping very little. He is planning to bivvy again tonight but has no target in mind.

![P1052345](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5T8x4fy0iRUKD7LJctBkGV/388b61d462025f73be8ab3ca2d4fdbfa/P1052345.jpg)

Further back, Christopher Southern had been going well, but he apparently crashed and has had to scratch. He hasn’t elaborated on what happened, but he is still riding, so he is presumably not too badly hurt.

Sean Smith joins him on the scratch list for similar reasons. He described his incident as a “small off” but couldn’t unclip in time and has hurt his hip. That leaves us with just four riders, after only 36 hours of riding, which isn’t a great start!

![P1052264](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6XXwxd1bRHMsjKwcOLvUzf/32c9a8ae1d7249cf254ed74d294ff82c/P1052264.jpg)

One rider who has been struggling but is still riding is Harry Fisher. I met him at Devil’s Elbow earlier and he confessed that he had been battling a lack of energy all day, despite sleeping well in his bivvy and eating a lot. It’s reassuring to see that he is still going, having just left Rhayader. Hopefully, he has found his second wind.

![P1052287](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2hcurRSaz84Q6TiYmmUdn5/854cad6f1c70f976d4f11b86d9c58d5a/P1052287.jpg)

Linda Farczadi has also made it to Rhayader and looks to have stopped there. Presumably this is where she has booked her hotel for tonight. So the key decision facing her now is whether to stay for breakfast or forgo that luxury!


At 09:00 this morning, the riders set out from Brimscombe to begin their ride. The first part of the route takes them out of The Cotswolds and towards the Severn Bridge.

Although a lot of this section is on road, the off road sections are often steep and a number of riders commented that it was hard going as they pushed their bikes out of the picturesque Ozleworth Estate. This wasn’t made any easier by rain overnight, which had left the bridleways slippery in places.

![P1052137](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/53bhgMgmgHsAhmGU2vKsy0/80cecd3ce3ec46bfc414320adb17f979/P1052137.jpg)

Despite this, the pace at the front was pretty high and Phillipe Bechet quickly opened up a little gap, which only seems to have grown all day. He was coy before the start about his intentions and described this ride as “a holiday”, but he certainly hasn’t begun it with party pace in mind.

![P1052101](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5XDNgTj7UzpHyVIVNVAZXL/ad94b899bbfe9f928fd4846c6cfe3e0b/P1052101.jpg)

As the riders crossed the Severn and entered Wales, the weather decided to ignore all the forecasts and began to rain. It was never that heavy, but the riders still had to endure a couple of hours of drizzle and showers, which certainly didn’t make the first hike-a-bike section above Penperlleni any easier.

![P1052174](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4KdejJAhZrV0jrh8BpKgZ4/723a5503e9f451bba246cc07a23926ac/P1052174.jpg)

Sadly, it was just before this section that Peter Worsfold was forced to pull the plug due to his freehub grinding to a halt. He was joined on the scratch list shortly after by Daniel Wald, who crashed early on and was unable to shake some pain in his knee so has wisely decided to rest up.

The other riders have continued setting a good pace, with all but Sean Smith and William Bishop reaching CP1 before sunset. Sean arrived shortly afterwards and was already eyeing up bivvy spots before Merthyr Tydfil, but sensibly wanted to get a bit lower down first.

![1000071634](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2U17bzXnpmyUkYBwVrdbUu/d293f12f59f2b3a943e8c1dd4673d38b/1000071634.jpg)

William appears to be off route resupplying near Pontypool. His original plan was to make Merthyr Tydfil tonight, but he’s still some way away, so he will presumably need to adapt his strategy.

The other riders all look to still be moving, with a cluster of them heading on to the long gravel (and singletrack) section after Aberdare. Most of them gave the impression they planned to sleep, but it will be interesting to see everyone’s choices come the morning.

Let’s have a quick run through the riders lining up to tackle MOTM24 tomorrow morning. After yet more drop outs, we will have just nine riders who have made it to the start line. At least they can be assured of the best crew-to-rider ratio at any event this year!

![P1052048](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2UQZHj0vT9jB4Ky65FSxsX/5c49972f8f134cf2a340df9e63d075f4/P1052048.jpg)

Beginning with our overseas riders, we have Linda Farczadi and Philippe Béchet, both from Switzerland. Originally down to ride as a pair, they will be going solo instead. Their previous events include The Unknown Race, Japanese Odyssey and Badlands. Linda is apparently in (fast) holiday mode, but I suspect Philippe will be pushing a bit harder.

Our other European rider is Daniel Wald, from neighbouring Germany. An experienced bikepacker and mountain biker, Daniel is tackling his first event of this kind.

This is not dissimilar from Chris Southern, who also has extensive bikepacking and road riding experience but hadn’t yet ventured into the world of organised ultra endurance events.

Meanwhile, Sean Smith is bringing plenty of Audax experience, including the Bryan Chapman. And he will have the benefit of some local knowledge during the first morning, being based in nearby Bristol.

One rider who is not short on experience is Peter Worsfield, who has finished both HT550 and GBDURO. With this kind of palmares, we shouldn't expect him to be fazed by any of the rough stuff on the route.

![P1052057](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4Nkz7xjy5A1eYiy4GQpkWv/cab0a8f6753b70392ebb246d1c4636d6/P1052057.jpg)

Both Harry Fisher and Wesley Burden are Southern Divide finishers, which has its own take on mixed surfaces. Wesley followed this up with a finish at June’s Great British Escapade, so with this being his third off-road event of the year, he should be in good form.

Finally, William Bishop has a lengthy list of cycling and touring exploits. Most notably, he has ridden from the UK to Finland, via Nordkapp, over several months. By his own admission, he is a recent convert to gravel riding though.

I’ll be back tomorrow once the dots are moving to let you know how things are shaping up.


Welcome to the coverage of Mountains of the Merfynion, which returns for its second edition. This mixed-surface route begins in the Cotswolds but takes riders on a 940-kilometre loop through the heart of Wales, tackling everything from smooth forestry gravel and quiet asphalt to boggy hike-a-bike and rocky single track.

This year, we have a small field of riders, after a lot of dropouts. However, those left will be looking at the weather forecast with a sense of disbelief. Currently, it looks like warm and sunny conditions throughout, with only a few showers on Wednesday to watch out for.

![P1041589](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/10AoWiw8LmHmi8wU0USpRO/619c45cfdcdc94d0edc3d13b864e705d/P1041589.jpg)

### New for this year
The start and finish location for this year has moved to The Bike Drop in Brimscombe, near Stroud. This affects the overall loop very little, but brings CP1 a little closer, meaning we should expect to see a few more riders get there in daylight this year.

The route itself has also undergone a few changes, after further recceing earlier this year. The long hike-a-bike section near Nant-y-Moch has been routed around, which riders will be relieved to hear. But this does add a deep ford, so wet feet are now guaranteed.

The section between Machynlleth and Dolgellau has also been changed completely. This used to follow the traditional cycle route, but it now takes riders along ridge-top gravel tracks on both sides of Tywyn, bringing them via the Cregennan Lakes - a TPA favourite. This will be a longer and slower section but adds in an additional resupply option at Tywyn.

Finally, the Hirnant Pass, near Bala, is replaced with a gravel alternative that takes riders up to a series of peaks above the pass. This will be familiar to any GBDURO riders and is the second highest point on the route.

![IMG 0368-01](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5ne7cStRUDWIAg5gOPA0jT/141e4c4e641b10cd1ad4650daefbdceb/IMG_0368-01.jpeg)

### Route in More Detail
The route sets out from Brimscombe, near Stroud. A little bit of Cotswold gravel wakes the legs, but you’re soon crossing the Severn Bridge and heading towards Wales.

But first, the route detours through the Wye Valley, taking the cycle path through the unusual Tidenham Tunnel, which is unlit to protect the bats that roost here. From here, a succession of rail trails and small roads slowly take you into Wales and towards the start of bigger climbs.

The fun really begins in the Brecon Beacons, where the hills come thick and fast. The gravel is mostly good, but there are some rockier sections that will slow riders down if the terrain hasn't already done so.

Highlights here include the ridge-top track above Talybont, a stretch of winding single-track with panoramic views above Rhigos and the beautiful Devil’s Elbow climb, which has been “improved” by taking the gravel towards the top.

![P1025127-01](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4PTCnQ8j89OQMJ8EpyVUrl/a8c8bfcc53ee5b33a75c0af6b27317e1/P1025127-01.jpg)

After Llandovery, riders head into the Cambrians – the wildest, remotest part of the route. Here, they follow a series of reservoirs, largely sticking to fast forestry gravel, interspersed with beautiful Welsh country roads. This is central Wales at its absolute best. A few rockier sections and a handful of fords will keep riders on their toes for this section, as well as the constant up-and-down nature of the terrain and the lack of resupply.

As the route approaches Snowdonia, it reaches the edge of the Cambrians and there is a fast descent down into Machynlleth. This is followed by a loop out towards the coast, following a succession of stunning ridge-top tracks and roads, with views over the coastline below.

The riding in Snowdonia sticks mainly to peaceful country roads, with a few stretches of forestry gravel to link things up. After Lake Vrynwy, the route swings south and riders begin the return journey, crossing back into the Cambrians. 

The landscape on this side of the hills is more agricultural and less obviously wild, but the riding is just as tough. Riders climb up into a succession of quiet valleys, before inevitably heading onto gravel and traversing an exposed hilltop.

![P1025241-01 (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1s6lY41SETTau25TD9zPwY/6f7e7e0c5f5cc32237adc82c9d28b017/P1025241-01__1_.jpeg)

The surfaces are varied and slower going, with some hike-a-bike in places. But it is also beautiful riding, often including tracks that even locals have forgotten about.

Just as the landscape begins to flatten and the English border beckons, the biggest challenge of the entire route rears up ahead – Hay Bluff. At the top, the bridleway disappears into a maze of sheep tracks. The descent is mostly ridable, flying back down into England.

Some real respite appears after Hay Bluff, with the flatter, tarmacked riding allowing legs to recover a little. En route back to the Cotswolds is a diversion via the Malvern Hills, where a short dead-end climb leads to a panoramic viewpoint. From there it’s not long until one of the final climbs up onto the Cotswold Escarpment. A mix of peaceful bridleways and quiet country lanes lead to the finish.


[https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=44870571&sampleGraph=true](https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=44870571&sampleGraph=true)

The Route!

Rob Gardiner

Mountains of the Merfynion 2024 Tracking + Commentary: sumptuous gravel, smooth road and challenging obstacle by bike. This inaugural Welsh route by the Perfidious Albion has it all.

Mountains of the Merfynion 2024 Tracking

Best thought of as a beautiful obstacle course to be tackled by bike, this  ride is for people looking to take drop bar bikes where they don’t belong. The Cambrians are quickly developing a reputation as offering some of the finest off-road riding and star gazing in the UK.

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