The winner is...

Route Preview

Nick Livermore

Thomas Becker

Rupert Robinson

Stuart Gillet

Sam Davies

Ian Coxon

Alli Holland

Trystan Sanders

Mike Redshaw

Molly Weaver

Samuel Davidson

Will Ward

Nick Hodgson

Lizzie Jenkins

James MCall

Calvin Friedman

Jan Punter

Anna Carlqvist

Christopher White

Alex Napier

Joe Tresadern

Jonathan Riding

Simon Vale

Peter Newing

Lee Putnam

Patrick Turpin

Matthew Lee

Lisa Dunne

Simone Schmieder

Michael Langridge

Maria Hernandez Enriquez

Katherine Dennis

Werdah Hussain

Mimi Anderson

Helen Langridge

Phil Weaver

David Scrivener

Hayden Fisher

Marcus Adey

Jonny Packham

Ceri Middleton

Kirsten Morgan

Laurence kilpatrick

Paddy Dunne

Tom Loft

Richard Saunders

Tim Bishop

Jason Bishop

Mathew Wilson

Crew 2

Crew 1

Crew 3

Crew 4

### __As the fourth day comes to a close and the Wild West Country leaves the Dotwatcher front page, those who know still have dots to follow. __

Four riders, including a pair of Bishops, are still turning the wheels relentlessly towards the finish line. In these masterful game of cycling chess, the final play of RD Rob Gardiner is a cruel close pass of the spot that ends all their suffering with a final loop of Cirencester.

Lisa Dunne, Tim and Jason Bishop are all within the final moves and will hopefully be able to climb off their saddles for the final time (for this race at least) by the end of the day, whereas Simone Schmieder has a little more but is tantilisngly close. To the initial pass of the finish. Omph.

Final push for our riders still out there, but you have us all cheering you on from near and far. Well we are from Italy anyway. 

![A quick read of Dotwatcher with lunch](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5algAlLln9HkW9e1TQ4wo/4969000335b120a1e3b7816ef6f5eaf8/20230515_104304.jpg)
A quick read of dotwatcher with lunch for our Lanterne Rouge.

### The final days

For those who think those who get a bit more value for money in terms of time in a bikepacking event aren't racing, be aware that when that finish starts calling they're all asking about the rider ahead (and the ones behind). Andrew Phillips was on the ground and every single rider wanted to know how those around them were looking. 

It's rumoured the waiting time in a Waitrose cafe might actually have had a significant impact on positioning on the final day, but we all know that every second spent buying snacks is time invested in a fast finish. Unless it's a sit-down lunch that could have been shoved into a pocket. 

It's interesting to see decisions and small issues on day one become bigger problems on day three, such as a slightly misaligned seat post or a backpack rubbing under arms. 

But what is clear is that the riders who set off on day one might have been thrown by this but now all are hardened ultra-distance bikepackers and the scratch rate really only had two surges and stayed below 25%, which is great. 

The final push for many today included a not so friendly reminder of day 1's tailwind, now dressed up as a gnarly headwind, but once again it was just a case of getting the job done now and it might have actually made people faster... but likely not. 

![P1022115](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5B8le5D9q52zwzGYto6c8z/cb2f3789cccc58e7e83ad7b9f44c74c8/P1022115.JPG)
Peter Newing check dates for WWC 2024?

### Fool me once...

Special mention goes to Simon Vale and Peter Newing, who have the slightly peculiar accolade of being returning WWC finishers (both quicker than last year) and there was even mention of a return in 2024. Obviously they had the right gearing and a penchant for suffering. 


They think it's all over...

A misty start to the day for some, with incredibly foggy scenes at CP3, there really is nothing like a nice rewarding fog selfie to keep as a memento for all the hard work that you put in to get there, definitely one for the mantle piece!

A close battle for 4th place between Stuart Gillet and Sam Davies saw an exciting game of cat and mouse in the final loop around the Cotswolds. Despite arriving together in great spirits, Stuart claimed 4th place by 3minutes thanks to the staggered start. Unsurprisingly, the phone lines have been red hot with garment related queries today and we can confirm, exclusively, that Stuart Gillet WAS wearing a gillet when he finished.

Battles were also occurring slightly further down the lane, with Ian Coxon pipping 6th place near CP4, remaining under pressure all the way to the finish line.

Alli Holland finished strong as the first female and 7th place overall, with an impressive display that no doubt kept Ian on his toes.

Competition for the remaining top 10 spots was hot with three riders in close contention. Trystan Sanders took 8th, pipping Mike Redshaw by only  6minutes. 24 minutes later, Molly Weaver rounded of the top 10 and secured her place as second female finisher. 

Further good news continued to roll in from further down the field as the photos of full english breakfasts and burgers began appearing left, right and centre, bringing into question initial perceptions of who was actually winning this race. 

A valiant display of determination was delivered by Calvin Friedman who initially scratched this morning due to knee injury. Calvin resurrected himself back into the race quoting “this ride is not going to beat me two years running”. You go Glen Coco!

We all have a tendency as a community to focus on the pointy end of these events, so we would like to take a moment to celebrate some other milestones and great moments occurring down field. Caps #24, #26 and #40 all pass CP2 smiling…ALLEZ Maria, Simone and Michael! Lizzie J clears the South West out of Croissants, well at least 4 of them. Christopher White completes an 18hr stint to get into 18th position on his first ultra after a mediocre first night sleep. Unfortunately, we can’t list everything but it is great to see the race bring the best out of people!

Top 10 and beyond…

### With an indomitable display of bicycle riding Nick Livermore is the first to arrive home in the 2023 Wild West Country. 

Showing his intent from the start it has been a one man show for the majority of the event with Livermore taking a lead of 85 minutes from CP1 and extending it ever further with each incline. 

Packing light so there was no option but to ride fast there has been  KitKat Chunkies, Snickers and a veritable Sainsbury's hamper (well, wire basket) of goodies that have kept the TT rider cruising.

Arriving just after midnight, he covered the 835km and 11,000m of climbing in just under 40 hours.

Thomas Becker did draw back some time before CP3, riding that section 90 minutes quicker, so one does wonder if the finish might have got a little spicy if Becker's phone had stayed in his pocket on day one, but he did get to visit Bridgwater services twice and restock. Every cloud...

The rest of our field battles on into the second night and sleep strategies and fuelling abilities come into play even more when the sun rises for the third time across the wild west country. 

Stay safe and get some extra shut-eye if you're finding yourself tired reading this, especially if you're on your bike or sleeping in a doorway. 

## The first night is over, but it has taken it's toll on our field. Sore legs, some scratches, but the majority roll on, hoping for flatter miles to come. 

The women's race is hotting up with Alli Holland posting the fourth fastest split from CP1 to CP2 and gaining a 2.5 hour lead overnight. For second place Molly Weaver (29) and Lizzie Jenkins (22) are only 50 minutes apart and riding almost identical splits between CP1 & 2. 

With Weaver saying before the race that she wasn't racing, once again we see that "not racing" is an effective strategy in ultra-distance sport to get to the finish line before most of your competitors. Focus on your own pacing, fuelling and nap times and let the race happen around you. 

Nick Livermore (31) is the only rider to have reached CP3 so far and we're starting to wonder if he's left the slow cooker on at home and doesn't want his Saturday night dinner to burn. 

![Nick Livermore WWC](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3ibnolf23RkeTxtSwV2mNA/1f418bc5b58677dfdc45b3aea5bceeca/Nick_Livermore_WWC.jpeg)

Nick still looks pretty happy with his life decisions at this point and long may it continue. Mars Bars and Kit Kat Chunkies have been his weapons of choice, but we hear he's in search of a Sainsbury's pasta salad. 

### Playing hot and cold

One interesting element to this year's race has been the weather. During the day the tailwinds and sunshine has seen fast times and smiling faces, but the cloudless nights have seen temperatures drop on exposed areas like Dartmoor.

Packing for a bikepacking event you need to be ready for all weather, but not pack the entire kitchen sink as that makes getting up the hills a little tougher. Finding multi-purpose clothing, that can be used come rain or shine, is a never-ending quest. Merino wool elbow patches anyone?

One of my favourite rules for racing is that if you aren't wearing every item of clothing you're carrying at some point in the race then you packed too much. Unless it's the start line, and then you've packed too little. 

Cap 21 Lisa Dunne seems to have nailed it though, from the look of this picture from early doors Saturday. 

![Wearing all your clothes - WWC](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2OXwhTGAGDd4Xa0mplIhGS/5ae2f43de35507a84b8f910cd2447ec9/Wearing_all_your_clothes_-_WWC.JPG)

### The snack report

We all know that an army of bikepackers cycle on their stomaches... that worked better in my head, but now all I can think of is Tom Pidcock doing the superman celebration. 

The food that we keep going in is important to maintain effort levels and forward progress, especially in an event like the WWC where the punchy climbs might not be alpine in length but their gradients will have you burning your glycogen stores like a National Hill Climb finale. Especially with a loaded bike. 

So getting plenty of vitamin C (that's coca-cola, not oranges) is vital, but there are many way to get the energy in and here's some of our favourite snack shots so far.
![Sausage roll deepthroat - WWC](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6EOdCRjTaXPrS1T0qgX6Sz/b38b1eaee796cb008f146e8d2052f1ee/Sausage_roll_deepthroat_-_WWC.JPG)

Cap 25 Matthew Lee, who is a REALLY big fan of Challacombe Hill, inhales a sausage roll in Lynmouth. We really hope he remembered to chew a few times. 
![Can-t park there mate](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6wfoSxwesQWGJjiyMS8g0y/1631b69ef49a319d09140531c380115b/Can-t_park_there_mate.JPG)

You can't park there mate. Andrew Phillips, who isn't actually in the race, is embracing the racing life and even slept in one of his favourite bivvy spots from years gone past. Double yellows there Andrew, might get a ticket. 
![Contemplating life with a crisp](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1skcjMwQZB52k1o89O5LCf/ba74c68a9c95a3678888cefe08e71b8c/Contemplating_life_with_a_crisp.jpg)

Will Ward (46) looks like he is contemplating all of life's curiosities between crisps in this picture, but experienced roadside pundit Nadia Shahanaz tells us he is currently digesting his first McDonalds in 15 years, but went for the peculiar choice of chicken wrap and cucumber fingers. 

~~Will is a strong early contender in the best spoon competition as he has one that matches his daughters bike. In colour, rather than gear ratio we think.~~

UPDATE: It is infact Will's fork that matches his daughters bike, and we have no current information on what cutlery he is carrying. This cutlery-based literary leap is an good example of why you don't have a runner write your race reports. 

![1000 yard supermarket stare - WWC](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4mLt1NaIQQvYQi579aJDnp/55c6739f3f867839ad642f7e8bb07114/1000_yard_supermarket_stare_-_WWC.JPG)
Cap 34 Peter Newing struggling to find the biscuits (they're BEHIND you) with a case of the "where the hell am Is?" A commonly seen ailment in bikepackers, some will spend hours wandering the aisles of minimarkets or petrol stations looking for a certain item that they cannot actually name. 

### So what happens next?

The show must go on, but sadly without some of our riders. Several scratches have come due to the incessant hills, a few from "lack of enjoyment" from those who misread the WWC label and one crash that saw an impressive wheel implosion for Werdah Hussain, who is thankfully okay but not able to unicycle her way to the finish.

The promise of easier miles to come was apparently heard somewhere, but reports coming in from race director Rob Gardiner, who from the picture below can see many miles ahead, suggests that isn't the case. That tailwind is staying strong, but unfortunately our riders are heading into it soon enough. 

Remember that head winds are good for both physiological and psychological training, but no drafting allowed. Unless you're in a pair, then take turns. 

![Rob wants to be taller](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1rNEBeuWjvfxiERyiwQbL3/98b637ca3bfe17b5762760e5b63b64e9/Rob_wants_to_be_taller.jpg)

Steam-punking ahead in the Wild West 

## __As the night comes on day one it is Boreas, the Greek God of the North wind, who is the star of the show so far. Our two wheeled heroes are flying to the south.__

At the head of our party is Cap 31 Nick Livermore, who we actually did manage to include in our race preview somehow. The TT specialist popped up on our radar due to his strong showing at the the Hereford & District Wheelers CC 25 mile TT. Seemingly the best pre-race tune-up around.

Livermore had an 85 minute lead after reaching the first checkpoint at Dunkery Beacon in eight hours flat. That's either reckless abandon or a show of race winning intent... it could well be both. 

So far Livermore has cycled too quickly for our media team to get a picture, but we all know that the sadistic gradient choice of Rob Gardiner will bring everyone into the camera lens eventually. 

Cap 29 Molly Weaver, another who made the preview, was the fastest female athlete to CP1 in 9 hours and 49 minutes. Riding with the sleep kit to make the most of the fine English countryside, we're delighted the women's pro tour rider is cruising up the hills and over the cattle grids well on day one. 

![WWC Cattle Grid](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/x6aRjKk4fk9IBpOBNduS1/a8f618a5bad57ed96e01b3b44c5fe96b/WWC_Cattle_Grid.JPG)

__News from the hill side__

The first checkpoint is also the first major challenge for the race. Dunkery Beacon is apparently equal parts steep, beautiful and swear-inducing. Our hillside correspondent Nadia Shahanaz was on location to provide detailed insight into the state of our riders. 

Several riders had run short of water at this point, despite having several bottles but it was deemed unfair to point out that the gutters did indeed have some available moisture. 

Swear words were used repeatedly, but not at Nadia, she just merely happened to be the only person available to hear them. This might be linked to the fact that "no one was riding up in a straight line". We hope because of the gradient rather than the lack of water and ensuing dehydration. 

__Other insights?__

The prize for "the most mileage to reach CP1" goes to Thomas Becker who left his phone at Bridgwater services and then had to turn around and go back for it. Potentially just a clever ploy to go back for extra snacks? 

The wind from the north continues and Cap 12 James McCall summed up day one quite well when asked if he was loving life. "I've had worse races" has lept to number one position for nicest thing ever said about a race organised by Rob Gardiner. 

We sincerely hope McCall feels the same as the weekend continues, but the only way to ensure this is if we can organise the wind to change direction once everyone reaches checkpoint two at Haytor after 400km. 

It's still early doors but so far it seems all of our riders are riding well, hopefully snacking and not yet rueing the lack of gearing on their rear cassettes. Time will tell. 

__Additional farmer related nugget__

Andrew Phillips, wannabe arty photogragher and winner of the first Perfidious Albion race, had an almighty blast of de ja vu when this farmer caught him bathing in a ford for the second time in three years. 

After writing the race name and social media account on his clipboard we think bikepacking might have a new fan. TPA building a social media army one south-west farmer at a time. Chapeau Andrew. 

![WWC farmer](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2GMTQ0hIgN85AaflTUbp1G/992e032e09087fea35d1e3765651813d/WWC_farmer.JPG)

I promise to focus on the riders more tomorrow, but at this early stage the fun is only just beginning and it's already more exciting than today's stage of the Giro d'Italia. 

Ride safe in the dark everyone and remember never scratch at night. Everything is better after a good night's sleep. Or even 30 minutes worth. 

Livermore in an early breakaway

## With all the fun scheduled to start at 08:00 tomorrow, we take a quick look at who will be toeing the line for 835km of ridcing bicycles and eating snacks.

Hopefully we are welcoming experienced dot-watchers and some people new to the unique style of procrastination popular with endurance fans. 

The world of enigmatic two wheel enthusiasts doesn't lend itself well to race previews, as many simply spend more time riding their bikes than writing blogs. Add in the simple fact that new riders are joining the sport every year as well and frankly we've not got much of an idea on who will be at the front on day one or at the end. 

That said, a crack at a race preview is here and it comes with apologies attached for those who have been missed, especially if you've been collecting QOMs in your local neighbourhood or thrashing pros on Zwift and deserve to be listed below. 

### The top guns?

__Molly Weaver__ was always going to be first on this list, mainly because I could search her name on the ProCyclingStats website. From 2015-18 Weaver competed in the women's pro peleton and appearances in the Giro d'Italia, La Route de France, the Women's Tour and a whole bunch of cool Classics races too. Very cool. 

She also won the Blaneau 600 in just under two days so brings some sleep deprivation and excessively long race experience too. 

__Mimi Anderson__ is another rider familiar to me before writing this preview, but mainly for her astounding record in the world of ultra-distance running including doing things like John O'Groats to Land's End and Marlin to Mizen Head in Ireland without a bicycle. Now, thankfully, she has discovered that it is a whole lot easier on two wheels. 

__Ceri Middleton__ was second at the Pan Celtic Race long race last year and has a lot of experience from multi-day bikepacking trips to add to that great level of success in his first bikepacking race. I couldn't find him on Zwift Power though?

__Stuart Gillet__, who's name may see some garment based puns if it gets windy, is the current UK triple and quintuple Ironman record holder. So not only does he possess impressive levels of endurance, if it rains too much or in the case of mechanicals he'll be able to bring a bit of swim and run into play if needed. 

__Thomas Becker__ goes one better and one less than Ceri Middleton with a first place in the shorter route at the Pan Celtic Race in 2022. Now they're racing the same course who will come out on top?

__Nick Livermore__ comes into the race on the back of a 4th at the Hereford & District Wheelers CC 25 mile TT, averaging a shade under 30mph for 50 minutes. That kind of speed could bring a big lead at the start, but then it comes down to snacking and sleeping in ditches skills. Rumour has it Livermore might have a minimalist set-up so we might see the sub 4 hour 100 mile TT rider at the front early doors.

__Alex Napier__ is another time trialler with a sub 4 hour 100 mile PB (as an ultra runner with a 13+ hour PB this sub 4 hour lark seems impressive) and under 20 minutes for 10 miles too. 

### The best of the rest?

We just don't know and if you're reading this and think you should have been mentioned, then you're probably right. I can only apologise and please use this shun as fuel for the fire. 

On those cold and lonely night time miles use your anger towards me to keep you warm. Prove us wrong. Or right. We know we've missed some superstars and you're one of them. 

We'll make sure we notice you if you're racing well tomorrow and this weekend. Mainly because you all have trackers on. Just ensure you're eating enough snacks to keeop yourself at the front. 


Who to watch for... maybe

Welcome to this year’s coverage of The Wild West Country! It’s Rob Gardiner here and I’ll be quickly introducing the event before Robbie Britton takes over for the exciting part. 

# Introducing The Wild West Country
This fixed-route event is 835 kilometres long, with around 11,000 metres of climbing, and sticks almost entirely to paved roads. Beginning and ending in the Cotswolds, it loops through the southwest of England, an area renowned for its short, steep climbs and narrow lanes.

It’s worth noting that we have a staggered start again this year, so riders will be departing in small groups at two-minute intervals.

# What is new for 2023?
The bulk of the route remains largely unchanged for 2023, aside from alterations around the start and finish. This is due to Wild Carrot at Chavenage being forced to shut down, so we now start at Performance Cycles in the Cotswold Water Park instead.

The changes add a little more time in the Cotswolds at the start and a little less before the finish, but the timings on day one should be comparable to last year, as the riders are leaving an hour earlier. This shift was to ensure that reaching Dunkery Beacon by sunset was still a realistic goal for most people.

The other changes to the route are all around CP1, with the route switching to the quieter Luxborough road instead of the Dunster main road. This adds another climb, but to offset this, riders are now routed up the gentler Porlock Toll Road rather than the notorious Porlock Hill. However, those who want to experience the original climb have the option to tackle it, so you may see some dots deviating around here.

<iframe src="https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=42336553&sampleGraph=true" style="width: 1px; min-width: 100%; height: 700px; border: none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>

# The Route in More Detail
## A fast start
The riding begins in the flatlands of the Cotswold Water Park, but the route soon enters the Cotswold Hills. However, this is the gently rolling landscape of the southern Cotswolds, so progress will be fast. After 90 mins or so, the riders will drop off the escarpment and speed towards Bristol.

This deceptively fast progress will be a feature of the first 160km of the route. Passing over Clifton Suspension Bridge and descending Cheddar Gorge, the riders will be treated to some of the tourist sights. However, a headwind on this section is highly likely.
![WWC22-kingscote-george](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6dT71DrBrPp4QUweDIlJ2G/eff0b902a4d68b08d655de8cbf540f69/WWC22-kingscote-george.jpg)

## The climbs begin
Once the riders pass Bridgwater (not one of the aforementioned tourist sights), the difficulty begins to slowly ratchet upwards as the climbs become steeper and more frequent. Their fresh legs will likely get them over the Quantocks with little difficulty, but the toughest section of the route lies at around 220km.

Here, they begin the first of two ascents of Dunkery Beacon, which are swiftly followed by the Porlock Toll Road. Although gentler than the main road, this is still a tough climb after what precedes it.

The following section contains yet more climbing through Exmoor and over to Woolacombe, before they finally happen upon some respite on the Tarka Trail. This multi-use path is the only flat bit of tarmac for miles and will likely be empty by the time most riders reach it, if they do not stop before then.
![WWC22-liz-dunkery (2)](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4QpUT1lUITgYUlKR9HaRAJ/0f1668156d8e1d73b78cfffa16faf248/WWC22-liz-dunkery__2_.jpg)

## Across Dartmoor and towards the Purbecks
The recovery on the Tarka Trail does not last long before Dartmoor appears. The route crosses the national park via a succession of tough climbs, culminating with Haytor, which is at roughly the halfway point on the route. For the riders who have gone through the night, they can expect to be getting here around sunrise.

Some gentler riding will follow as the riders make their way through Exeter, before they begin a beautiful stretch of Devon and Dorset coastline. For the next 100 or so kilometres, the climbs are a little smaller but just as steep and unrelenting. This section culminates with the last few sharp climbs on the (misleadingly named) Isle of Purbeck, with spectacular views over the coast below.
![WWC22-kirsten-purbecks](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6EX4BhxUDNY2hoXkOWiPxI/98d4a65178ae0391e09dbbf63c2f90b1/WWC22-kirsten-purbecks.jpg)

## Inland and away from the hills
Swinging north, the route leaves the coastline behind. This inland riding brings with it much gentler gradients and faster roads, as the rolling countryside resumes. In fact, this section is relentlessly rural and actually offers surprisingly little in the way of resupply, which may present an unexpected challenge for riders.

With just over 100km to go, the Wessex Downs will rise up and greet the riders with a carved white horse. They will then fly between the standing stones of Avebury’s ancient circle, as the flatlands south of the Cotswolds offer up some precious easy riding.

A final loop of the idyllic Yanworth Valley is included to give a taste of the best of the Cotswolds (and some bonus climbs), before the route swings back towards the finish.
![WWC22-jasmijn-verge](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1BA37mrJBhw96B2HDGNr2e/afa80a942c0d61eed4ec59d5a7d9649f/WWC22-jasmijn-verge.jpg)


Robbie Britton

Rob Gardiner

Wild West Country 2023 Tracking and Commentary: The Wild West Country is a display of some of the finest roads in the South West of England and ticking off some National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty via some short sharp climbs and winding lanes.

Wild West Country 2023 Tracking

The Wild West Country is a display of some of the finest roads in the South West of England and ticking off some National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty via some short sharp climbs and winding lanes.

The Wild West Country 2023

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The Wild West Country 2023

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