Fast and Female SUI event - mark your calendar!

     

The Swiss Cycling Fast and Female team are arranging a meet-up and a chance to see behind the scenes of a stage race as part of the Tour de Romandie. We plan to do a train, ride, train day out. All details will be posted on our Strava group. The BLVF day is being planned with FAFB and we plan to travel and ride together. 

The TDRF is a 3 day stage race held between 15th and 17th September 2023. Swiss Cycling have arranged a chance for us to experience the final day close up. 

The details of the race can be found on the official website

Office Website TDRF     

Link to Aug 3rd Press Release

or on the Facebook page which shares updates on both the men's and women's version of the race,

Facebook page for updates

We plan to get the train to between Baselland and the finishline in Nyon and cycle there together.

If you want to join us, please join the Strava group where all information about the route to and from Nyon will be posted. 

More info and registration on the FAFSUI site

First Group Ride Report

Started Gelterkinden dorfbrunnen as planned, only me this time, I picked up my companion at the station. The two of us headed off towards Sissach and stopped at the back entrance to the station, just in case. Shortly before the station, just at the left turn to go under the rail bridge we nearly literally bumped in to my old cycling club on their way out. We turned left to find them all over the road :-),  with a quick wave and shout hello! cheerio! we continued on. They will also have a ride review - to see where they went have a look at their home page - www.vcpaloma.ch.

Dorfbrunnen - empty at 9am, full of children at 2pm

Last expected pick up point was at Liestal Bahnhof which we visited, even though we expected noone to be there - but you never know! Now clearly the pair of us, we headed for the first climb. Frenkendorf towards Augst the strava segment is called Feldhof hill sprint - there wasn't much sprinting going on today.

Once conquered, onward to Magden via Giebernach and Olsberg. There was too much chatting being done and we missed waiving to the horses having passed them before i realised. The Olsberg climb turned out to be "not as bad as i had imagined" im told. In Magden there was the compulsory stop for food, toilets and chatting to a local. Luckily my companion is also a local so all was well.

Another location added to my ever growing database

Now well refreshed, on to climb number 2 - steeper than the first and on a closed road as half of it is being rebuilt. Luckily roadworks have the weekend off and we negotiated the barriers OK and got out the other side. The descent towards Möhlin through the trees was great fun, with very little traffic coming towards us. Back down at river level we went along the rolling veloweg parallel to the motorway. The joggers taking part in the event at Zeiningen avoided us, and we them.

Avoiding all main roads we turned right and scrambled up the wall at Mumpf Bahnhof then on to the veloweg again. Last real stop was just before Schupfart at a bench, in the shade next to the burn. The air was clear, the birds were singing then the peace was shattered by a group of what seemed like the over 60s moped club outing  "nggeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". The air turned a bit blue from the reek. 

Now, the last part Schupfart to Flugplatz climb and downhill before the very last climb to Asphof and we were back in Baselland again. Flying down the hill, wheech through Ormalingen and the ride ended in a cafe in downtown Gelterkinden and suger refill.

Really fun ride, weather a smidge warm and sunny  for my Scottish complexion but factor 50 did the job. 

I look forward to the next one.

Join the strava club if you want to see where we plan to go next or if you dont have Strava, just send me a message using the form on the right of this page.

Tour stats:

Distance - 55km

Climbing - 790m

Ave speed - 20kph

Strava group launched

I have now created a club on Strava  - see the widget on the right. If you don't have a Strava account, please send me a message using the Contact Form on this page.

Current plan is to arrange a group ride once a month on the third weekend of the month.

This means the first planned Group Ride will be Saturday 19th August 2023. The route will be posted in the Strava Club. 

To try to make it easy to join, the first ride will have multiple pick up points, we will start in Gelterkinden then go via Sissach and Itingen before reaching Liestal.

So, if you live in the area, want to cycle round and admire the scenery on mostly quiet roads, come along and join.

I look forward to meeting you there!

Introduction and why this is here

 

Cycling can be considered a solo or a group activity. If you normally go out on your own, cycling in a group is a great way to share the fun. You learn from others, share the experience but most of all, have fun.  With many cycling groups based in or near the city, those of us who live further out in the countryside either have a long commute there and back, or we decide it too far away and don't join. This is why I want to create a group ride in Baselland. This area has great roads, challenging climbs, fun descents and lots of places to stop and admire the view. On a good day, you can see the alps. When the weather permits, riding in the mountains is also great fun. It took me a few years to realise that I can just go to the mountains, there is no need to wait for a special event. Just take the bike on the train and Go!

With this blog I want to reach out to any women who are interested in joining me for a ride. I am launching a women only group ride in Baselland which will be centered around Gelterkinden.

As you can read from the bio, I am originally from Scotland, lived in NL for years before moving here in 2013.

If you would like to join or have any questions, please just let me know. Feel free to write in German, I will answer in English :).