The classic 100km gold grimpeur audax
A scenic ride that criss-crosses Dartmoor, with big views, big hills and hailed byCycling Weekly as one of the top ten UK audaxes. Soup control at Wonson, café control at Princetown plus a cake checkpoint. There are 2 start to choose from - 8am and 9am.
Test yourself on one of the classic gold Grimpeur rides. Starting in Bovey Tracey, the ‘Gateway to Dartmoor’, and climbing onto the high moor via pretty villages, narrow lanes, steep hills and a soup stop. The Devil finishes back in Bovey Tracey after tackling the infamous Widecombe Hill.
After last visiting 16 years ago, this year's Devil returns to the Northmore Arms in Wonson for the soup stop, with cake at Cold East Cross and a cafe control at Princetown.
As usual, there are two separate starts, at 8am and 9am, which have separate entries.
Enter on the Audax UK website here:
8am start: https://www.audax.uk/event-details/calendar/13469-the_dartmoor_devil__8
9am start: https://www.audax.uk/event-details/calendar/13470-the_dartmoor_devil__9
Congratulations to Richard Evans and Tom Jackson who completed their 12th Devils and to Nick Keast, James O'Neill and Paul Sherwood who completed their 6th.
2024's Devil saw near perfect conditions, sunny, warmish and with only a light wind, which no doubt helped see a good turnout on the day on 162 riders. Of these, 139 riders managed to finish within the allowed 8 hours and 24 minutes.
As usual with the Devil, there was a good mixture of those that are new to the ride and those that have ridden it before, many many times for some. Of particular note this year was a large entry from Exeter University's Cycle and Tri clubs who had a pursuit thing going on, with riders split between the 8am and 9am starts.
The Devil isn't a charity ride, but from donations for the cakes and the event's surplus, we were able to donate a little over £1,200 to Devon Air Ambulance, the Dartmoor National Park and Cycling UK and its Cyclists' Defence Fund. Many thanks to the venues that hosted controls: The Dolphin Hotel in Bovey for the start and finish, The Globe Inn in Chagford for the soup and the Fox Tor Cafe in Princetown.
And many thanks to all of the helpers for making it happen and to all of the riders for putting themselves through it.
https://www.thedolphinbovey.co.uk/
https://www.theglobeinnchagford.co.uk/
https://www.foxtorcafe.com/
Click here for photos of the day