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When you'd got to Chepstow you'd definitely done the harder part! When I rode back to Oxford I spun out on a few long downhills and was zipping along with the wind on the flat sections.
I had been looking forward to that flat section to Newent to practice riding into the wind on aerobars, then it would have been fun sailing back downwind. But when I realised that it was too gusty to use aerobars it lost its appeal very quickly! I saw enough of that section to appreciate how horrible it would be.
I expect much of the second half of the ride would have been quick. In 2015 when it was windy, people got to Chepstow about an hour later than normal but made up the time on the way back.
frank9755
Like you, was considering DNS but had a hotel booked. I thought maybe the weather would change and I'd be annoyed I hadn't started. Got the train home at Chepstow, which I was pleased with given that from about 60km I was thinking of stopping at Newent. the section from Stow to Newent has to be the longest 55km I've ever ridden, hated every minute of it! Couldn't face another 150km of cross winds. A friend completed in 14 hours (very experienced rider) but he said the section past the white horses was "heinous" but there were a few "magic bits" on the way back. He got rained on for 2 hours so I'd have been looking at 5-7 hours of rain. I was totally miserable apart from through the Forest of Dean which was beautiful, and a welcome distraction. My arms hurt almost as much as my legs today.