Norway is a country of stunning mountains, waterfalls and fjords, and there are few better ways to experience it than by joining 5,500 other cyclists for this annual 100-mile ride. Just make sure you pack your rain jacketWords Wesley Doyle Photography GeorGe Marshall

Fjordescortcyclist 163162 cyclist

Bergen-Voss b Sportive

The detailsGet in quick for 2014

What Bergen-Voss SportiveWhere Bergen to Voss on the west coast of NorwayWhen 31st May 2014Distance 170km, with three major climbs: Gullbotn, Kvamskogen and Skjervet.Price Registration is NOK750 (£80). The ride is point-to-point, so organised transportation back to Bergen is available for an extra NOK300 (£32). Contact bergenck.no

hink of Norway and sooner or later you will think of Vikings. Long

of sword and big of beard, they rampaged across 10th

century Europe, invading, pillaging and plundering, their impact on language and culture (and indeed

on current episodic television) cannot be overestimated. However, here in the

country of their origin things have changed for the modern day Norwegian,

particularly the ones lined up at the start of the Bergen-Voss sportive. The horned iron helmets have been replaced by expanded polystyrene lids, the rampaging is done on expensive carbon bikes, and the flaggons of mead have given way to hydration backpacks. (That’s right, the mountain biker’s water carrier of choice can be seen here on the backs of countless Scandic road riders – someone call the Velominati!)

Bergen-Voss is an annual 100-mile sportive that runs from the main town in the west of the country along the coast and up over mountains to the town of Voss. The event (taking place for the 38th time in 2014) regularly sees up to 5,500 riders taking part, making it a big deal for both towns and, if the turn out of spectators along the route is anything to go by, a big deal for the whole region too. A sportive of this size needs the organisational discipline of a small army,

Previous page: Riders cross the Fyksesund Bridge near the midway point of the Bergen-Voss sportive

Below: Bergen makes for a beautiful (if rather expensive) starting point for the event

P

164 cyclist

Sportive b Bergen-Voss

and it’s to the credit of event organiser Nils Olaf Solberg and his team that everything from registration, the route, the food stations and the support are meticulously planned out. Then again, Norwegians are known for their efficiency almost as much as their long boats.

Despite the popular view of Norway being a wintery nation, the weather for this sportive is normally pretty good and the pictures on the event website show scores of happy riders enjoying stunning views in glorious sunshine. And, as Nils informs me, it was indeed hot and sunny the day before I arrived, but unfortunately some unseasonal wet weather has now swept in from the west and created the double whammy of cold, wet conditions on bone-dry roads – not a brilliant combination, and hardly conducive to appreciating the impressive landscape.

Inspecting NorseDue to the sheer number of riders taking part, the first group sets off at 5.30am, which means the party atmosphere is in full swing in the centre of Bergen by the time I get to the start ready for my 7.30 getaway. The noise is a bit much for this time of the morning to be honest, so I warm up by doing loops around the local streets, then join the queue for my depart.

The route begins by heading south through the neighbourhood of Nesttun and its partially cobbled streets give us all a mini Paris-Roubaix experience. I’ve been seconded to a local team who have ambitions for a fast time today, but the unfamiliar roads (for me) and torrential rain have me erring on the side of caution, and after a

while I decide not to risk holding them up, so drop off the back of the group. Still, at least now I can take in the scenery rather than trying to hang onto the back wheel of someone on a mission to smash the course record.

I soon find a group of similar ability and join its dozen-strong chain as we head north towards Indre Arna. As the road starts to ramp up the rain comes down harder and I soon find myself making way for an ambulance along the narrow roads, its siren wailing and lights flashing. The roads are very tight and the only thing between me and a vertigo-inducing drop to my left is a flimsy waist-height railing. I make a concerted effort to stick to the opposite side of the road.

On the other side of the climb the number of wardens on the road increases and despite the

Above left: The poor conditions can’t dampen the patriotic enthusiasm of some supporters…

Above right: …but it can obscure the view of the mountains that line the edges of Norway’s many fjords

‘The road is tight and the only thing between me and a vertigo-inducing drop is a flimsy railing’

language barrier their message to slow down is clear and emphatic. The ambulance I saw earlier is parked up by the side of the road, doors open but as I pass there’s no sign of any crash, just riders and police milling around. Any curiosity about the scene is forgotten as the pace once again picks up on the fast descent down to the first fjord of the day, Sørfjorden.

Everything is big in Norway. The sheer cliffs around this vast body of water are stunning, only the dismal weather has conspired to take the edge off of the spectacle. I try to squint through the rain to take in the view, but need to focus on the route ahead in order to navigate the treacherous roads as I head eastwards towards Trengereid. It’s here that I hit the first of the day’s three big climbs, Trengereidsvingene, rising up to my right at what feels like a solid 10%.

In the gloom, the riders around me resemble space ships coming out of hyperspace, dropping from fast to barely moving. For the first time today I find myself overtaking groups of riders rather than individuals, the sheer size of many Norwegians being a distinct disadvantage to climbing such tight hairpin roads. Before my new-found confidence can be translated into Nibali-style devil-may-care descending I’m

P

P

cyclist 167166 cyclist

Bergen-Voss b Sportive

reminded of the glass-like surface conditions when a rider I’ve been drafting loses traction on a left-hand bend and slides unceremoniously down the road on his backside while I narrowly miss his spinning bike. I’m almost glad to see the brief climb up the charmingly named Golden Mountain (Gullfjellet) to Gullbotn and the first food station – if only because it slows me down.

While I’m sure Norway is a very beautiful country, I’m barely seeing any of it, as the bad conditions and need to keep my eyes fixed on the road ahead means there’s scant opportunity for sight-seeing. We’re approximately 50km in, and the rain hasn’t shown any sign of abating. I’m about to find out there’s shelter ahead, but not the type any rider would particularly enjoy.

Into the darkNorway has more than 900 road tunnels, with a total length exceeding 750km. This means one of the prerequisites of riding the Bergen-Voss sportive is having a set of working lights on your bike – without them you can’t start – because some of these tunnels are very long and very, very dark. The first ones I encounter are fine. As I speed alongside the Samnanger fjord with its fish farms stretching along the base of the cliffs, the tunnels carved into the mountainside are short enough to see the light at the end as you enter them. However once I get over the big climb up to the mountain of Kvamskogen and start the descent down the Tokagjel gorge they

A break in the mist merely serves to show

the peloton just how much climbing they

still have to doAt 177cm tall and weighing in at 80kg, I like to think of myself as compact, which is probably why I got on with the TCR’s equally compact frame.

It’s definitely a bike for racing: the aero-profile seat tube hugs the rear wheel to minimise drag, while the relatively long top tube places the rider in a fairly aggressive riding

position. And of course the tight frame geometry makes it stiff and reactive. The gearing set-up on this model was more suited to fast flats, but I didn’t struggle too much on the hills thanks to the bike’s overall lightness. On the descents, the handling remained poised in the wet. It’s one for the sportive rider who likes to spend time in the drops.

The rider’s ride2013 Giant TCR Advanced 1, £2,499, giant-bicycles.com

P

P

168 cyclist

Sportive b Bergen-Voss

start to get longer and the pleasure of being out of the rain is outweighed by having to negotiate the gap between a cold rock wall and the side of a passing coach. In the dark. Uphill. It’s a nerve-shredder, and once I leave the fourth such tunnel I almost look forward to the familiar fjord-side roads with their reassuring sheer drops and low concrete barriers.

I pick up speed again along the Hardanger fjord eastwards, passing through Øystese, crossing the Fyksesund bridge, which is so awe-inspiring I briefly consider stopping to take some photos. Instead I ride on, mood buoyed by the fact the rain has stopped and the sun is doing its best to put in an appearance. One more food stop at the ferry port of Kvanndal and then onto the mountains that run alongside Granvin fjord, before the final big climb of the day, the Skjervet.

The sun is making its presence felt now and all my layers are unzipped and flapping in the breeze. For the first time today the beauty of Norway opens itself to me, and as I skirt the amazing Skjervsfossen waterfall I can see sights that the earlier inclement weather robbed me of: the rocky yet verdant landscape and the glass-like water of the fjords far below.

On the last 10km downhill into Voss I go down on the drops for what feels like the first time today and time-trial my way towards the finish line. Despite the fatigue brought on by the previous 160km, I hit my top speed of the day and gain a glimpse of what the rest of the ride

Left: Spray from the mighty Skjervsfossen waterfall is unlikely to bother the riders on this particular ride

Below: Bike lights are a prerequisite at the Bergen-Voss owing to the large number of tunnels along the route

P

P ‘Norway has more than 900 road tunnels, with a total length exceeding 750km. Lights are a must’

cyclist 171

Bergen-Voss b Sportive

AccommodAtion Bergen is Norway’s second biggest city and, as they say, the gateway to the fjords, so there are plenty of hotels to choose from. However, as with most things Scandic, anything more than your basic hotel is eye-wateringly expensive. Which means the Scandic Bergen City at 1012NOK (£106) a night for a twin room with breakfast is pretty good value. Be warned though, you’ll be staying in a city centre hotel on a weekend so bring some earplugs. We found a bloke passed out by the lift on our floor when leaving for the race.

Food And drinkAccording to TripAdvisor, Norway is the most expensive place on earth. My post-race pint cost me nearly £7 and as for food I did what every self-respecting tourist on a budget would do: totally rinsed the hotel’s breakfast buffet. For the rest of the time I ate pasties and pizzas from the convenience stores. Should you wish to sit down to a meal, you might be in for a shock when the bill arrives. trAvelFlights to Bergen from London with Easyjet (easyjet.com) in May start from around £40, while flights with British Airways (britishairways.com) will start from about £60. thAnks Many thanks to Nils Linn Kjos Falkenberg of Visit Bergen for arranging the accommodation, Nils Olaf Solberg and Tom Bjørnset for the race entry and for getting us around. Also thanks to Fisher Outdoor (fisheroutdoor.co.uk) for providing the very warm and waterproof Santini kit and to Giant for the loan of their very light and fast bike.

how we got there Follow in our wheel tracks…

chatting to a local sitting opposite, whose English is almost as good as mine. He tells me he’s ridden every edition of this race (37 in total) and this was the busiest it’s ever been. He also says that the weather was particularly bad this year, so it would seem I was unlucky – just the excuse I need to come and ride it again.

After picking up my commemorative T-shirt and medal I see Nils and go to congratulate him on a well-executed event. He is – understandably in light of what he goes on to tell me – in a solemn mood. Earlier in the day a 48-year-old Norwegian who was riding with friends was killed after leaving the road and falling 130 feet into a ravine.

Despite this being the only death from an accident in the race’s history, as the news spreads among the finishers it obviously leaves a cloud hanging over the event (it’s only later when I watch the news reports that I realise the accident happened at the spot near Indre Arna where I’d seen the ambulance).

Immediately I’m hit by strangely conflicting feelings: sadness at a fellow rider’s untimely death, but relief that it wasn’t me; anger that this can be allowed to happen, but pity for the organisers who have to deal with it. It throws up questions about cycling and why we do it, but I’m not going to try and answer those now. I just know that I won’t be stopping any time soon. Wesley Doyle is a freelance writer who believes he may just be the reincarnation of Norse god Freyr – the bringer of rain

‘For the first time today the beauty of Norway opens itself to me and it takes my breath away’

Above: The pack tackles the final major obstacle of the day – the Skjervet climb near Voss

]

could have been like if the rain had held off. It has been a day of caution rather than carefree abandon, and it feels good to let rip for a while, although my bravado almost gets the better of me in Voss when a car that I can only presume has taken a wrong turn appears right in front of the finish line. So rather than a celebratory fist in the air I find myself braking and skidding over the line. Still, at this point nothing can take the shine off my achievement: 100 miles in ropey conditions in just over six hours – I’ll take that.

Food for thoughtOnce over the finish I follow other weary riders to a nearby sports centre. I take a hot shower and then avail myself of a bowl of hearty Norwegian stew with bread and tea. I find a place at one of the long tables set up in the gymnasium and get

P

172 cyclist

Sportive b Bergen-Voss