Vätternrundan 2024
6 October 2024
Steve Ball
So... what next?
After every special bike ride, there is always the inevitable question, 'What next?', and so it was after I spent a wonderful week with friends bikepacking in the Outer Hebrides in 2022. Amongst a flurry of suggestions, one was from a friend who now lives in a town called Hjo in Sweden. She’d sent a photo of a huge cycling event on the roads around her hometown. This was Vätternrundan. Vättern is the second largest lake in Sweden, and the sixth largest in Europe. Vätternrundan is an annual sportive which follows a natural line around the lake, starting in the town of Mötala on its eastern shore.
Our issue was that Vätternrundan is a 315km one day ride and well beyond any of our capabilities at the time, and so it was quickly put to one side in the list of possibilities and eventually forgotten about.
Fast forward just over one year, and I’d done some longer rides, had just completed my first Dunwich Dynamo with Horsham Cycling and was asking myself the same question 'What next?'. This time Vätternrundan seemed the perfect fit. The ups and downs per mile seemed to be about the same as on Dunwich Dynamo, the roads in Sweden are even smoother and it’s a bit longer. I decided to try to get a place.
After creating an account, the next step was registration which began at 7pm CET on 25th October. The registration process required me to apply for 5 different start times. The first start possible was on the Friday evening at 19:30, then every 2 minutes until about 06:00 on Saturday morning. I made my choices and the next day got confirmation that I’d been allocated 04:46 on the Saturday morning, gulp! I had a week to pay 1,650 Kroner and then I was committed. 8 months to go.
Training should have started shortly after registration, however I had shoulder surgery at the end of November and all outdoor cycling had to stop. Three days after the operation I started Zwifting on a bike with inverted handlebars and my left arm in a sling. I managed quite a few one/two hour rides on Zwift, but couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to do anything longer. I knew that I needed to do longer rides, but it just wasn’t possible. It was a long winter.
Finally, in late February I got the all-clear from the surgeon to go out on the roads once again. His parting words were, 'just don’t fall off'. With that in mind I immediately signed up for a Social 2 ride on the 25th. 4 months to go.
That first ride back with the club went well, it was almost 40 miles and went up Box Hill, so thereafter I worked on building up my distances. As well as regular club rides I did a few longer ones of 66 miles, 53 miles, 56 miles, and 67 miles. Then a few HC riders proposed the Surrey Hills Classic in May, so I signed up and added that to the training plan too. It was 75 miles, hilly and very good preparation.
With one month to go my biggest question or concern was would I last the distance? I still hadn’t done one single 100 miler since the operation and Vätternrundan is almost double that. In that final month I managed two century rides and reasoned that I could do no more.
The journey went well. After flying Heathrow-Gothenburg, bike safely packed, I got a hire car in Gothenburg and drove to Mötala. I stopped half-way in the tourist town of Granna to buy some Polkagris (the Swedish equivalent of Blackpool rock), for which the town is apparently famous.
I also checked out the cobbled street in Granna up which I knew I’d be riding in a few days time. Reassuringly, the Swedish cobbles are way smoother than Carfax.
The campsite I’d booked was well signposted, easy to find, and very picturesque; however, being by the lake shore and in a forested area it proved to be infested with mosquitos. I soon realized that my first mistake had been to forget to pack some vital supplies: citronella candles to deter the mosquitos, and anti-histamine cream to help with the itching after they bite.
My neighbour at the campsite, Jens from Denmark was a treasure trove of good information. He was also doing Vätternrundan alone. He had been successful and had got his preferred start time of 19:30, he was aiming for an average of 30 kph. Jens kept me updated with the weather forecast, specifically the wind direction, wind speed and rain. It looked like he was going to have no wind for the first half and a tail wind for the 2nd half, whereas I’d have side winds and a head wind to finish. Oh well!
The day before the big ride I had to go into town to pick up a start number bib and timing chip. I also wanted to do an easy 1-hour ride, just to loosen up after not doing anything all week beforehand (my version of tapering). This is when I found what could be a big problem. My bike was stuck in the biggest gear on the rear cassette and the smallest chainring. The electronic gear shifting would not work and no matter how furiously I pedalled the top speed was about 7 mph. I knew there were many large component manufacturers in the temporary bike village in town so hoped I could get it fixed there.
I eventually discovered that the CR2032 batteries in the handlebar shifters were both flat. Perhaps they didn’t survive the cold temperature in the luggage hold on the flight from Heathrow. Thankfully there was an electronic accessory shop in one of the shopping malls and after installing new batteries my gear shifting was back to normal.
I’d also forgotten to bring any bidons. However, there were plenty for sale in the Stadium tent in the bike village. I hadn’t packed any CO2 canisters because I’d been warned you shouldn’t take them on the plane; I hoped to find some in Sweden but couldn’t find them anywhere. I’d just have to use my trusty pump if I got a flat.
Just before I’d left to go to town to register, Jens had given me one final weather update and told me that rain and even stronger headwinds were predicted in Motala at 6 pm on the day of the event. I’d calculated that I’d be finishing at about 8 pm so decided to pay an extra £15 for a start time 2 hours earlier, at 02:44 AM.
Once all the shopping was complete it was just a matter of doing my small ride and eating as much as possible for the remainder of the day before getting an early night ready to wake up at 01:45 and ride into town for the start.
Starting Vätternrundan. Mötala, 15th June 2024, 02:44am.
The start comprised 3 parallel pens, each with an electronic sign above displaying the start time. Start times were 2 minutes apart, with a maximum of 50 riders in each start pen. With a mixture of excitement and dread I made my way into the pen with 02:44 displayed above. A commentator’s voice was jabbering away on the loudspeaker and although it was in Swedish I could tell it was a countdown. 3-2-1 and we were off.
For the first few kilometers the pace was set by a motorcycle at the front. However, I’d planned on drafting as much as possible so didn’t make my way to the front and never saw the motorbike.
Although fully aware that the biggest mistake would be to go too fast too soon, that’s exactly what I did. Even when safely tucked in near the rear of large groups I couldn’t settle, perhaps one group seemed to slow down for no apparent reason, or maybe they were moving from side to side in a way that I wasn’t used to. Whenever I became frustrated with it, I passed them and tried to catch up with the next group up the road. As soon as I became alone in clear air, I instantly regretted it. That cycle repeated itself a few times. Dawn broke at about 03:30, and after another hour I arrived at the first stop at Ödeshög at 04:35. (30 miles / 1 hr 51 minutes).
The fuel stations all served identical stuff. Brioche bread rolls, gherkins and chopped bananas to eat. Water, Enervit and coffee to drink. However the layout was different and not everything was easy to find. There were also masseurs and mechanics in case of problems. Fortunately, I needed neither.
There was none of the type of stuff we get on UK sportives: no jelly babies or Haribos, no energy gels, and no sports bars so I was very glad I’d packed my back pockets with some sport bars and gel sachets. A few kilometers down the road from each feed station was a designated zone about 50 metres long where you could throw away any wrappers. Brilliant, if like me you don’t like sticky, opened gel packets leaking into your pockets.
Soon I was in Granna but this time it was too early for the Polkagris shops. The cobbled hill wasn’t at all bad, I could hold my speed and made good progress to the city of Jönköping (70 miles / 4 ½ hours). I was looking forward to the breakfast of typical Swedish fare at the feed station : meatballs and mashed potatoes. I couldn’t muster up much enthusiasm for the carton of milk to wash it down with though. I’d still got plenty of energy drink in my bidons so had some of that instead.
Since leaving Mötala I’d been heading south. Jönköping was as far as it went in that direction and from here the route went back north. This is where I’d expecting to pick up a tailwind, but it just wasn’t there. The hills on this side seemed a little longer, and also the road surface wasn’t as good as on the eastern side of the lake. Things got slower. I found that I was no longer able to keep up with most of the groups and was mainly on my own. There was a huge sigh of relief when an unexpected rest stop in Fagerhult came into view. I had a few brioche rolls, a coffee and topped up my bottles, then after a quick foot massage and a few stretches I was on the road once more. The change was stark, suddenly I could keep up again and the ride into Hjo was a blast. (100 miles / 8 hours and past halfway).
Lakeside. Just before arriving in Hjo.
I’d arrived at Hjo at 10:44 and it was the second chance of a good meal, Lasagne. However the queue was long and I didn’t want to feel as heavy as I did after the meatballs earlier so I stuck with brioche rolls and coffee. I was told later that I’d made a big mistake and that the Lasagne was much better than the meatballs.
Just after leaving Karlsborg. 12:55pm. Starting to struggle.
At the northern end of the lake, we had a stop at the town of Askersund (160 miles / 12 ½ hrs). I had a coffee, as well as banana and brioche roll. Back on the road, even though this was probably the most hilly section of the ride, I was doing OK. Keeping up with people and sometimes even managing to catch a tow. I’d realized that although I’d religiously stuck to my carbohydrate fuelling plan, it was caffeine that really made the difference. If I missed coffee, like I did in Jönköping and Karlsborg, then I struggled.
15:40 (20 minutes after leaving Askersund). Settled in a nice group.
17:20. Lurking at the back of quite a fast group just before Bona.
At the penultimate stop in Bona (~180 miles, 14 1/2hrs) I made sure I got a coffee. My feet were starting to hurt here, so I sat on a wooden bench, removed my shoes and gave my toes a good massage. After that I tightened my shoes as much as I could and embarked on the final stretch.
The last run into Mötala was where it nearly all went horribly wrong. After dropping down from the forested hills, the route turned left followed a dual carriageway into town. The slowest cyclists stayed on the hard shoulder, faster groups were now constantly passing in the right hand lane, and the left lane was kept free for cars. There were many of us who were neither the slowest cyclists, nor in a fast group. For us, it was necessary to keep switching from the hard shoulder to the right lane. At one point there was almost a pile up when one of the slower cyclists came to a stop and the rest of us couldn’t move out of the way because of faster peletons passing on our left.
Fortunately there was no more trouble and I arrived back in Motala and crossed the finish line at 18:05. Jens’ weather forecast had been perfect. A few spots of rain started to fall as I turned left onto the barriered finishing straight, and by the time I was presented with a medal, given a can of beer and joined the crowds in the finish area people were opening umbrellas. I darted into the shelter of a particularly large tree, sat down on the still dry grass and enjoyed the beer, even though it was alcohol free.
The finish line. 315 km 18:05
I’d completed the ride with a total time of 15 hrs 20 minutes for the 195 miles. The total moving time was just over 12 hrs and my Strava average was 16.0 mph. Now I’ve never done a 200 mile ride before, and the campsite was 2 ½ miles away on cycle paths. The question was, do I keep the Garmin recording, cycle to the campsite plus a bit more and log a 200 mile ride, or do I just settle for the 195 miles and 16.0 mph average? I decided I wanted the average speed more than the distance, so the ride back to the campsite was recorded separately at a very relaxed pace.
The route (each marker is 5 miles).
The attrition rate was 5.1%:
13,966 riders started off from Mötala.
13,553 made it to the halfway point at Hjo.
13,253 finished back in Mötala.
There is a law / rule that no one should drive for at least 6 hours after finishing Vätternrundan. It’s a rule I was neither willing nor capable of breaking. Instead, I had a long sleep, a late breakfast, a good shower, de-camped, disassembled the bike and packed it in the bag and finally started the drive to Hjo to visit and say thank you to the friend who’d first made me aware of such a fantastic cycling event.