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welcome
A big Human Race welcome to the first ever Dragon Tour! Having had over a decade of success with
the now infamous Dragon Ride, we have finally turned our attentions to expanding what South
Wales has to offer, in order to bring you intrepid few the Tour. Two contrasting days of cycling
topped off with the Wiggle Dragon Ride itself will test you all to the maximum and we are very
grateful that you have joined us for this new adventure.
For us, the Dragon Tour is about camaraderie, experience and enjoyment. We strongly believe that
it will foster new cycling relationships, provide some stunning scenery and leave you all with a huge
sense of achievement. Being a first year concept, we will hugely value your feedback once you are
done and dusted with riding. Please come and find us over the course of the rides to let us know if
you have any questions or input.
We wish you all an enjoyable and safe three days of riding, look after yourselves and each other
and pat yourself on the back for being the pioneers of what we hope will grow to become a
legendary experience.
Rob Hillman
Event Director
background
The dedicated Wiggle Dragon Ride event information pack contains
the bulk of the information you will need to know about the last of
your three days of riding. If you haven’t already received this via email
and read through it, click here to download it. It can also be found on
the Wiggle Dragon Ride event webpage.
The following pages will explain the first two days on Friday 5th & Saturday 6th June as well as giving
you some added info regarding the main Wiggle Dragon Ride on Sunday 7th June.
If you do have queries, please get in touch with our Customer Services team:
Phone: 020 8391 3913
Email: [email protected].
Start/finish
For Friday 5th & Saturday 6th June (Days 1 & 2), we will be starting and finishing your ride at Liberty
Stadium, home of Swansea City FC and the Ospreys Rugby. There is ample parking at the stadium
but we do ask that you do not leave your vehicle there overnight.
At the Stadium, there will be a Help Desk for any queries you may have about any element of the
Tour or the Ride, catering facilities, toilets, medical assistance (this will be only during the finish),
massage providers and mechanics.
We will brief you prior to departure on each day so that you are aware of any changes, aware of
safety instructions and other relevant information.
directions
If you are travelling directly to the Stadium and using a sat nav, please enter the postcode: SA1 2FA
Take the M4 towards Swansea.
Leave M4 at Junction 45.
Keep in left hand lane and take A4067 towards the City Centre.
Follow the signs for Stadium for approx. 6 miles and then the Stadium will appear on your left hand side.
Entrance to the Stadium car park is at the entrance to the Morfa Retail Park. Follow road around past Frankie &
Benny's Restaurant and take first left and then follow the event parking instructions.
Take the M4 towards Swansea.
Leave M4 at Junction 45.
Follow signs for A4067 towards the City Centre.
Follow the signs for Stadium for approx. 6 miles and then the Stadium will appear on your left hand side.
Entrance to the Stadium car park is at the entrance to the Morfa Retail Park. Follow road around past Frankie &
Benny's Restaurant and take first left and then follow the event parking instructions.
What to bring
BIKE: Please make sure it is in good condition. There will be mechanical support for Dragon Tour Riders, but we
would advise making sure your bike is in tip top condition prior to arriving at the event.
HELMET: Helmets are compulsory and MUST be worn at all times during the event.
DRINKS BOTTLES & REFRESHMENTS: You will be able to replenish at the Feed Stations but ensure you start out
with full drinks bottles.
BIKE REPAIR KIT: Your bike repair kit - spare inner tubes, pump, puncture repair kit including tyre levers, multitool, chain tool, chain pin etc.
CLOTHING: Conditions can vary greatly across the route, please ensure you bring wet weather gear, sun screen,
mobile phone, money and some form of identification.
EVERYTHING IN YOUR EVENT PACK (for details see next page).
Event packs
You will be posted two event packs, one for the Dragon Tour and one for the Wiggle Dragon Ride (unless you are
an overseas rider – see below).
Your Dragon Tour pack will contain one set of bike/rider numbers and one timing chip. These will be what you
need for Friday 5th & Saturday 6th June and you will be issued with a totally separate pack for the Wiggle
Dragon Ride for Sunday 7th June. In the event that anything is lost/damaged during the first day’s riding, come
and find us at the Help Desk at the Liberty Stadium and we can issue you with a replacement.
Your Dragon Tour pack will contain one timing chip which you need to affix to your helmet as per the
instructions included and this will be used for both Days 1 & 2.
At the end of Saturday’s riding, you will need to replace your numbers and timing chip with your Dragon Ride
versions from the separate event pack as that event number and coloured card will denote which distance you
are riding on Sunday 7th June.
Riders from Overseas:
If you are a rider who has entered the Tour with a registered address that is outside of the UK, you will be
required to pick up your event pack from the Help Desk at the Liberty Stadium on the first day of the Tour (Friday
5th June).
Day 1
Friday 5th june
The start time for all riders is 9.30am. Head to helpdesk on arrival to collect your goody bag, which will contain
your exclusive Dragon Ride Cycling Cap and Zipvit Sport nutrition products.
The 61 mile/98 km route heads south from Liberty Stadium through Swansea towards the sea and along
Swansea Bay to Mumbles. The first climb of the day is a short sharp burst at 12.5km ascending away from
Mumbles Head. Following that, the route heads to Caswell where there is a steep descent and then equally
sharp climb away from Caswell Bay. The route then heads west along the Gower Peninsula, dropping down from
the main roads towards Oxwich Bay where the roads narrow appreciably. The climb away from Oxwich at 32km
will give you fantastic views (weather permitting) back down to Oxwich Bay. Following that, the route heads to
Rhossili where the feed station is based at 44km. The feed station is based adjacent to The Causeway café who
will kindly be providing hot food and drinks as well as there being provisions of energy products and other sweet
and savoury treats as well toilets and medical assistance.
Climbing back out of Rhosilli on the same road you descended, the route heads north along the country lanes
through Burry & Burry Green and then east to Cheriton and Llandimore. We then zig-zag across the Gower
Peninsula encountering a variety of vistas and terrain before the final section of the day takes us back through
Swansea to the Liberty Stadium. The two biggest climbs of the day come at 65km just after Reynoldston and at
82km before Three Crosses.
A GPX file of the route can be found in the Event Information Pack & Maps section here.
Day 2
Sat 6th june
The start time for all riders is 9.30am.
The 58 mile/93 km route is very different to the first day of riding as we head north in to the edge of the Brecon
Beacons National Park. This is true Dragon Ride country and you will see more of the stunning Park throughout the
main Ride. Heading east out of Swansea to Skewen and then north from there through Birchgrove and Glais, the
opening section of the route then climbs up out of Vardre on some fairly steep and narrow roads. The descent from
the summit needs careful attention so please ride slowly and safely. Heading north again for the first of the day’s
signature climbs, the Black Mountain (you will approach this from the opposite direction in the Dragon Ride)
through Brynamman and up to the summit where there are spectacular views to ease the pain. During the descent
we turn left on to the minor roads down to the feed station at 39km. Here you will be in Oatopia who are kindly
providing flapjacks, coffees and plenty of other provisions to keen you going!
Leaving the feed station behind you, the route winds through country lanes with a series of short sharp climbs to
the most northerly point of the day’s riding at Ffairfach. Throughout this section there are a number of brilliant
views of Carreg Cennen Castle in the distance (weather permitting!). Continuing south to Ammanford, we then take
on the second signature climb of the day up Betws Mountain at 65km. The first section is a steep incline developing
into a long, rolling climb between the wind turbines. It is truly stunning but hard going.
Up and over the summit and then heading due south towards Swansea, we wiggle round the lanes and then back to
the Liberty Stadium to finish. A GPX file of the route can be found in the Event Information Pack & Maps section
here.
signage
From start to finish there will be signage marking the route. Signs will also indicate when you are approaching a
feed station, junctions and hazards. Additionally, there will be ‘Caution’, ‘Junction Approaching’, ‘Slow’, ‘Cattle Grid
Approaching’ and other warning signage along the route. Please observe these, they are there for your safety and
to warn you of what is approaching on the Highway.
Please observe all Highways signage relating to descents, bends
and other hazards.
The way finding signage you will follow will be white arrows
on a red background.
Important info
In the event of an emergency or problem during the event please contact Event Control based at Liberty Stadium on
either of the numbers below.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS: 07919 958 135 or 07999 083 525
SWEEP VEHICLES: We will have a fleet of vehicles out on the route to help you out with any issues and to pick you
and your bike up should you not wish to carry on.
We would ask you to please be patient with this service as, depending on your position on the course, others
requiring picking up too, and the distance involved, it may take a while to get you back to Liberty Stadium.
MEDICAL: There will be a medical presence at Liberty Stadium, at each Feed Station and all along the routes.
MECHANICS: We will have bike mechanics in the event village and out on the route.
Day 3
Sunday 7th june
We then move to Margam Park for the last leg of your journey, the Wiggle Dragon Ride. You will all have selected
different distances but will start in the opening waves of each distance giving you the chance to ride with your
fellow tourists.
Please ensure you swap all your event numbers and timing chips to the ones given to you for the Wiggle Dragon
Ride itself and that you thoroughly read the event information so that you know what is required in terms of start
times and other instructions.
Margam Park is approximately a 30 minute drive from Swansea City Centre.
Other info
Human Race, organisers of the Dragon Tour, reserve the right to terminate participation on health and safety
grounds. This includes the re-direction or closure of sections of the route due to events outside our control or in
the event of severe weather conditions or traffic incidents.
Mobile phone reception can be poor on some sections of the route. If you are unable to get a signal for assistance
please ask a fellow rider to relay your message when further along the route or wait for a Motorcycle Marshal or
Route Vehicle to assist you.
Please support your fellow riders around the route and back at the finish when you have completed your ride.
Good luck!
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT CHALLENGE?
Once you’ve conquered the Dragon Tour, you’ll need another
event to test your legs. The official Tour de France London Legacy
Sportive will take place on the 27th September from the Olympic
venue, Lee Valley VeloPark. The route takes in much of Stage 3 of
the 2014 Tour de France. Click here for more information and to
enter!