UK Cyclo Sportives
2007-03-10 08:03 AM | Posted by Tejvan Pettinger | Permanent Link | Cycling UK, Cyclo Sportives
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In recent years cyclo sportives have been one of the fastest growing branches of cycling. They are not races but provide a challenge for all different kinds of cyclists. Generally they involve covering a set distance in a certain time period. There is usually a recommended time limit which is fairly generous. It is then upto the individual cyclists how fast they would like to ride. It can be ridden in a semi - competitive spirit if you wish; often the leading group will be quite fast. But equally cyclo sportives can be enjoyed as a leisure ride. Cyclo sportives have done more than anything else to combine the racing fraternity with the leisure rider.
The length of cyclo Sportives can vary tremendously from short 40 mile to a full length of a tour de france stage (120miles +) the Etape du Tour. It is advisable to not bite off more than you can manage. If you want to do a 120 mile sportive it is advisable to have ridden at least a 70 or 80 mile ride before stepping upto 120 miles.
For more information on UK cyclo Sportives visit: Cyclo Sport - home of UK Cyclo Sportives
Selected UK Cyclo Sportives 2007
Note due to there popularity many of these sportives fill up quickly. Therefore it is worth applying in advance. Don’t worry if you can’t get into the most popular there are plenty of others.
Etape du Dales. May 20
110 Miles. Over the beautiful and hilly Yorkshire dales countryside this is not a sportive for the beginner. The steepness of some of the hills make this the equivalent of about 150miles of flat riding.
Pain in the Pennines June 17
60 to 105 miles.
The name says it all. If you enjoy hills this is one for your.
Tour of the Black Mountains
The Tour of France in Kent July 28
117 miles from London to Cantebury following stage 1 of the Tour de Frances.
Bealach – na – Ba Challenge Septemeber 1
114 miles in the Welsh mountain range, as part of the Abergavenny Cycling Festival
Tour of the Cotswolds
70-110 miles. In aid of the Dave Rayner fund. I did this one a couple of years ago. Tour Of Cotswolds
If you wish to advertise a cyclo sportive on this blog contact Richard and I shall add a blog entry and link.
