** The 2011 Sportive Thread **

Russinating

Russinating

Russinating

Soldato
Joined
27 Dec 2005
Posts
17,315
Location
Bristol
Sportives are long distance, organised, mass-participation cycling events typically held annually. Sportives are the cycling cousin of running’s marathon: as with the 42 kilometer (26 mile) event, rather than racing other participants, sportives see many cyclists use the event to challenge themselves in a personal battle against the distance and then ultimately, the clock. More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclosportive

Please post any and all rides you're doing this year :).

I've just signed up to my first ever sportive so I thought it might be useful to have a separate thread for this season's rides rather than posts getting lost in the other two big ones. I'll also try and update the OP with rides any OcUKers are doing so you can see if there's anyone to tag along with.

You can find a good list on sportives in your area/nationally at http://www.cyclosport.org/events.aspx. This week's issue of Cycling Weekly also has a good list of 267 events which I may scan in at a later date.

Anyway, I'll kick us off.

--

Feb
27 Feb - Ride to the Pies (57 mile - Blandford Forum, Dorset)
[DOD]Asprilla - Booked

March

April
3 April - The Fight in the Forest
Russinating - Booked (50m Route)

10 April - Lakeland Loop
Sagalout - Booked

17 April - Scotton 100km
Sagalout - Booked

17 April - Wiggle Super Series 'New Forest Spring Sportive'
Russinating - Maybe

May
1 May - Wiggle Super Series Ups and Downs
[DOD]Asprilla - Maybe

15 May - Etape Du Dales
Sagalout - Booked

28 May - Richmond 5 Dales
Sagalout - Booked

22 May - Bristol Black Cat Challenge
Russinating - Maybe (100km)

28 May - Tour of Wessex
Russinating - Maybe (Stage 1, 76m)

June
5 June - Wiggle Dragon Ride
[DOD]Asprilla - Booked

12 June - Wiggle MagnifiCat
SDK^ - Booked

25 June - Northern Rock Cyclone Challenge
InsomniaCalls - Booked
The Mad Rapper - Booked

July
16/17 July - Dunwich Dynamo
oddjob62 - Maybe

August
18 August - Le Tour des Grandes Alpes
The Mad Rapper - Booked

28 August - Great North Bike Ride
InsomniaCalls - Maybe
The Mad Rapper - Booked

September
17 September - Surrey Legs of Steel
[DOD]Asprilla - Maybe

October

--

I'd love to do some more rides but dubious about doing them solo which may be a common feeling, so hopefully this might open up some opportunities. And even if abilities are different, there's nothing wrong with meeting over an ice cold pint at the end ;).
 
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Had a look and there is actually 1 event starting less than 5 miles from my front door.... The rest are 50+ miles away
 
Just checked the map and the route literally goes past my front door (I live about 50 yards from the main road it uses)
 
Not technically a sportive, but i'll probably be doing the Dunwich Dynamo again this year. Now I have to decide if I am able to do it fixed again.
 
5th June - Verenti Dragon Ride (200km Grand Fondo Route)

Want to do the Surrey Legs of Steel (provisional date 17th Sept) but I might be on holiday.

Also looking at the Wiggle Ups and Downs on May 1st but not signed up yet.
 
Updated OP :).

PS. I live in Bristol, girlfriend lives in Hampshire and dad (who's also into cycling) lives in the West Midlands so personally I'm interested in any rides around those three areas.
 
Signed up for these:

10th April 2011
Lakeland Loop - http://www.epicevents.org/section.php/14/1/lakeland-loop-cyclosportive--april-10th-2011
Did this last year and found it surprisingly hard, mostly because I underestimated the training I needed to do. About 7000ft of climbing in 69 miles, including Hardknott Pass, that is simply the most brutal climb I've ever done on a bike. Ridiculous at 33%.

17th April 2011
Scotton 100km - http://www.cliftoncc.org/challen/scotton_100
Not done this before but it sounds like a mini Paris Roubaix, with a mix of road and tracks. A good early season warm up :)

15th May 2011
Etape Du Dales - http://www.etapedudales.co.uk
Again, did this last year. Very tough ride, 112 miles with almost 11,000 ft of climbing

28th May 2011
Richmond 5 Dales - http://www.cyclosport.org/eventdetails.aspx?eventid=1048
Not done this before but many say its one of the best sportives in the country, so looking forward to it, and should be in decent form after the etape du dales :)
 
Looks like The Mad Rapper and Insomnia should make friends :p.

If everyone could post any rides they're doing in the same format as the OP it'll make it much easier for me to add them :). ie:

Date - Sportive Name (link to site if there is one)
Your name - Booked/Maybe
 
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