UK Sportives - What are good ones?

coastwatch · 04-12-2011 5:52pm #1

I'm thinking about doing one of the big UK sportives next, just not sure which one to go for, or if it's even worth the (expense) journey. The Dragon Ride and the Fred Whitton Challenge seem to be really popular, the dragon ride sold out in 11 hours last year. It's on june 10th 2012, same day as W200, so decisions decisions..

Has anybody here done either of these or maybe other good ones in the UK?
How would they compare with the W200 or similar here?

Thanks

feck sake lads · 04-12-2011 6:17pm

theres one in Scotland thats on closed roads few of the drogheda wheelers lads done it a few years back said it was great.

jiffybag · 04-12-2011 6:39pm

feck sake lads wrote: »

theres one in Scotland thats on closed roads few of the drogheda wheelers lads done it a few years back said it was great.

http://etapecaledonia.co.uk/

feck sake lads · 04-12-2011 6:56pm

jiffybag wrote: »

http://etapecaledonia.co.uk/

thats is couldn't think of the name.;)

AstraMonti · 04-12-2011 7:00pm

Already sold out :eek:

at1withmyself · 04-12-2011 7:54pm

I was over for some of the CRC mtb marathon's last year and also did the Selkirk road sportiff. There was something like 1700m climbing over the 75km route I completed so they have a lot of climbing and have different lengths available. I hope to go back again next year and do a few more of the marathons so will bring my road bike with me as well for these as its not too exspensive for a weekend pass.

Got the Ferry over which was so much handier then flying with a bike!

http://www.roadsportives.co.uk/index.php

daragh_ · 04-12-2011 8:01pm

Good idea for a thread. My sister lives in York so I would be very interested in anything happening in that part of the world next year.

lescol · 04-12-2011 8:13pm

http://www.etapepennines.co.uk/
http://etapedudales.co.uk/
http://www.action.org.uk/york_100

I've been thinking of taking in a north of England sportive next year, these all grab my attention!

Beasty · 04-12-2011 8:40pm

Details of a few listed here

I've done the Manchester to Blackpool a few times - it's a nice flattish ride of about 100km. I've also done the Manchester 100 (miles) which felt hard at the time, but that was when I was a lot less fit (and a lot slower and fatter;))

Jawgap · 05-12-2011 9:13am

This site looks good for keeping track of events on the "mainland" - some of the off-shore events in Europe and Ireland also get a mention

http://www.cyclosport.org/

Didn't someone here do the Cheshire Cat last year? I was toying with doing it next year - it'll probably be easy enough to get to - ferry to Holyhead then train to Crewe.

ednwireland · 05-12-2011 9:53am

http://www.fredwhittonchallenge.org.uk/

112 miles round the lake district

oops sorry didnt notice you posted hat in your original post.

I think I read somewhere there is an etape cymru next year

http://www.etape-cymru.co.uk/

Morrisseeee · 05-12-2011 3:01pm

ednwireland wrote: »

http://www.fredwhittonchallenge.org.uk/

112 miles round the lake district

Nice flatish route aswell TBH not :pac:

el tel · 05-12-2011 3:25pm

There are some excellent sportives in NI!

ednwireland · 05-12-2011 7:36pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Nice flatish route aswell TBH not :pac:

lap the lough in NI for you then (cracking flat ride if its not blowing a gale or pouring rain)

DLK · 05-12-2011 9:59pm

Did http://www.handsonevents.co.uk/Events/Cairngorm/cairngorm.htm last year - very enjoyable

coastwatch · 14-12-2011 9:46pm

I see the Dragon Ride sold out today in just 2 hours, 3000 places. Looks like there'll be a draw for the another 1000 places in February. Hope it never gets like that here, or we'd be using Ticketmaster to enter sportives.

mountclare4 · 15-12-2011 8:19pm

The Tour of Pembrokeshire and the Graham Obree as part of the Celtic Series www.celticseries2012.com - ferry to Pembroke and St Davids only just up the road. Ayr accessible through stanraer or within hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports

at1withmyself · 14-01-2012 8:47pm

at1withmyself wrote: »

I was over for some of the CRC mtb marathon's last year and also did the Selkirk road sportiff. There was something like 1700m climbing over the 75km route I completed so they have a lot of climbing and have different lengths available. I hope to go back again next year and do a few more of the marathons so will bring my road bike with me as well for these as its not too exspensive for a weekend pass.

Got the Ferry over which was so much handier then flying with a bike!

http://www.roadsportives.co.uk/index.php

There being sponsored by Vitus Bikes this year but again on the same weekends as the MTB marathons so gonna head over for 1 or 2. The Slekirk route last year had some amazing scenery

UK Sportives - What are good ones?

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