To-do list of sportives / amateur rides

CantGetNoSleep

I'm thinking of putting together a bucket list of the best sportives and amateur versions of real races and ticking them off over the next three or five years. Or similar rides that are better done solo.

I'm thinking of either things like Liège Bastogne Liège or an Étape du Tour, or just a nice sportive (maybe something like Ride London). I know some of them better organized than others, e.g. the Tour of Flanders sportive seems like queuing at the end of cobbled hills while I've already taken a day off work to do part of that course in the past.

What would people recommend in terms of best rides to do in Ireland / Europe / creating a bucket list in the 100-200km range?

Danville

Mizen to Malin and/or vice versa.

Macy0161

Did Liege this year - horrendous weather, and still suffering the effects (on my hands - might be permanent damage)! But I would probably go back in a few years (it was my first sportive tied to a pro race) after doing a few more. I really had no comprehension of how hard the course was - forget about the classified climbing being the measure... I did the full distance - there were shorter options, but tbh, if I'm going to pay for a trip I'm going to at least attempt the full distance.

I believe Flanders is well organised, it's just sheer numbers doing it now. I think Ride London has similar issues at the foot of the first climb (not box hill). Closed roads is the only thing that'd tempt to that one really.

Pretty much every spring classic/ semi classic has a sportive attached - pick the ones you like from them!

Harrybelafonte

In Flanders, you can get around it by doing what the "continentals" do. You ride hard up the middle of the climb screaming "Mittel Frei!!! Mittel Frei!!!"

daragh_

Macy0161 wrote: »

Did Liege this year - horrendous weather, and still suffering the effects (on my hands - might be permanent damage)! But I would probably go back in a few years (it was my first sportive tied to a pro race) after doing a few more. I really had no comprehension of how hard the course was - forget about the classified climbing being the measure... I did the full distance - there were shorter options, but tbh, if I'm going to pay for a trip I'm going to at least attempt the full distance.

+1 on LBL. I had never done a Classic before this year and it kicked the ball out of the park. You really get you money's worth in terms of pain.

benneca1

Mallorca 312

Wishbone Ash

....and another +1 on LBL. Did it in 2015 and it rained throughout the 265k. I was crying inside on one of the climbs!



Don't forget the Boards Evil Ride - won't cost you anything (well financially anyway).

coddlesangers

I did the tour du Lac Leman this year, 176 km, very well organized with fabulous scenery, excellent grub at the rest stops, and a fairly small field doing the full thing. Flights to Geneva from Dublin are reasonable and for rentals, Bike Switzerland https://bikeswitzerlandrentals.com/have a nice line up of Trek (up to the Domane SL7) to pick from. Its usually on the 2nd or 3rd weekend in May, and while they don't actually close the roads for it, the first 75KM or so until Evian is on roads that may as well be closed as there's no one there at that hour of the day. Its a very pleasant 176km that is predominantly flat on super roads, the profile is essentially flat. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/14625842

AxleAddict

benneca1 wrote: »

Mallorca 312

Coincidentally, registrations for the 2020 event open tomorrow (Tuesday Oct 8th)

AxleAddict

AxleAddict wrote: »

Coincidentally, registrations for the 2020 event open tomorrow (Tuesday Oct 8th)

it looks like theyhave teamed up with two others now

www.milestoneseries.cc

lizzylad84

Absolutely, without a doubt, Paris roubaix challenge has to be on your list. The full distance us a truly epic day on the bike. I done it in 2018, and loved every tooth shaking, pave covered inch of it. Definitely plan for a return visit.
I don't Flanders this year, which I would also recommend.
Signed up for strade bianche for 2020, with an outside possibly if doing liege bastogne liege too.

07Lapierre

I'm not a fan of Flanders. 16,000 participants on narrow, steep, cobblestone covered hills = carnage!

The Etape & Marmotte have similar numbers, but are held on better roads. The Hills are a bit higher though!

Macy0161

lizzylad84 wrote: »

Signed up for strade bianche for 2020

Really puts me off doing it the day after the pro race - I really enjoyed relaxing and beering watching the pro's after Liege this year. Same with San Remo.

Idleater

Any of the L'Eroica. Excuse for another bike too.

dastardly00

+1 for Paris-Roubaix Challenge. You'll never understand what the pros have to go through until you do it yourself. The full distance sportive allows you to do all the same sectors as the pros, and you get to finish in the velodrome, and you get to use the famous showers

I did Flanders this year, and I would recommend it too. Don't bother with the full distance (230 km) as the first 100 km is boring. Go for the ~170 km that starts in Oudenaarde. Yes, the bergs are so so crowded... but isn't that what it's like for the pros? (queuing to ride up the Koppenberg being the exception. That was a bit crap).

dastardly00

Macy0161 wrote: »

Really puts me off doing it the day after the pro race - I really enjoyed relaxing and beering watching the pro's after Liege this year. Same with San Remo.

What was the Milan-San Remo gran Fondo like? It's on in the summer?

Another +1 for LBL. Plenty of alternatives later in the summer that cover similar ground to LBL with a chance of better weather. Tilff-Bastogne-Tilff, Sean Kelly Classic, La Chouffe Classic, la Fleche Wallone (this is different to the pro race in April) and the Tom Dumoulin sportive last week.

Trois Ballons, Schleck Granfondo, Charly Gaul and the Elfstedentocht in Netherlands are others that look interesting

Weepsie

Proximus (Belgian mobile operators) sponsor a series of sportives too that are basically routes of some of the races. Super cheap as well

Macy0161

red_ken wrote: »

Another +1 for LBL. Plenty of alternatives later in the summer that cover similar ground to LBL with a chance of better weather. Tilff-Bastogne-Tilff, Sean Kelly Classic, La Chouffe Classic, la Fleche Wallone (this is different to the pro race in April) and the Tom Dumoulin sportive last week.

Trois Ballons, Schleck Granfondo, Charly Gaul and the Elfstedentocht in Netherlands are others that look interesting

Is there a site or sites that list these, and sportives in general. Hoping to sneak off a day from the family holiday if nothing else

dastardly00 wrote: »

What was the Milan-San Remo gran Fondo like? It's on in the summer?

Only done Liege myself, but my brother did it this year, and seemed to enjoy it and no complaints. He did it with his club though, so full support, transfers etc.

Red Belly

Amstel Gold is a great festival of cycling: hard to get into though.

Maratona dles Dolomites is a wonderful event in terms of challenge, beauty and organisation.

+1 for Flanders.

Planning to do Roubaix next year and a return visit to Maratona.

I've noticed that the Tour de Yorkshire run a sportive on May BH Saturday on the same day as the pros ride the stage which looks interesting.

In Ireland, Reservoir Dog and Orwell Randonné are among the best organised I've done (I've mostly done East coast sportives).

rb

Finnrocco

Flanders is great, while the first 100 k are boring, if the weather is nice its grand, you zip along at about 35 k or so, in a big bunch.

Then you look at your clock realise you have done 100 k which is a normal Sunday spin, and you still have nearly 100 hilly miles to go!

When you do get to the hills, all the early starters are gone so you don't encounter any crowding on the hills.

If you are travelling all that way over, you might as well get the full experience.

Macy0161

Macy0161 wrote: »

Is there a site or sites that list these, and sportives in general. Hoping to sneak off a day from the family holiday if nothing else

Sportive.com is a useful website for British sportives and the more well known international ones.

Etixx also do a series of classics voor amateurs in Belgium.

Amstel is a great route. Entry is via a lottery and capped at 15000 but the route is permanently signposted so you can cycle it whenever you want.

CantGetNoSleep

Thanks everyone for the replies. I've done a few of the Proximus rides mentioned (I work in Belgium a lot).

I'm going to go for LBL but my longest ride so far is 120km (albeit solo with some hard climbs and the only thing I struggled with was having enough food) so maybe not one for next year. In 2020 I'd like to get closer to 200km so might do the shorter Tour of Flanders (you can also do the same route in September) and Ring of Kerry

py

I'd throw some of the Haute Route in there too perhaps.