3Shires Sportive - Cheshire Deryshire Staffordshire 18 April

3Shires

Just to let folks know about our sportive on Sunday 18 April 2010

The route covers some of the finest upland and wooded valleys in Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, all packaged into 100kms and nearly 6,000 feet of climbing.

We’ve set a challenging but achievable course, in arguably the finest scenery in the whole of the three counties. There’s very little flat on the course although by the same token we’ve taken care to avoid the real legbreaking hills.

Having been involved with some of the biggest sportives in the UK, including last year’s Tour of Britain Etape, we plan to make the 3Shires one of the premier events on the UK sportive calendar.

All event proceeds go toward local community charities through the co-organiser Buxton Round Table and Kidscan. Big Storage of Macclesfield is sponsoring the event and make its parking and other facilities available to riders.

You can enter online or alternatively pick up an entry form from Peak cyclesport on Fence Avenue, Macclesfield www.peakcyclesport.com.

Event website

www.threeshiressportive.co.uk
Many thanks



3Shires Sportive

moolarb

Sounds great, I'll probably enter this

I've ridden quite a few of the hills in that area, though mainly on the Goyt Valley & Cheshire side.

Do you have any more details of the route? Just want to know how steep the climbs will be so that I can choose bike/gears.

3Shires

A lot of enquiries about the route....

The route has been ridden, risk assessed, tried and tested but not yet published - we'll do it 2 weeks before. Part of the reason is that there may have to be a route revision to the Goyt Valley section due to it being closed for 3 months in 2010 - but we're unable to get confirmation from the highways authority at this stage.

As things stand, the route encompasses the Cat n' Fiddle, Long Hill, Goyt Valley, Danebridge, Rudyard, Laske Edge, Mow Cop, Biddulph Moor, Bosley Common and Macclesfield Forest.

Plenty of climbing but nothing steeper than 1in10.

andrewJohnson

Mow Cop is a 1/4 :S Well apparently.

I may be doing this

3Shires

...we don't do the Killer Mile route up Mow Cop (yes, 1in4, if not steeper!). We come up it from the other (easier) direction.

We've aimed for a very scenic, hilly, challenging route, lots of variety. Could have made it much much steeper (eg Toot Hill @ 1 in 3) to have everybody walking.

It's a nicely balanced route + you'll know you've had a day out!

DM101

Hi,
Just to echo what has already been said about the Three Shires Sportive, and as co-organiser, we have planned a route which we think takes in some of the most beautiful scenary and challenging climbs in and around the Macclesfield/Cheshire/Derbyshire/Staffordshire area. The ride is designed to be strength sapping rather than leg breaking but will offer a real sporting challenge to even the fittest and most experienced of riders/sportivists.

Similarly, as we are limited to numbers riders who are thinking of entering should do so soon in order to avoid disappointment.

We look forward to seeing you on the 18th April to take up the Three Shires Sportive challenge.
Kind regards.

Three Shires Sportive organisers.

3Shires

Thanks to all entrants to date - still room for more!.

We'll be in touch shortly with details of the route (GPX files shortly be available) and on-the-day procedures, including car parking arrangements. Registration will be open from 7.45am with riders off, all together, at 9am. You'll be issued with an event pack to include your number and cable ties to affix to your bike. The route will be signposted with the major climbs indicated (distance, altitude gain). In the meantime, please contact either Andy or Jaime on 01625 426333 with any questions.

Not long to go!

moolarb

sounds like a well planned route, I think I'll enter

glad you're not doing the killer mile up Mow Cop - tried and failed twice up that one!

I love hilly rides but anything over 20% is just stupidly steep for mere mortals

which bit of the Goyt Valley is closing for 3 months? I ride that area quite a lot

cheers

andy_wrx

Went up Goyt yesterday, could see they were working on one of the bridges.

If it's possible to enter online at www.peakcyclesport.com, then I can't find it...

RonB

I know. The OP is a bit misleading. The website for the shop is http://www.peakcyclesport.co.uk but its not there anyway! The info/ entry (of sorts) is at http://www.threeshiressportive.co.uk. That's the way it looks to me.

moolarb

just entered this on-line

anyone else doing it?

Scrumple

a route might help

Papapete

I'm thinking of entering to get some more hills in my legs before the Etape Du Dales, but have to find someone to have the kids..........might attach the tag a long!!

benjboy

Doing this one now after not being able to do the Cheshire cat.Being trying to pay for it on line but a tad hard as no one has sent me an invoice to pay ..

Papapete

No more pole dancing before this one Ben

benjboy

Yeah pole was to slippery last time.Will learn .

benjboy

Have now paid hope my ribs are up for it..Loking forward to some climbing :twisted: .Any one else doing it think it is number to 300.

Scrumple

if they post a route I may enter.
2 weeks to go and no idea...

anyone know where it starts from?!

benjboy

I think it is starting at peak cycles not to sure.Think i seen it somewhere saying that or i may just be mad :roll: .

3Shires

Start finish in Macclesfield at Peak cyclesport, directions at www.peakcyclesport.com

Route is finalised @ 100.0kms now that the highways authorities have confirmed that the roads will all be open.

10 classified climbs.

6880 ft of climbing.

Ample car parking and toilet/changing facilities.

Event pack will be published on the website / e-mailed to participants by the weekend inc risk assessed route, route notes, detail of classified climbs, location map of start/finish.

Entries will close this weekend as we're very close to our limit.

Event website www.threeshiressportive.co.uk

Thanks to all
Andy, Jaime and Dave @ 3Shires

kinesin

Still no route plan online, or updates to the site.

3Shires

...by the weekend.

1. Event pack
2. Route details
3. Classified climbs details
4. Map of start/finish.

We're taking entries up until Sunday evening.

Thanks to all.
Andy, Jaime and Dave @ 3Shires

d198594t

I'm just curious why you don't seem to want to put a route up on your site before the event, or, indeed, before you pay?

Scrumple

Entries up to sunday, but details this weekend.

Why not details now, and open until next week???

RonB

Still no update. Might aim for CCGiro's Midland Monster instead.

Good luck with your event guys, hope you have plenty of entrants, but I'm out as I'll miss your deadline. I would have liked to see the route in detail before I sign up.

pdstsp

Sorry but I am another one giving it a miss as there is no route info.

kinesin

3Shires wrote:

Having been involved with some of the biggest sportives in the UK, including last year’s Tour of Britain Etape, we plan to make the 3Shires one of the premier events on the UK sportive calendar.

3Shires Sportive

I've got to say I'm currently keen to enter a few sportives and this one had hope as it's not too long with manageable climbs (it's very flat here), but the complete lack of information provided, entry lists, routes, etc and updates to their website means that the 3shires are going to have to work a lot harder to make it a premier event.

Good luck to anyone entered, let us know how it goes.

idw

It seems all the info was posted on the website yesterday, but I only found this by checking today, I didn't receive an e-mail about it, even though I have already entered.

3Shires

Apologies for the delay - we sent the event pack to Buxton Round Table early last week and we've been chasing and chasing again to get them to put it on the website and mail out to entrants. And then chasing some more....but it's finally there. Hope you like the classified climbs info! Buxton Round Table plans to mail entrants today.

300 entrants.

Cheers,

Andy, Dave and Jaime.

idw

Will there be a .gpx file available?

stueyc

3 shires or anyone..can this be entered on the day please?