Which big ride shouldl Cycling Plus readers do in 2011?

rob_spedding

We're looking for your recommendations for the must-do rides for 2011. Which sportive or audax do think fellow riders would be mad to miss out on next year?

toontra

Paris-Brest-Paris

prb007

single-day; Dragon ride - more scenic route for '11

multi-day; LEJOG or JOGLE - go on, you know you want to....

Ron Stuart

I have two in mind both hilly but different ends of the spectrum some would say and here they are....

http://www.maratona.it/info/courses-2011/en

and this charming event....

http://www.shropshirehighlandschallenge.co.uk/

by the way I cycled the Shropshire Highland Challenge with Tony Hewson we had a great day and I sorted his puncture out, he was so impressed with me he invited me to do the Johnny Helms Memorial TT with him.

Papapete

Etape du Dales for me............great course, great organisation and great atmosphere. Really enjoyed my first attempt and will be going again in 2011.

Cipodog

Come & do our Polkadot ChallengeTM--"Spud" Riley Memorial--on 5 June---its the 10th Annual running--one of the first in the UK--All the usual facilities with "On line" entry & electronic timing in 2011--£25 entry--After paying for food/ Drinks/HQ etc. ALL ENTRY FEES go to Christies Hospital----£70,000 to date---We'de love to see you all test yourselves on one of the toughest & scenic rides you'll ever do!!---Dave Riley --Organiser--www.polkadotchallenge.co.uk

davelakers

The Fleet Moss Audax. Usually runs during September.

An amazing 135 mile route through some of the best and most challenging roads in the country.

Omar Little

Etape Caledonia and Hibernia...such a joy riding long distances on closed roads!

abeez

Tour Of Flanders 2011 - Belgium The Most do event for us all....

Tour Of Flanders Brief Details

Also tho the Exmoor Beast (Just google it)


Also I know this may be obvious but Plan your events ahead go to a site Like mine where you can see all events happening and pick the ones most suited to you, the ones you miss this year, put them on your list for next year, or you may like to go do the same events again..

I also recommend using an online calender, as well as what you may have at home, and On your Smart-phone, definitely list your events on Google-calender, one of the best I feel (Basic, simple and easy to use)..

Alan..

Lycra Man

Not just Paris-Brest-Paris, but one each of the 200k, 300k, 400k and 600k qulaifiying audax rides.

You can ride with me, if you like.

Lycra Man

itboffin

The big rides are good but might I suggest some of the less well known event like the Magnificat or the New Forest sportive.

How about getting them out to meet & ride on some of the forum social rides, theres a fair number of people on here who regularly ride socially much like your own routes in C+

itboffin

Oh and there's always the Amstel gold race

Enter the hurt box :twisted:

DaveMoss

Omar Little wrote:

Etape Caledonia and Hibernia...such a joy riding long distances on closed roads!

I read this comment so often. I can only think that those saying this must be from the deep south where roads are crowded.
The fact is,ALL of the Scottish sportives are on virtually traffic free roads, ok you still have to stay on your own side of the road at a blind corner just in case, but you will meet very few cars and even fewer will bother you by trying to overtake.

The Caledonian route looks so easy, it can hardly be worth the effort of getting up there, the other Scottish events offer a much more worthwhile challenge.

The best in terms of the route is probably the Bealach na Ba., probably the best sportive route in Britain.

Garrigou

La Roue d'Or des Pyrenees (22 May). New sportive for 2011. Nice route. 3 Cat 1 or Cat 2 cols. Only time in most of our lives we'll get the chance to ride alongside 6 Tour de France winners. Messrs Merckx, Hinault, Indurain, Thevenet, Delgado & Walkowiak are all scheduled to participate. Not sure that (at aged, 83) Monsieur Walkowiak will ride all 130km, but you never know....

marlin151

Mallorca 312K on 30th April. Spain's longest sportive, apparently.

A lap of the island in one day, including the big mountain climbs. :shock:

Should be fun.

marlin151

Mallorca 312K on 30th April. Spain's longest sportive, apparently.

A lap of the island in one day, including the big mountain climbs. :shock:

Should be fun.

itboffin

Marlin151 wrote:

Mallorca 312K on 30th April. Spain's longest sportive, apparently.

A lap of the island in one day, including the big mountain climbs. :shock:

Should be fun.

Don't they control the pace in spanish sportives? pretty sure I read that they have rolling road blocks so keep the pack quite tight.

Of course I might have totally imagined that.

jimwin

Rob Spedding wrote:

We're looking for your recommendations for the must-do rides for 2011. Which sportive or audax do think fellow riders would be mad to miss out on next year?

Tour of the Moors on June 12th. 205Km length and 3800m of climbing. Starts in Launceston and goes over Bodmin moor to the Camel river then returning to the Tamar valley for a ride over Dartmoor.

Spectacular views, stunning scenery and one hell of a challenge. Check out ....

http://www.wilkinet.demon.co.uk/Cycling ... 11-06.html

See you there

BikingBecky

Crikey, too many to choose from that are superb...

I think though the Etape Caledonia would be good for CP readers because:

1. Stunning location in the Highlands of Scotland and nice time of year for a holiday.
2. Closed roads, so beginners can focus on riding, not worry about traffic too.
3. Most 'first timers' can gain confidence that they can manage 81 miles with a few hills.

It's a good ride to do in preparation before other sportives in the UK.

Just ideas....however, so so so many that would be equally as good!

Becky

BikingBecky

Ok, for experienced riders:

Abroad I'd do these:

Megeve Mont Blanc
La Marmotte
Etape du Tour (2 days),
HAUTE ROUTE 7 days sportive YAY!

At Home I'd do these:

Beanach Na Ba (Scotland)
Fred Whitton, oh yes!!
Northern Cyclone
Cairngorm Challenge

That's if I was amazingly fit...!:-) I'm sure there are new ones I've not even seen yet!

Cheers

Becky

Big Life Ride

Come and ride for 12 hours at www.thebigliferide.com

a BIG challenge and help us raise money for charity too !

Big Life Ride

btw it's FREE to enter too

The Other McHoy

To answer above, some Spanish sportives are pace controlled but by no means all of them. There are three exceptionally good Gran Fondos in the summer months:

- The Pedro Delgado Marcha
- La Miguel Indurain Marcha
- Quebrantahuesos

These are serious rides, huge climbs and magnificent scenery. The biggest, numbers wise, is Quebrantahuesos with 8500 riders and it is probably the best organised and supported sportive in Europe. Spanish and French Pyreneen climbs, closed roads for the first 140 kms or so and generous cut off times mean all levels of riders can take it on. The finishing times vary from 5hrs 30 mins to 12 hours and it is as competitive as you personally want it to be.

xceed events

Harrogate to Holyrood's a must do ride this June! Great scenery, great company and some great hills. Great training for any sportive with over 18,000ft in 4 days over 220 miles. Raising funds for Barnardo's. Contact julie@xceedevents.co.uk

planeetx

Get yourself a wetsuit and do this one, goo-arn think outside the box.

http://www.onestepbeyond.org.uk/the-outlaw-triathlon.php

Nice swim to loosen up with, then a cool-jog to finish.

phreak

This year I'll be doing the Little Lumpy in Haslemere, the Dragon ride, then the Granfondo Giordana (formerly Granfondo Pantani), then the Marco Pantani Memorial Sportive in Grenoble in August before finishing things off with the Ride of the Falling Leaves.

sampras38

Doing a few this year but the biggest UK one I'm in would be the 200km Wales Dragon (3rd time) and then 2 weeks later I'm in the Alps and plan on riding most of the Marmotte route. Did it last year and loved it.

prb007

Doing JOGLE in May, Dragon in June, looking for something in September (got a couple of weeks off work so don't mind travelling) if anyone has any suggestions.

Also doing this... http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12765722
if anyone fancies a livener!?

Get some miles in, and raise a couple of quid for our chosen charity!

Go on, go on, go on.....

Embee83

I am signed up for Rad Am Ring in August

Hannah_24

Hi everybody,

I am helping out with the Ride Around London which is on the 25th September. It is new this year but we are set to get 1000+ riders just for the main event.

The main event is 115miles if anyone is up for a challenge. It is Olympic themed and starts at Herne Hill Velo, then via 2012 TT route up Box Hill, via Eton Dourney, Windsor Great Park, the Chilterns and finishes at Lee Valley White Water Centre. There is also a 60mile half route and a 25mile off road challenge all culminating in a BikeJAM festival at the end.

It is in aid of a Charity called Access Sport check out www.accesssport.org.uk/ride-around-london for more info. But I will post some more details in its own thread shortly.

PM me if you have any questions or the event email is ridelondon@accesssport.co.uk

BTW Davinas Diva 100km and 50km rides look quite fun for next weekend!

Hannah

daviesee

Alternatively........

My club does an annual week trip to Mallorca in April so I did that instead.
7 days of brilliant cycling in superb scenery with the best company.

Far better than any sportive in the UK and Easyjet/Ryanair etc and out of season accomodation makes it extremely good value for money!