Tour Ride - Stoke-On-Trent

Andrew_J

Hi All,
Just a quick one, does anyone know how much climbing is envolved in this route, thinking of entering the 140KM route after completing the Spud Last weekend.
Need a new challenge to aim for.

Cheers.

AlistairTR

Hi Andrew,

I'm not sure if you have read this or not? Let me know if you need anymore info - Cheerio Alistair

From http://www.tourride.co.uk

The Stoke-on-Trent Stage has developed a reputation for being among the toughest in The Tour of Britain in recent years, taking place on a testing, hilly course in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Departing from the beautiful surrounds of Trentham Gardens the opening kilometres of the stage are gently rolling, providing the perfect warm-up for the more strenuous tests that will come later in the ride.

Climbing away from Stoke-on-Trent through Swynnerton Forest the ride visits Staffordshire market towns Eccleshall and Stone before heading across country to Uttoxeter, at the gateway to the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Heading into the Moorlands via the Dove Valley the stage tackles the opening King of the Mountains climb at Ramshorn, from where the route continually rolls, much like a rollercoaster at the nearby Alton Towers!

Ascent follows descent as the route skirts the edge of the Peak District National Park along Blackshaw Moor before a thrilling descent takes the ride down to Tittesworth Reservoir at the foot of Gun Hill.

Rising 153 metres in 2.7km, this tough little climb one reduced Mark Cavendish to tears on a training ride with its 6% average gradient, and will be featuring in The Tour of Britain as a King of the Mountains climb for the third consecutive year.

Once over the summit the road descends to Leek, scene of one of The Tour’s Yodel Sprint points at the top of the rise that greets riders to the town. While the big hills may be behind you, a number of short, tough drags will sap the legs on the run in back to Stoke-on-Trent.

Nearing the return to Trentham Gardens the stage route passes through the attractive surrounds Wedgwood Estate, a sign that you are on the edge of the city, and not far from your own moment of glory, passing under The Tour of Britain finish gantry to signify that you have completed the challenge of tackling Stage Three of the 2011 Tour.

Andrew_J

Hi thanks for the info, yes i had read it but was looking for the total ascent of the course.

thanks

thegibdog

Last years was 2450m of climbing according to the official route map, I'm pretty sure that was an overestimate though. This years shorter route will have about 1400m based on my approximation of the route on Bike Route Toaster:

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=259344

Mozza1

Route not quite right as it goes through Eccleshall, Sandon & the end is slightly different around Barlaston to the finish at Trentham. 2009 ride is more or less identical which bikehike.co.uk worked out the climbing as 1724m.
Also don't be fooled by the official map profile.......it's harder than it portrays!

Alistair, when are the maps released?

AlistairTR

Hi All,

Thanks for your input guys. I'm pressing hard to get them released ASAP. The copy I have is not signed off, so I'm trying to get the latest to give the best height gain details.

Sorry for the delay,

AlistairTR

You would think that there would be one answer to this question, however on two different mapping systems I’m getting conflicting figures , so I’m going with the one provided by the event organisers and that is 1982m (6503 feet).

Let me know what you gps records on the day!

......and if that’s a tad flat for you, you can always sign up for the Tour Ride in Wales


Hope that helps a bit

Alistair

Andrew_J

Thanks Alistair it does.

Mozza1

So we're not lunching at Tittesworth Reservoir this year? Map says Thorncliffe, dunno how we're all going to fit in there....................

thegibdog

I have amended the bike route toaster route according to the map on the Tour Ride website and according to that it's got 1,409m of ascent:

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=263318

I've plotted the same route on bikehike and it says 1,641m... I think the best idea is to map both rides using the same mapping system if you want to see how the climbing compares.