The White Rose Classic - entries open 1st January 2012

Ilkley Cycling Club

Ilkley Cycling Club is excited to announce the revival of one of Yorkshire’s Primer Cycle Sportives – The White Rose Classic!

Firmly established as one of cyclo-sportives 'must-do' events, and a true classic in every sense of the word, the event is planned to take place on the 17 June 2012.

Offering you a choice of 3 challenging routes; 110 miles, 84 miles and 50 miles, and taking you through the heart of the stunning Yorkshire Dales, it really is a showcase event for the very best the beautiful Yorkshire Dales has to offer.

The event headquarters will be the fantastic new facility at Ilkley Rugby Club at the edge of Ilkley, providing changing and showering facilities, parking, food and drink.

Entries open on 1st January 2012, through British Cycling's website: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/77097/White-Rose-Classic

Check out the website for more details: http://www.whiteroseclassic.com/
or join our Facebook group: White Rose Classic

hugo15

Excellent. It's great to see it back on the calendar.

lmrt

Fabulous. Pretty local for me. I rode the first three WRCs. Ilkley CC have rapidly established themselves as a vibrant forward looking club and I'm sure the WRC will be a great promotion. Any hints on route details yet? Similar to the originals? Website up yet? Is Mr Boocock, the original organiser, involved?

Ilkley Cycling Club

Hi, routes to be confirmed, but they will be staying as loyal as possible to the original WRC routes. The only significant change is to avoid the decent down into Malham. The proposed long route is as follows:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/836769

The event is being organised solely by Ilkley Cycling Club, so none of the original organisers are involved. Keep your eye on our website for more details: ilkleycyclingclub.org.uk

I hope you can make it - its going to be great day!

gsk82

i intend to ride. i heard hellish tales of the 85 mile route a few years ago so i expect a tough ride. please keep us on here informed.

what are the major climbs the various routes take in?

lmrt

I didn't quite know all the roads that were on the previous post link but it looks like Norwood Edge near Otley, followed by some tough little lanes, maybe West End short steep climbs plus drags, Duck Street long exposed drag, through Grassington, over Fleet Moss to Hawes, Coal Road (an absolute brute IMO), under some railway viaduct (another brute), not sure of the route then if it avoids Malham, looks like they put you over Beamsley Beacon at the end - very tough with only a few miles to go. For me, all the climbs are tough, probably Coal Road the worst. The weather was fabulous each time I rode it so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the same again.

gizzajob

Yes is a fantastic Sportive, glad to see it's back. That first climb up Norwood Edge sets the scene for the day with some epic climbs through glorious countryside. I don't think there are any traffic lights on the whole of the 115 miles? And the finish up Langbar/Beamlsey is legendary.

I found the facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/248888595170394/

Ilkley Cycling Club

Medium route beginning to take shape:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/850246

Includes the classic climb up Norwood Edge, a breath taking ascent out of Halton Gill, and of course we couldn't resist throwing in Langbar right at the very end - a great place for the family to cheer the final push home!

bigpikle

fancy this - 2 weeks before the Maratona so chance for a final tune up

john_wr

Wonderful scenery and what a classic route.

I rode the first of these events and well remember the steep and punishing climb out of Settle. In the last few events this was not included as the route diverted down into Malham. Now I see Settle is back on the route with Langbar to follow. Ouch.

Enjoy.

John.

Crispyapp

lmrt wrote:

I didn't quite know all the roads that were on the previous post link but it looks like Norwood Edge near Otley, followed by some tough little lanes, maybe West End short steep climbs plus drags, Duck Street long exposed drag, through Grassington, over Fleet Moss to Hawes, Coal Road (an absolute brute IMO), under some railway viaduct (another brute), not sure of the route then if it avoids Malham, looks like they put you over Beamsley Beacon at the end - very tough with only a few miles to go. For me, all the climbs are tough, probably Coal Road the worst. The weather was fabulous each time I rode it so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the same again.

From what I can see it doesn't go over coal road. It turns left at the moorcock inn and comes back. It's the etape du dales which goes over coal road, and yes it's a tough climb....

There is a lot of main road on this planned route of the white rose classic, not sure why they have chosen to ride so much main road when back roads run almost parrallel.....

Maybe ICC can answer this 1?

gizzajob

Crispyapp wrote:

There is a lot of main road on this planned route of the white rose classic, not sure why they have chosen to ride so much main road when back roads run almost parrallel.....

I ride these roads a lot and wouldn't call any of them main roads!

Ilkley Cycling Club

More detailed route info can be found on our 'White Rose Classic' events page:
http://www.ilkleycyclingclub.org.uk/ind ... wrc-routes

Pretty much all of the route will be on quiet country roads. We are using a few 'B' roads through the Dales, but these are generally in the more remote areas and tend to be pretty quiet. There is one short section on the A59 near Fewston, but this is the only main road of any significance.

The long route takes the left just after the Moorcock Inn in passing Garsdale Head station before climbing up the Coal road over into Deepdale.

gizzajob

Course now looks like it avoids that dodgy descent into Malham - good thing too as there are also so many pedestrians wandering round it's dangerous for everyone.

Just dug out my garmin stats from 2008 - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18407827 . Managed to get in a great group early on and we worked together - must have been 50 of us on then coming out of Buckden - soon weeded itself up going up Fleet Moss though! I got dropped myself by the strong lads on the Coal Road and never got another group. Still managed to get a Gold standard with 7:09 but had been aiming for sub-7 hours. Still, an epic day with lots of good memories.

andy_from_embsay

Crispyapp wrote:

From what I can see it doesn't go over coal road. It turns left at the moorcock inn and comes back. It's the etape du dales which goes over coal road, and yes it's a tough climb....

There is a lot of main road on this planned route of the white rose classic, not sure why they have chosen to ride so much main road when back roads run almost parrallel.....

Maybe ICC can answer this 1?

It does go over Coal Rd - route on the Ilkley CC site now. Norwood, Fewston, West End, Greenhow, Fleet Moss, Coal Rd, Dentdale, Ribblehead, Settle (instead of Malham), Airton, Hetton, Thorpe (my least favourite bit), App'trick, Bolton Abbey, Langbar.

The only "main road" is the bit of the A59 after Fewston (not pleasant but v short). There's B roads after that in quite a few places, but none are exactly busy. A few loopy motorbikes on the run down Ribblesdale maybe.

I'm a member of Ilkley CC, so should declare a vested interest. This was always my favourite sportive - just hope we can do the original justice!

Steve GT

Where will the 2nd stop be now that you will not go through Malham?
On the very last White Rose I recall it was a very warm day. I filled up my one bidon in Hawes with water, the other one I use for psp2.
That stretch between Hawes and Malham is really tough stretch and in the heat I found myself out of water by the time I got to Stainforth

harryquinnlilac

According to the route maps there will be 3200m ascent on long route and 2400m on medium route!
Looks like there's an extra climb on medium route over previous years, out of Settle.
I would guess that 3rd feed station will be in Settle, with others at Grassington and Hawes as in previous years.

andy_from_embsay

You're replacing the climb up Malham Moor with the climb out of Settle, but on the medium route the Malham climb wasn't too bad (having said that I had my lowest moment on the 2008 ride up there!). I've only ever ridden down that climb over to Airton, and every time I think "blimey - glad we're not riding up this...".

Ilkley Cycling Club

Yes, we've avoided Malham for safety reasons, as there have been a number of accidents and near misses on the very steep and tricky descent down into Malham in previous events.

We've replaced this section with a lovely run into Settle on the back road from Langcliffe, followed by a very steep climb out of Settle, before rewarding your efforts with a fabulous descent into Airton - still fast, but much safer than the descent down to Malham.

Garz

Oly shyee gizzajob, what's the decline after about 46 miles it looks like a vertical drop?

gizzajob

Garz wrote:

Oly shyee gizzajob, what's the decline after about 46 miles it looks like a vertical drop?

That's the descent from Fleet Moss into Gayle / Hawes. Fleet Moss is the highest tarmaced road in Yorkshire (the North?) and there is an awesome straightline descent for about a mile. These stats show my speed at 47mph but that was me feathering my brakes and trying to catch some wind - there were people flying past me all the way down who must have been in the upper 50s mph.

If you look carefully my HR actually goes up going down the hill to give you some feel for how terrifying it is (well for a rubbish descender like me anyway)

gizzajob

Garz, just looked again, see what you mean - must have been a blip in the stats unless I did go off the side and didn't remember it......

FoldingJoe

Looks like a great ride.

Friends of ours (woman is from Skipton) got married in Malham at The Buck Inn and we stayed in Beck Hall B&B and did some walking up around there.

Beautiful part of the world and definitely one sportive I will stick on my 'To Do' list.

Can see why you'd bypass Malham now. Did you used to come down Cove Road past the Beck Hall B&B?

andy_from_embsay

It came down the left (west) side of the cove looking up. Quite steep, very narrow and some sharp bends (one of which is known as "Vic's Dilemma" in our group as an Aussie mate lost it quite spectacularly on there and slid straight under a 5 bar gate).

The descent to Airton is far friendlier - but the climb out of Settle to get to it is a beast.

Steve GT

This is not a complaint, just a query.
May I ask why the route continues on the B6265 to Linton and not leave the B6265 and use Thorpe Lane, as the original route did?
I may be a bit over cautious, but in my estimation that right turn towards Linton is just before a blind rise on a fast stretch of road, making it more hazardous.

AndyRubio

It's the day after my 50th birthday... tempting.

DaveMoss

Make sure you have your crash hat for this one, otherwise you could be on Ilkly moor bart'at.

gsk82

i've just enterred, it appears to have opened early on the BC website.

andy_from_embsay

Steve GT wrote:

This is not a complaint, just a query.
May I ask why the route continues on the B6265 to Linton and not leave the B6265 and use Thorpe Lane, as the original route did?
I may be a bit over cautious, but in my estimation that right turn towards Linton is just before a blind rise on a fast stretch of road, making it more hazardous.

Good point - it's not a good place to turn off. Suspect the route's not set in stone (in fact i was talking to one of the organising team yesterday and I mentioned this) so any other feedback welcome. I do bloody hate that Thorpe road though...

John.T

andy_from_embsay wrote:

Steve GT wrote:

This is not a complaint, just a query.
May I ask why the route continues on the B6265 to Linton and not leave the B6265 and use Thorpe Lane, as the original route did?
I may be a bit over cautious, but in my estimation that right turn towards Linton is just before a blind rise on a fast stretch of road, making it more hazardous.

Good point - it's not a good place to turn off. Suspect the route's not set in stone (in fact i was talking to one of the organising team yesterday and I mentioned this) so any other feedback welcome. I do bloody hate that Thorpe road though...

+1 about the Thorpe road. Very narrow and often rough and grit strewn. Not good for large numbers of riders. The turn off at Cracoe is non too good either.

gizzajob

Entries open:
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events ... se-Classic

over 100 entered already, but 1000 maximum, so not sure it will fill?