List of recommended European Sportives

rodgers73

I'm trying to get a list together of the European sportives that members would recommend or which are known to be worth doing. I'll start off with -

The Maratona
The Etape (1 & 2)
L'Eroica
The Marmotte

...any others?

TheStone

Others I've done:

Nove Colli (Italy. Nice area, tough ride in the heat)
Flanders (Belgium. Long and cobbles, no timing)
Omloop (Belgium. Start/finish in Gent, which is great. Shortish, fun, no timings)
La Morzine (France. Tough. Lots of great climbing, but very small number of riders)

Have also done 2 Etapes, but for me, the Marmotte beats them all.

DavidCr

Time Megeve - well run, nice area, good build up to events later in the season

mrc1

La Pyrénéenne

A fantastic mountain sportive that is cheaper than most UK ones!

rodgers73

DavidCr wrote:

Time Megeve - well run, nice area, good build up to events later in the season

Where is that one held?

3Pears

Dreilander - Giro

Starts in Austria, into Italy up the Stelvio Pass (48 hairpins) into Swiss before returning into Austria for the finish :shock:

Awesome event

TheStone

rodgers73 wrote:

DavidCr wrote:

Time Megeve - well run, nice area, good build up to events later in the season

Where is that one held?

Megeve.
http://www.csportsmegeve.com/index.php? ... &Itemid=86

I've not done the sportive, but stunning area for cycling.

NoMoreShadows

Hi Everyone - long time browser first time posting etc etc

There's a nice list of French events on the Cyclomundo web site which may be useful: http://www.cyclomundo.com/sportives.html

(I have no affiliation with the Cyclomundo company)

Cheers

mrc1

3Pears wrote:

Dreilander - Giro

Starts in Austria, into Italy up the Stelvio Pass (48 hairpins) into Swiss before returning into Austria for the finish :shock:

Awesome event

Have you done this one yourself? Sounds really good.

I worked in Germany a few years ago and was offered a place on this but wimped out is I only had a weeks notice!

http://www.oetztaler-radmarathon.com/main/EN/OR/strecke/hoehenprofil/index.html

oneof1982

Nice thread. I am drooling.........

We are looking at Qebrantahuesos . Haven't ridden in Spain yet but would like to try that or the new Etape
de la Vuelta. I know there are mixed views re Etape(s) but I kinda like the idea of going over the same course as the pros. It reminds me of why I work in an office!!

http://www.quebrantahuesos.com/

rodgers73

I've just remembered the Vattenrundan in Sweden - 300km around a lake.

Looks fun!

http://www.vatternrundan.se/Default.asp ... V&fwsite=2

NoMoreShadows

Some more info on a few French Sportives can be found here:

http://gerrypatt.wordpress.com/sportive-guide/

I find the rest of the blog a good read too.

twotyred

Granfondo Sportful. Used to be the Granfondo Campagnolo

http://www.sportful.it/sportful/sportful_dolomiti_race.php

Spoke to a guy last year who'd just done it and had previously done the Marmotte. He reckoned the Granfondo Sportful was harder.

I'm trying to make up my mind whether to give it a go next year or do the Maratona.

Yorkman

twotyred wrote:

Granfondo Sportful. Used to be the Granfondo Campagnolo

http://www.sportful.it/sportful/sportful_dolomiti_race.php

Spoke to a guy last year who'd just done it and had previously done the Marmotte. He reckoned the Granfondo Sportful was harder.

I'm trying to make up my mind whether to give it a go next year or do the Maratona.

It's harder than the marmite, definitely. The weather can be mental as well - scorching heat in the start of Feltre and snow blizzards at the top of Passo valles and rolle.

If you're not sure, do the Maratona. If that's not a problem, do the GF. The Maratona is much easier in comparison.

galatzo

Oetztaler Radmarathon is beast.
11 1/2 hours and I had to get off, shaking like a sh1tting dog !
Didn't get on this years in the first draw in my bid resolve my issues !

andrew@snowrace

oneof1982 wrote:

Nice thread. I am drooling.........

We are looking at Qebrantahuesos . Haven't ridden in Spain yet but would like to try that or the new Etape
de la Vuelta. I know there are mixed views re Etape(s) but I kinda like the idea of going over the same course as the pros. It reminds me of why I work in an office!!

http://www.quebrantahuesos.com/

I have done the Quebrantahuesos great ride this one highly recomended. This year is the first time it is to be run by a company and not the club we're all hoping it wont change too much.

maddog 2

That GF Sportful looks interesting :roll:

I've done the Marmotte twice and the Maratona. Both excellent. The Marmotte gets the nod from me, just.

Next one will be in the Dolomites/Italy though.

morrisje

La Vaujany in the Alps is an interesting sportive. Easier to get on than the usual more well known ones.
You can also choose to do the long or slightly shorter ride.

http://www.bike-oisans.com/alpes-vtt-cy ... da-20.html

phreak

I did the Maratona in 2010. The route is good, if not great, but the organisation is second to none.

Last summer I did the Granfondo Giordana International (formerly the GF Pantani), which scales the Gavia and Mortirolo. That was a really good ride, if very tough, especially the Mortirolo.

Also did the Marco Pantani Memorial Sportive in les Deux Alpes in August. It doesn't have the big name climbs of other sportives but you do more climbing than the likes of the Marmotte so it's a really good challenge, especially as the last 50km or so is pretty much all uphill.

maddog 2

is the Grandfondo Giordana running in 2012 phreak, do you know?

VeloPeloton

la Pyreneenne
http://www.velopeloton.com/la-pyreneenn ... tive-2012/

A list of other sportives in Pyrenees in 2012.
http://www.velopeloton.com/cyclosportives-2012/

Etape de la Vuelta
http://www.velopeloton.com/etape-de-la-vuelta/
http://www.etapadelavuelta.com/us/homepage.html

phreak

maddog 2 wrote:

is the Grandfondo Giordana running in 2012 phreak, do you know?

Think so although the name seems to change quite a bit. It used to be the GF Pantani. Here's the site for it http://gsalpi.com/en/gf-giordana/edition-2012

Peak Times

Here in the central Pyrenees there are a few great sportives and with a good choice of airports (Toulouse, Pau, Lourdes) you can get here from most places.

June - Pyreneene. A choice of distances and a tough challenge that includes the Tourmalet.

August - Barousse Bales. Again a choice of distances, with the key cols of Port du Bales (HC) Ares (Cat 3) and Peyresourde (Cat 1)

September - La Lapebie. My favourite as this is a fantastic event and part of the Trophy Label d'or series (like the Marmott). This sportive includes the Port du Bales, Col des Ares, Col de Buret, Col de Mente then into Spain and returning to Luchon over the Col du Portillon. 3 distances and a great day out.

gje

Hi all, I know this thread is a few months old, but I wondered if anybody had a good web-site for either Spanish or Italian sportives that has a calendar of events or simiilar.

I have used http://www.velo101.com for french events, and it has a pretty comprehensive listing (albeit not everything), with links and frequently online entry.

+1 on La Limousin I think has been mentioned before, did it last weekend and fantastically organised, quiet/closed roads, hoping to do again next year!

rodgers73

I was thinking of the "European sportives are better value for money" argument (in this forum a while ago), when I saw a leaflet advertising sportives on holiday in Austria last week.

A 160km ride priced at a bargain 88 Euros!