What are the "bucket list" events for amateurs

littledove44

I am compiling a list of what for me will be the big bike challenges for the next ten years. That will keep me going until I am seventy.

So, they need to be toughish, but not horrendous. They should be in great locations as I will combine them with holidays, and they need to be fun.

They do not necessarily need to be public organised events.

I have started the list, which of course is not going to be in priority order. Travel will dictate that.

1. The Cape Argus.
2. prudential ride London.

Please help me with the other eight.

napoleond

The big ride thingy round Mallorca. I think that's what it's called anyway.

bigpikle

The obvious few:

Fred Whitton
Raid Pryrenean, Alps, Corsica & Dolomites
Maratona dles Dolomites
Quebranteheusos
Marmotte
Paris-Brest-Paris

then its down to your preferences really - loads of options...loads of other GFs and challenge rides eg LeJog etc

Ber Nard

Paris Roubaix sportive
L'Etape du Tour
LEJOG

Rob

littledove44

Thanks.

What about the USA, Canada! Australia! South America etc.....?

littledove44

NapoleonD wrote:

The big ride thingy round Mallorca. I think that's what it's called anyway.

That might be outside my zone of competence.

"The Mallorca 312, in its third year in 2012, charts the full circumference of the island (the clue's in the name – 312km). With more than 4,300m of climbing, you get 14 hours to reach the finish. Held at the end of April each year, it's not an event for the faint-hearted, and sees riders approach Mallorca's highest point – Puig Major at 1,445m. The WiW Duva International, held a week before, offers a 135km event on the Saturday and a 95km sportive on the Sunday."

LegendLust

Ronde van Vlaanderan sportive

marcusjb

Paris Brest Paris
Bryan Chapman Memorial

robbo2011

Two tough ones:
Oetztaler Radmarathon (Austrian Tirol)
Alpen Brevet (Switzerland)

littledove44

Thanks folks. Please keep them coming.

If they are too tough I might split them in half and find a hotel in the middle.

I was given Dave Barter's new book for Christmas. Great British bike rides. Brilliantly put together, excellent data etc.

Shall try a few from there as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-British-B ... 1906148554

rjh299

littledove44 wrote:

Thanks.

What about the USA, Canada! Australia! South America etc.....?

If Mallorca is out of your competence zone then suggesting the RAAM might be a stretch aswell?

gubber12345

Lapthelough here in n ireland.its a charity sportive and is about 85 miles.do a youtube search and they also have a website.

sloppyschleckonds

Tour Of Wessex

taon24

Kitzbuehel Horn Mountain-Cycle Race

Strith

Styrkeprøven

johnmcsorley

Time Megeve, June.

Can't wait!

john_wr

L'Eroica in Tuscany. You will need access to a pre 1980's bike though, but the routes are clearly signed to be ridden at any time on any bike.

John.

cat_with_no_tail

Isle of Man Lighthouses challenge

https://www.manxtreme.com/event/microga ... 1383657280

nedmoran

Something i would like to do as a holiday would be to cycle the coast of mainland Britain.

littledove44

rjh299 wrote:

littledove44 wrote:

Thanks.

What about the USA, Canada! Australia! South America etc.....?

If Mallorca is out of your competence zone then suggesting the RAAM might be a stretch aswell?

What's a RAAM?

Mallorca isn't out of my competence. I spent a week there this winter and loved the riding.

What is probably out of my competence is over 300km in 14 hours, climbing up Puig Major included.

taon24

RAAM is Race Across AMerica. Coast to coast across the united states, not for the faint hearted. Similarly the transcontinental race across europe is a significant challenge.

sub55

two ride's on my bucket list that never got done
race around Ireland
http://racearoundireland.com/
and
Cambrian series 8A
http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/CB33/

these days getting to the end of the street is most definately on the list

cycleclinic

Paris roubioux will be next year for me this year is tour of flanders cyclo - all of it. I intend to do all of these big spring classics routes in time.

Just pick something that you think you might not finish then it a real challange. The ride 100 having done it last year is flat and pretty easy. Fun but easy even with my level of fitness last summer (not that high) I managed 21mph average. The only good thing about the ride 100 is the closed roads.

L'erioca require a pre 1987 bike.

I would like to try some MTB riding in the Andes that would be tough. Alps are closer and there are some tough MTB events there, i know it's not road but if it has two wheels and involves pedals I am game.

kangarouge

What about London - Edinburgh - Cardiff - London? Or in any other order.

Tiesetrotter

Warm up with some Audax's, but:

Etape du Dales
Lands end to John O'Groats
Haute Route Pyrenees & Alps

ugo.santalucia

thecycleclinic wrote:

Paris roubioux will be next year for me this year is tour of flanders cyclo - all of it. I intend to do all of these big spring classics routes in time.

THE Paris-Roubaix is only ran every other year in June (2014, 2016 etc.. )... there is also the ASO event, but it's not the Paris-Roubaix... it's a shortish ride with a portion of the PR cobbles (30 Km instead of 55), kind of a taster for mamils who want to feel like Boonen for a day.

Actually even THE Paris-Roubaix is now no longer the real thing, as you don't start from Compiegne any longer, but from Bohain en Vermendois and it's "only" 210 Km, but at least it's got all the 27 official sectors of pave' and it's still the closest you get to the real thing.
So it's this coming June I'm afraid... 8)

http://www.vc-roubaix-cyclo.fr/site/

littledove44

ugo.santalucia wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

Paris roubioux will be next year for me this year is tour of flanders cyclo - all of it. I intend to do all of these big spring classics routes in time.

THE Paris-Roubaix is only ran every other year in June (2014, 2016 etc.. )... there is also the ASO event, but it's not the Paris-Roubaix... it's a shortish ride with a portion of the PR cobbles (30 Km instead of 55), kind of a taster for mamils who want to feel like Boonen for a day.

Actually even THE Paris-Roubaix is now no longer the real thing, as you don't start from Compiegne any longer, but from Bohain en Vermendois and it's "only" 210 Km, but at least it's got all the 27 official sectors of pave' and it's still the closest you get to the real thing.
So it's this coming June I'm afraid... 8)

http://www.vc-roubaix-cyclo.fr/site/

Thanks for the thought but feeling like Boonen for a day will not make my final list.

Cobbles just don't appeal to me at all. It may be a classic, but I like smooth roads, and the thought of even 30k turns me off it.

ugo.santalucia

littledove44 wrote:

Thanks for the thought but feeling like Boonen for a day will not make my final list.

Cobbles just don't appeal to me at all. It may be a classic, but I like smooth roads, and the thought of even 30k turns me off it.

Admittedly, it's an acquired taste... I was all for the mountains, but once you've done the big ones, the steep ones, the beautiful ones, and you know you'll go up the Alpe d'Huez in 60-70 minutes depending on the day and the form, you start looking for a different challenge and Roubaix is unique. Of course you have to like the PRO race in the first place: the grit, the guts, the mud, the dust and the legend... if you don't it really has no appeal

robbo2011

Ugo, you forgot the wind. The wind can make any ride an absolute killer up there.

ugo.santalucia

robbo2011 wrote:

Ugo, you forgot the wind. The wind can make any ride an absolute killer up there.

Yeah... but the Roubaix Velo event is ran in June... that said 4 years ago we had torrential rain for 2 hours... that was nice... :?

simona75

This has a very good reputation and is a bit different (thinking of going myself this year)

http://bergenck.no/default.aspx?pageId=263