Cheshire East Tour of Britain Charity Sportive

pilot_pete

Hi all

To celebrate the Tour of Britain Stage 3 2016 coming to Cheshire East and specifically starting in the market town of Congleton, Congleton Cycling Club are organising a charity sportive taking place on Sunday 4th September.

This is an official promotional event for the Tour and all proceeds after costs are going to be split between our nominated charities for this year, which are the North West Air Ambulance https://nwaa.net/?gclid=CJH5w_2wss0CFcE_Gwodo7QNUQ And the Children's Adventure Farm Trust http://www.caft.co.uk

The event is registered with British Cycling and will be run under their guidelines. The route follows many of the Cheshire lanes and roads that the official ToB route uses, takes in the iconic landmarks of Jodrell Bank Observatory and Tatton Park (finish venue for Stage 3 this year) and also the two big climbs of Stage 3 in "The Brickworks" and "The Cat & Fiddle" of The Peak District.

Entries have just opened and you can find more details on our microsite here http://www.cheshiretobsportive.co.uk/ with links to the route and entry application. You can find out a little more about our club here https://www.facebook.com/CongletonCyclingClub So if you fancy riding this one off event for charity and perhaps staying on for a couple of days to watch the Tour of Britain stage 3 get your application in now!

Thanks all

PP

pilot_pete

Just a quick update.

Cycling Weekly are doing a feature on our sportive due out mid August, so take a look and if you like the idea consider an entry. It is all coming together very nicely and the route has a few 'bucket list' climbs to tick off, so come along to Cheshire for some fantastic lanes, even better descents, great support and help some deprived kids and their carers get a bit of respite and keep the great team at NWAA flying!

Even if you would just pass on the microsite link in the previous post to all your cycling buddies that would be appreciated.

PP

ugo.santalucia

I had a look at it Pete.... could be more Lane based and less A road based

pilot_pete

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I had a look at it Pete.... could be more Lane based and less A road based

It could be yes, but the A road bits are the Cat & Fiddle climb and the descent on the A54. The idea is that it uses elements of the ToB stage 3, the most iconic bit being the Cat & Fiddle climb out of Macclesfield.

We ride these roads all the time and although the A537 climb out of Macc can be busy (mainly during the week with quarry lorries, and on a Sunday with motor-bikers) the A54 back down to Bosley crossroads is really very quiet and a fantastic descent. It is no surprise that BC development squad and many locally based pro riders can be seen out on these roads all the time.

Cheers

PP

jgsi

Actually looking forward to this for a change, after a season of so so road racing. One thing in its favour is that
I can ride out to it.. then ride home
sponsored by an actual cycling club
monies going to a couple of charities
its enough lanes based for me...there has to be road apartheid in many respects ... but you cannot ride in Cheshire at all without at some point encroaching on car drivers' turf.. it is a result of a once proud rural county that has morphed into a suburb/dormitory of Manchester.
Motorists just have to grin and bear the awful nuisance of cycling and pass us safely... God knows how there are going too cope with rolling road blocks in and around Crewe and Nantwich on the Tuesday... a good % of them will be foaming at the mouth no doubt.
I shall enjoy that Sunday at a slower pace

pilot_pete

Cheers JGSI

It's all coming together nicely now - after 6 months of negotiation we have secured permission from Robinson's Brewery to use the Cat & Fiddle car park for our second feed station. The pub itself has been shut since New Year and they barriered it off due to the car park being 'abused' with people leaving rubbish etc. So great news as it is the ideal location just at the top of the climb. If you aren't local make sure you get a selfie up at the Cat. Let's hope it is hot enough for you all to want to top up your bottles!

Blowing our own trumpet I know, but the BC Events guy came down to a club evening for a presentation about our sportive preparations and commented that it was one of the most professional presentations he had ever attended. Praise indeed!

We know it is going to be a fantastic day, entries are filling up nicely and 'Ale Avenue' pop up real ale arcade in the town (part of the build up to the ToB stage) are considering offering all entrants a free beer post ride! You know real ale is the new recovery drink of choice at many professional teams don't you! Watch this space....

Cyclestore are putting together some goodie bags for us, providing mechanical support out on the route and have designed and administered our entry payment system so a massive thanks to Paddy, Pete and the team for all their support. They really have saved us significant costs which means more money straight into our charities pockets.

I've ridden the whole route 3 times over the last few months and am very happy with it. I blasted round once at 18mph average speed, so it is quite possible and quite a challenge at that pace with 50 miles of flat before the climbing starts and have pootled around at 15mph average which was much more sedate and quite achievable. For the newbies stepping up, take it easy for the flat bit and make sure you have plenty in reserve for the climbs to follow. We've set a slowest rider estimate of 10mph average below which support ends and the broom wagon will offer you a lift my suggestion would be get there early and set off at the earliest time (8am) if you think you will be really slow as that will give you an extra hour over the broom wagon which will set of at 9am and remove signs etc at an average of 10mph.

Rider info being sent out currently, hope you all enjoy the day.

PP

pilot_pete

Final update before our event tomorrow.

Online entry is now closed but you can enter on the day at event HQ, Congleton High School, Box Lane, Congleton. We are anticipating quite a few entries on the day, so get there early as there may be a queue - registration/ sign on from 07:30.

Ale Avenue have come up trumps and are offering a free pint of real ale to all sportive finishers - the little shopping arcade Capitol Walk in the High Street Congleton has been taken over for the ToB and opened its doors last night until Tuesday evening. All the shops have been converted into pop up pubs with a choice of beers from eight local breweries on tap.

Cyclestore have really pulled the stops out and secured quite a few freebies from their various suppliers to pass on to event entrants and our catering and feed station manager, club member Avril Waghorn has been baking trays of flapjacks....now they're worth the entry fee alone!

Sign teams are off out later today to place the route signs after the safety briefing conducted by yours truly this afternoon. An incredible effort has been put in by so many club members to make this event happen - you wouldn't believe the shear volume of work and tasks required to lay on a sportive so a huge thank you to all the members of Congleton CC who have been part of this and for all the support the club has received from our external partners. We have around 200 entrants as of today so it will be a super little event, our break even point was 93 entrants so we will be in profit, which is great news for our charities.

Have a great ride everyone and enjoy the day.

PP

jgsi

Pete, it would be nice that those who took the trouble on joining and paying for the ride a few months ago, could have their own registration desks,, not behind those fumbling about with pens .. chequebooks or pdq machines ...??

jgsi

also.. I know sign of the times.. but are there security watchers about...? I'm riding in , nice to be able to leave the bike for a while .. knowing that some thieving scum wont have it away... events like these do attract the wrong sort..

No I am not bringing/riding with a flippin padlock.

pilot_pete

Firstly a huge thank you to everyone who entered and thus supported our two charities.

Thanks also for the feedback JGSI, your comment about the registration/ sign on process is noted and I must admit I am a little surprised that the registration team didn't do it the way you suggested! This is the first sportive event that we have run, so feedback is essential and will be acted upon.

Regarding security, yes all staff were briefed and gate staff were watchful for anyone entering on foot or in a vehicle without a bike! However, difficult to really police as a switched on crook just turns up in cycling gear I guess and gets on a bike and rides off! Not sure how other events do this, any feedback from anyone? I suppose you could lock your bike before the start and leave the lock at the HQ whilst you ride the event to pick it up again when you finish? I suppose the only way to do it would be a secure bike park area with a ticketing system...

Cheers again

PP