Cyclist Magazine - top 14 Euro Sportives

durhamwasp
durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
Saw this magazine in WH Smith, £9.99 with reports and info on Europes top 14 sportives... (of course, that's arguable that they are the best 14)

Some good looking events for the 'to do' list.

Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux was the most interesting - 85km winds at the top meant only 200 of the 900 entrants made it 25km from the start line to the summit, and therefore couldn't complete the other 130km.
http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....

Comments

  • Is it downloadable from anywhere?
  • durhamwasp wrote:
    (of course, that's arguable that they are the best 14)

    I guess they are the 14 that paid to be featured in the magazine...
    left the forum March 2023
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    Any chance you could provide the list? Would make for a better discussion :)
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    Sorry, at £10 I didn't buy it... I remember the Gran Fondo Eddy Merckx, Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux, L'Eroica were 3 of them
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • galatzo
    galatzo Posts: 1,295
    And my nemsis the Otztal Radmarathon isn't in the top 14. In fact it never gets a review or mention anywhere and given how tough it is and well organised it damn well should.
    Really I just want more people to do it so they can experience the pain as I did !
    25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    Galatzo wrote:
    And my nemsis the Otztal Radmarathon isn't in the top 14. In fact it never gets a review or mention anywhere and given how tough it is and well organised it damn well should.
    Really I just want more people to do it so they can experience the pain as I did !

    In the book Mountain Higher it was regarded as the toughest granfondo in Europe. It isn't all that well known though (sadly)
  • herzog
    herzog Posts: 197
    phreak wrote:
    Galatzo wrote:
    And my nemsis the Otztal Radmarathon isn't in the top 14. In fact it never gets a review or mention anywhere and given how tough it is and well organised it damn well should.
    Really I just want more people to do it so they can experience the pain as I did !

    In the book Mountain Higher it was regarded as the toughest granfondo in Europe. It isn't all that well known though (sadly)

    Tougher than this one (http://www.alpenbrevet.ch/Strecken/Platin-Tour-85)...?

    EDIT- Not done it, but knowing the terrian pretty well, it scares the bejesus out of me :D
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    I haven't done either, I'm just saying what the book said. Both look very challenging though :)
  • A mate of mine just got back from doing the Alpen Brevet - from his report he enjoyed it but thought it could have been a bit more of an "event".
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • I saw the Cyclist Top 14 Sportive magazine in WH Smith last month but opted to buy the monthly Cyclist magazine instead and so not sure which events are included...

    I have seen a Top 10 list on another website that covers European sportives ( www.urbantoalps.com ) and they include Etape Du Tour, La Marmotte, Paris Roubaix, Maratona dles Dolomites, Gran Fondo Nove Colli, Mallorca 312, RideLondon, Quebrantahuesos. Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Ronde van Vlaanderen
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    Not sure RideLondon should be near the top 10 of any sportive list.
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    Havent' done it but the Ariegeoise would be a decent candidate for inclusion based on what I've heard & read
  • phreak wrote:
    Not sure RideLondon should be near the top 10 of any sportive list.
    Is it difficult or just the distance that makes it challenging?
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    Not sure it's challenging at all really. It might be an event, in that it's closed roads and stuff, but I wouldn't think it comparable to any decent sportive in Europe. If it wasn't in Britain, how many of us would travel to do it?
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    I wonder how much it would cost to do all 14 Sportives, including entry fee, travel, hotel etc...a small fortune I reckon. Would rather have a cycling holiday somewhere nice (i.e. sunny and hilly)
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • That's what I chose to do with these chaps... http://www.bikecat.com