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'National Cyclo-Sportive' to Link with Road Race Champs

Posted: 15th December 2009 | Source: Pennine Events

A new sportive event has been added to the cycling calendar to coincide with the 2010 British Road Racing Championship. The National Cyclo-Sportive will take place in Lancashire on Saturday 25 June and will share some of the same challenging route that Britain's best riders will cover one day later.

The National Cyclo-Sportive will replace the existing Pendle Pedal event and will start and finish in Barley village beside Pendle Hill - the same place as the National Championships. Riders will get to ride under the same start/finish gantry before heading out onto some of the most beautiful and traffic-free roads in England and the same ones the pros will ride on the Sunday.

Lancashire's Ian Wilkinson, who is a former national mountain bike champion and has enjoyed considerable success on the road this year with the Halfords Bike Hut Team, and who will be racing for the new Endura team next year, will be riding.

He said: "The possibility of winning a national title on my home roads is really motivating. 2009 has been a breakthrough year for me and the prospect of racing the National Championships in Lancashire is really exciting. I will also plan to ride part of the National Cyclo-Sportive as my warm up. It's a stunning route and I look forward to riding it with hundreds of other cyclists."

The National Cyclo-Sportive will feature many of the famous climbs previously tackled by pro riders on the Tour of Britain, Kellogg's Tour and Tour of Lancashire races, over Waddington Fell, Tatham Fell, Bowland Knotts, The Trough of Bowland and the Nick of Pendle. The main route is 100miles long, with a 60mile option also available.

It will be a fully supported ride, with four free feed stations, extensive route marshalling and signage, bike mechanics, sweep vehicles and chip timing.

The weekend will feature a full entertainment and visitor programme, with accommodation packages for visitors to the region. The entry fee for the National Cyclo-Sportive will be £25 or £90 for a team of 4.

Entries will open on 11th January on http://www.pennineevents.co.uk.