The West Riding Classic 2013 will be held on 20 April and start in Clapham, North Yorkshire. Now in it’s third year the event has three routes at 33 miles, 65 miles and 75 miles.
British Cycling described the event as “Destined to become a classic – great route, great food, great vibe… a must-do on the sportive calendar”.
Rough Rider Sportif was started by Brendan and Michael McSherry after becoming dissatisfied with the sportives on offer and decided they wanted an experience which was more personal, social and rewarding.
Organiser Brendan McSherry said:
"We wanted to create an event that was more about the challenges of the route, the views and the company along the way. Having grown up in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales we knew we could put together a really good set of rides along some of the most beautiful roads in the UK. We also wanted to make it really accessible so we have three routes ranging from 33 miles up to 75 miles, we also take a lot of pride in providing what we believe is the best food station on any sportive in the world!"
The West Riding Classic is a circular sportive starting and finishing in Clapham and taking in some of the most dramatic and famous scenery in Yorkshire including Ingleborough, Whernside and Penyghent plus Kingsdale, Dent, Ingleton, Ribblehead, Horton, Stainforth, Littledale, Malham Cove and Settle .
Rough Rider Sportif have added The Commuter Belt Classic, a 50 mile sportive on the 11th May.
Sticking with the principal of making sportives fun and social as well as challenging and rewarding, the Commuter Belt Classic is a 50 mile point-to-point sportive starting in Hertfordshire and winding through Essex before dropping in to Dalston where riders and friends are invited to a disco, drinks and free food.
Starting in rural Watton-on-Stone, a short train journey from Kings Cross and Finsbury Park, it represents a great sprint for seasoned sportive riders and an ideal laid back entry level sportive for those leisure riders and commuters who want to give the legs a good stretch.
The Commuter Belt Classic is relatively short for a sportive, Organiser Michael McSherry explains the reasoning.
"The Commuter Belt Classic is designed to be a fun day out for anyone who enjoys riding a bike. We'd like to think it offers enough of a challenge for serious riders but also not too daunting for their friends and family who might be trying their first sportive. At the West Riding Classic the short route is entry level, the long route is a really really good work out and the long route is actually pretty tough. If anyone is planning to take on this year’s Etap du Tour then they would be well advised to test their legs on the West Riding Classic in April. It is just 12km shorter than the Etap and has 2.2km of vertical climbing compared to the Etaps' 4km".
Enter The Commuter Belt Classic
West Riding & Cave Rescue Organisation
Rough Rider: The West Riding Classic will continue to support the good work of Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO). CRO has been providing first aid support to Rough Rider since 2010. £1.50 for every rider is donated to support their vital cave and mountain rescue work.
The CRO was originally formed in 1935 and has grown and developed over the years into the efficient organisation that it is today. By the year 2000 the CRO had attended 1756 incidents, including 605 cave and mine, 569 mountain and fell, 73 climbing, and 354 animal rescues (233 of which were from caves and potholes). During this period, 2654 people aged between 5 months and 87 years were given assistance. The headquarters, “The Depot”, is in the Dales village of Clapham
