2018 Sportives

[Chicken Chaser]

Just looking at a list of UK sportives on here http://www.sportive.com/ and wondered what events we were all looking to take part in this year? I was tempted with the Dirty Reiver 130 in Kielder but its too close to the birth of my new baby and I think it'd be a risk booking it in. Any recommendations for top drawer well organised events, north of Manchester?

[Chicken Chaser]

flight147z said:

Well I've put it on the calendar and will have a think about it - I'm doing LEJOG in September so good prep for that I guess

Is LEJOG with a organised group? Sounds awesome. How many days are you doing it over?

[Chicken Chaser]

flight147z said:

9 days. Really looking forward to it. Most of my miles so far this year have been indoors due to the weather!
https://www.rideacrossbritain.com

Ace, I saw that and would love to have a crack at it one day. Not cheap though and I'd never get the sponsorship.

Please provide a diary if you can when you do it. I'm sure plenty of here would be interested.

[Chicken Chaser]

MOBB said:

As a chubby complete newbie, I'm doing the Starley sportive in Coventry this weekend, just the 30 mile one as a taster

Excellent. Great distance to start, by the summer you'll be into the medium distance i'm sure. Best of luck with it.

[Chicken Chaser]

Harpoon said:

I've entered the Tour de Yorkshire Sportive again this year - long route which is 129km. Don't know the climbs, so expecting a couple of leg burners. Entered on the early-bird pricing, but otherwise I think it's pricey at £50 for open roads.

Will also enter the Nova Raiders Router 66 (http://www.novaraiders.org.uk/route-66) again. Rode to/from the start to make it a 100 mile day out. Good value at £17 with two water stops and one food stop.

That's the issue I have with Sportives. I know that a few years ago, there seemed to be a glut of Sportives where organisers saw the £££s and simply printed a few way markers and set up a couple of stalls on the route with stuff close to its sell by date. A lot seem to have fallen away for the better events, but at £50 for open roads, thats still pretty expensive for a ride which is close by and can be done on any given date. I dont mind riding with others, and in these events you can fall into a good group if you're prepared to work hard. Its always better to get up the road and tag onto a group going past rather than catching up with one going slower.