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BikeRadar Live: Ride the glorious Peak District in the Cycling Plus Sportive

By BikeRadar

With 100km or 100 miles of English countryside to challenge sportive beginners and experienced riders alike, the Cycling Plus Sportive supported by Pacific Outdoor Equipment in association with the Geoff Thomas Foundation is the flagship road cycling event of the BikeRadar Live weekend.

Entry to the Cycling Plus Sportive is £25 for the first 500 people. Simply enter the promotional code 06SP02 while booking and save £20 off the full price of £45! (Tickets are limited, and we'll be ending the offer until the special price tickets sell out).

The price includes weekend entry to BikeRadar Live, plus:

  • High-quality refreshments at feed stations
  • Paramedic cover, marshalling and rider care by Perfect Motion and Pennine Events
  • Cycling Plus Sportive t-shirt
  • Cycling Plus Sportive commemorative medal for every finisher
  • ChampionChip timing

Starting at Donington Park at 8am on Saturday 30 May, Cycling Plus Sportive riders will be the first at the show to ride the motor racing circuit before heading off on one of two routes.

The routes

Riders on the 100-mile route will head towards Melbourne and follow the line of the River Trent through north Leicestershire and south Derbyshire to the Staffordshire border. They will then follow an undulating route west through small villages before heading north at Tutbury Castle towards the White Peak. Passing north between Carsington Water and Ashbourne, the route reaches the Pennine Bridleway before turning west and then south along the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border and through the beautiful scenery of Dovedale, Ilam Park and the Manifold Valley. The Peaks section will test the best of riders, with challenging climbs, drops and turns.

The 60-mile (100km) route follows the same path until it reaches Carsington Water and the Tissington Trail, when it heads west and rejoins the 100-mile route through Ilam Park, the Manifold Valley and Dovedale.

The small print

The sportive is backed by British Cycling. Riders must be 16 or over. Photo ID (a passport/driving licence) PLUS a household bill will need to be produced at briefing/sign-on.

Sportive entrants do not count as ‘accompanying adults’ for under-16s. If you have come to BikeRadar Live with children, there must be another adult to look after them at all times, with no more than three children per adult.

Sign-on, chip and number collection will be from 5pm–9pm on Friday 29 May and 5am-7.45am on Saturday 30 May.

Sign up now at BikeRadar live.

About BikeRadar Live

BikeRadar Live is the biggest ever mass-participation cycling event to hit the UK, and will take place on the weekend of 30–31 May 2009 at Donington Park in Leicestershire.

The weekend will be packed full of races and challenges, with something for everyone, whether you want to compete, watch your friends and family or just check out some of the world’s best riders.

Entry into any of the events gives you full access to the festival’s many attractions including spectacular all-weather stunt displays, invitational dirt jump and dual slalom comps, a cycling film festival, live big top entertainment and the Scott Sunset DJ Sessions. Test yourself against pro and celebrity riders in the Procycling Hot Laps, post a time in the Wattbike comp or take the kids along to the CycleActive skills school. A purpose-built bikes and accessories expo will give festival-goers the chance to ride the latest bikes from leading brands and grab show-only deals on bikes and accessories.

Events include the Cycling Plus Sportive in association with the Geoff Thomas Foundation (100km & 100 mile), Whyte Night night-time enduros (12hr & 4hr), MBUK eliminator dual-slalom and the Devil Takes the Hindmost circuit race. Click here to sign up.

BikeRadar Live’s world-class facilities include on-site camping with a kids and family area, secure bike lock-up, showers, bike wash, workshop, picnic area, medical centre, viewing stands and food and drink market.

BikeRadar Live is brought to you by Future, the makers of MBUK, Cycling Plus, BikeRadar.com, What Mountain Bike, Cyclingnews.com and Procycling.

For more details go to the BikeRadar Live website.

User Comments

There are 35 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 30 of 35 comments

  • Well, I'm doing it!

  • so am i, its my brother and mes first sportive ,im nervous now lol

  • Is that price a misprint????

    £45 for a sportive is crazy!

  • That's £45 for the whole weekend of festivities, not just the sportive.

  • hahahahahaha £45!!!! Think Audax UK. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF!

  • £45. Geez. What's going on with the prices?

  • I have to comment again. I mean, you'd pay that amount of cash to ride 100 miles? OK so it's a challenge for a lot of people but come on, it's a challenge you can do with a couple of mates anytime you want. Go further, higher, flatter, go to the seaside, go visit a relative, go for the hell of it and spend £45 on a nice big dinner for 3 afterwards. So it includes all the rest of the stuff....you'll be out riding while it's on. You could (if you couldn't be bothered to get your own life and a map) join in at the first opportunity, time yourself, not pay and call yourself a Guerrilla Wheeler! But then that would be trying to put ideas into your heads, wouldn't it?

  • When are the routes being published??

  • I was just thinking that looks worth a go until I saw the price -outrageous!

  • i must be empty then, i am paying £140 to ride the etape du tour!!

  • You do get a t shirt though...

  • This is a rip off. Many sportives are overpriced at £25. Catford CC can run an extremely well marshalled event (Hell of the Ashdown) with brilliant facilities and donate to the BHF all for £15.00 £45 is sheer greediness.

  • Morning all,

    Just to let you know we are listening to your input, and as such there'll be an 'early bird' offer available very soon.

    Thanks

  • Looking at how the economy is everybody is making up some event to fill up their pockets.

  • £45 for a sportive or weekend of festivities its still ludicrous!!

    No way am I doing it.

  • For £45 they'd better supply organic flapjacks and fairtrade bananas. And no sweatshop t-shirts either.

  • Thanks M.Cole - maybe a more reasonable sportive only price for those who can't stay over for the weekend, and/or an early bird offer as you mention? Cheers.

  • £45.00 is absolutely ridiculous. The cost is going to encourage riders not to sign on and ride the course anyway.

  • £45.00 is way too much........

    £20 max me thinks

  • I agree with the comments about the crazy fee. It is almost double that for other sportives and to try and justify it by calling it a weekend of activities is a bit weak. Maybe someone from the organising committee could provide an honest explanation for the high price? These are tough times for all of us and being ripped off won't bode well for the future of what may well be a great event.

  • I agree with the comments about the crazy fee. It is almost double that for other sportives and to try and justify it by calling it a weekend of activities is a bit weak. Maybe someone from the organising committee could provide an honest explanation for the high price? These are tough times for all of us and being ripped off won't bode well for the future of what may well be a great event.

  • How much......well that's a great way to encourage people to participate in the sport?

    Sorry chaps, but someone has got this so wrong!

  • Exclusive offer

    Enter the Cycling Plus sportive for just £25!

    Simply enter the promotional code 06SP02 and save £20!

    (Tickets are limited, and we'll be ending the offer at 5pm on 11/02/2009 or until the special price tickets sell out)

    Go to http://live.bikeradar.com now

  • Can you tell us how many tickets are available at the reduced price? Do you agree that £45 is was too much or can you supply the costs details that would justify it? There are two points here that I think you should clarify.

  • This offer is open to the first 500 riders who sign up...

  • Hey Frontbum

    if you do decide to join us please ask a marshal to contact the event manager and I'll show you around

    bring a calculator if you want to tot up costs

  • Thanks for the offer, however I have my eye on the Four Rivers Ride which is an Audax UK 200k costing £4.50. Therefore I wont be forced to subsidise the concessions tents and fairground razamataz while doing what most sportive riders want to do i.e ride and go home for a bath, meal and a beer. But I do thank you for the offer and hope the ride encourages people to push themselves and do these distances.

  • Looks like we will all be kicking a goal on that weekend

    have a great ride

  • oh dear i have entered and paid, this is my first sportive and i havnt a clue is there a number to contact as i need to get some money back or cancel altogether, i hope my first foray into cycling is not goin to leave a bitter taste in my mouth and pocket

  • firepro - don't worry if you've paid £45 before the early bird offer came into effect you'll get £20 back.

    Rob

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