Pleasure and pain await at Ulster's Phoenix Sportive

The Phoenix Sportive will take in some spectacular Antrim scenery (Phoenix Cycling Club)

The routes for Northern Ireland’s Phoenix Sportive have been announced and the organisers hope they will strike a balance between touring spectacle for the leisure rider and testing climbs for the club cyclist in Antrim's spectacular countryside. 

The Phoenix Cycling Club event, which takes place on May 18, offers the options of either 100km or a 160km routes, the latter including two Cat 3 and two Cat 1 climbs.

Both routes begin at  Lamh Dhearg Gaelic Athletic Association complex near Nutts Corner, Crumlin in County Antrim and the shorter will take the riders out towards Parkgate, Kells and Shanes Hill and back towards Carnmoney before finishing on the 1 in 4 climb to the old military base on the top of Divis mountain.

The longer route will take additionally in Kells, Shanes Hill, Larne, Islandmagee before coming back over Glenoe to finish again on the top of the Divis mountain.   The category three climbs at Tardree and Shanes Hill should warm the muscles up nicely before the Category one climbs at Glenoe and Divis provide the sting in the tail to this premier class sportive.

For more information on the routes and how to enter visit www.phoenix-sportive.co.uk.

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