Cycling commentator, sports writer and BikeRadar contributor Ned Boulting is organising a 40-metre hill climb after a mystery sign appeared on a cobbled climb in Lewisham, South London.
The event is billed as the “inaugural (and almost certainly only ever)” hill climb by Never Strays Far (NSF), the podcast hosted by Boulting, David Millar and Peter Kennaugh with honorary guest Lizzie Deignan.
It will take place on Saturday 18 October on Whitepost Lane, where this summer a 'mystery person' erected a sign that named the short cobbled climb 'Mûr de Ned'.
“At NSF, we thought it might [be] good fun to race up it. It’s about 40 metres long, but quite steep. We thought people might like to have a go at the existing Strava record, which stands at 8 seconds,” the NSF team wrote in a post on its website.
Unlike the hill climbs that are a distinct part of the British bike-racing scene, participants will be able to attempt the Mûr de Ned hill climb in three open categories: cycling, running or walking.
“The fastest recorded time in each category will win a trophy, if we can get round to making one,” wrote NSF.
“Also, there will be a special prize for the oldest and the youngest contestants, regardless of their time.”
Any participants choosing cycling won’t be able to bring the kind of customised bikes you see at the British hill climb championships. Instead, all entrants will choose from a selection of bikes prepared for the event by the XO Bikes shop in Lewisham.
“XO Bikes do amazing work offering ex-offenders a chance to prepare for life on the outside, training up as bike mechanics. We want to raise as much as we can on the day to help them in their activities, and to showcase the amazing work they do,” NSF added.
While race entry is now sold out, NSF asks that people come along and support the hill climb. After all, it could be the last one.
