Route announced for inaugural Etape Pennines sportive

Closed-road event in County Durham is a first for England

Published: November 25, 2011 at 11:30 am

The route for the inaugural Etape Pennines, England’s first closed-road sportive, has been announced.

The 78-mile event in County Durham is being organised by IMG Challenger World, who have enjoyed great success with the Etapes Caledonia and Hibernia, similarly held on traffic-free lanes. It will take place on 7 October 2012, starting from Ushaw College near Durham before heading south towards Witton Park and the first climb of the day. It won’t be the last either, with riders expected to tackle 5,407ft/1,648m of elevation on the day. The route then heads westwards towards Ettersgill, north through St. John’s Chapel and Blanchland before returning to Ushaw College.

Maintaining closed roads throughout the event is the biggest challenge for the organisers and it’s something they aren’t taking lightly. IMG Challenger World has been working closely with local police and Durham County Council to ensure it runs as smoothly as their other closed-road events in Scotland and Ireland.

Entry costs £61 and is open now. For more information, visit the event website.