Are you up for cycling Caerphilly mountain next summer? You could join 16,000 other riders at the 2017 Velothon Wales sportive, with fully closed roads and spectacular scenery promised on Sunday 9th July, 2017.
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Online entries open on Thursday 13th October at midday, with British Cycling members getting 48 hour priority entry from that time. Two routes are planned – a 140km course and a new 110km route. Both will start and finish in Cardiff city centre.
As a UCI-sanctioned event, some of the best pro cyclists in the world are expected to take part in the elite race, with ONE Pro Cycling, Madison Genesis and JLT Condor among the teams taking part this year.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming cyclists of all levels to the event,” said Kevin Stewart, Managing Director of IRONMAN UK. “Velothon Wales has established itself as one of the key sportives in the UK thanks to its closed roads, challenging route and stunning scenery.”
2017 Velothon Wales routes
The full 140km route will be unchanged for 2017: riders will leave Cardiff to the east, heading through Newport and Usk, before entering the Breacon Beacons National Park, home of the first and legendary ‘Tumble’ climb, a 10% incline and 399m elevation over 5.1km. It is here that the riders can pit their fitness against the pros for the ‘King and Queen of the mountain’ challenge.
The route then heads south via Pontypool and Newbridge on its way to Caerphilly for one final 10% climb up the stunning Caerphilly mountain over 1.2km, before finishing with a fast descent towards the finish line, in the heart of Cardiff city centre. Over the 140km course, the riders will have encountered 1,822 metres of climbing.
The shorter 110km event will follow the same course as that of the 140km, but by avoiding the testing climb of the Tumble will reduce the elevation by half to 940 metres, encouraging cyclists of all fitness levels to be part of the event.
View the 2017 Velothon Wales routes.
Further details are available at velothon-wales.co.uk and online entries will open at midday 13th October, on a first come, first served basis.