Cyclosportives 2009

It has been pleasing to see a so many Bath CC riders competing and enjoying good successes in both domestic and International Sportives. The popularity of this relatively new sport to the UK is currently the most heavily particapted and riders are spoilt for choice almost every weekend of the year.

A cyclosportive falls between a traditional road race and a non-competitive randonnee or Audax event. Cyclo Sportives (sometimes spelled Cyclo Sportifs but correctly Cyclosportives, since the full name is randonnee cyclosportive and randonnee is a female noun in French) are long distance, organised, mass-participation cycling events. They are the cycling cousin of running's marathon: as with the 26 mile event, rather than racing other participants, sportives see many cyclists use the event to challenge themselves in a personal battle against the distance and then ultimately, the clock. The time they take to complete the course is recorded. Generally there is an upper time limit within which the course must be completed (unlike randonnee, there is no lower limit preventing riders from completing the course quickly). The already lengthy course will traditionally include climbs and difficult riding conditions, adding to the merit of the event. Although sportives are not races, entrants' times are recorded and riders are given their finishing position. This can encourage the fastest cyclists to push the pace, with faster riders working together to increase speed in a pro-peloton style. The majority of riders will simply be happy to complete the distance within the time allowance. It is common in France and Italy for prizes to be awarded to the winner and to those winning age-related categories.

Please continue to submit your results and below is only a small highlighted selection of the many events ridden by our riders this year:

Burgess Hill Spring Classic, Sussex, 15th March, 71 Miles

• 194th Mark Wadey 5h 26min 18sec

North Cornwall Tor, 19th April, 160km

• 66th Neil Richards 6h 47 min 55 sec

White Horse Challenge-Shrivenham 26th April, 150km

• 24th Matt Hargreaves 4h 39min 28sec
• 25th Graham Wade 4h 40min 14sec
• 37th Mario Pavan 4h 46min 02sec
• 154th Steve Manning 5h 16min 23sec
• DNS Charlie Wigmore

Forest of Dean Spring Classic - 3rd May 2009 85 Miles

• 19th Matt Hargreaves 5h 01min
• 63rd Graham Edwards 5h 17min
• 169th Mario Pavan 5h 42min
• 177th Charlie Wigmore 5h 44min
• 466th Martyn Tranter 6h 38min
• DNS Graham Wade
• DNS Richard Grigsby

Hampshire Hilly Hundred - 10th May 09

• 10th John Witty 5h 14min

Midland Monster - 17th May, 110km

• Steve Manning 4h 39min

Wessex 3 day

• Peter Philips, Day Two, 112miles, 84th, 5h 53min 35sec
• Graham Edwards Day Three, 27th, 5h 52min
• Mark Wadey Day 1, May, 118km medium route 23rd 4h43min 37sec
• Aileen Brown;
  • Stage One, 102miles, 507th, 7h 26min 36sec;
  • Stage Two, 112miles, 422nd, 8h 04min 30sec;
  • Stage Three, 106miles, 273rd, 8h 37min 23sec

Tour of Pembrokeshire, 7th June, 115miles

• 9th Matt Hargreaves 6h 53min 08sec
• 65th Mario Pavan 8h 16min 10sec
• 100km Route 239th Ying Sun 6h 08min 46sec

Highclere 126 Mile MagnifiCat- 7th June 09

• 4th John Witty 6h 42min
• 19th Neil Richardson 6h 58min
• 114th Graham Edwards 7h 45min (punctured 4 times!)

Dragon Ride 14th June, 130km (medio fondo route)

• 335th Mark Wadey 5h 58min17sec

Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge 150miles - 21st June 09

• 36th Neil Richardson 9h 53min
• 43rd John Witty - 10h 06min

Dartmoor Classic 28th June, 104km route

• 121st Mark Wadey 4h 28min 55 sec (gold award)

Granfondo Pinarello, 215km, Treviso Italy 19th July

• 891st Mario Pavan 7h 50min 46sec

Etape du Tour - Mt Ventoux - France 19th July

• 481st Graham Edwards 6:29
• 1107th John Witty 6:57
• 5285th Martyn Tranter 9:02

Woodcote Sunday Sportive, 133k, 16th August

• 111th Steve Manning 133km, 4h 57min (silver medal)
• 131st Ying Sun 95km, 5h 03min

Tour of the Black Mountain, 96 miles 25th July

• 44th Anthony Duke, 7h 09min 54sec

Wessex 100 mile -Bath 13th September

• Mario Pavan (solo ride) 5h 32 (qualified for gold award)
• Anthony Duke (mechanical problem)
• Ron Whittle and John Vitty (times not published at present)

Cheddar Challenge 160km 20th September

• 17th Graham Edwards, 5h 01min 12 sec (gold)
• 19th John Witty 5h 03min 23sec (gold)
• 28th Mario Pavan 5h 17min 06sec (late start) (gold)
• 100km route 125th Ying Sun 4h 20min 44sec

Test Valley, Andover 150km, 27th September

• Steve Manning, 5h 48min 34 sec

All smiles before the White Horse Challenge. L-R Graham Wade, Matt Hargreaves and Mario Pavan

Please contact the Road Race sec for further details, via RoadRace (at) bathcc (dot) net