Try a Sportive – Thornbridge
Saturday 27th September
Plenty of sportive newbies set off on the years final Try a Sportive taking place from Thornbridge Outdoor Centre near the quaint Peak District village of Great Longstone. The British Cycling supported series is a great way for anyone new to cycling events to come along and have a go at an event that provides all the experience of a full blown sportive but over shorter, more manageable distances.
Low lying valley fog made for a chilly start as riders set off on a choice of an eighteen or thirty-four mile circuit of the Derbyshire Dales & Staffordshire Moorlands. Even a route designed for beginners doesn’t mean we shy away from the hills and the first test for the riders was the long slog out of the market town of Bakewell up to the idyllic village of Over Haddon. The climb did little to dampen the spirits of the riders as they reached the split point and feed-station at Monyash. From here riders of the short route had a relatively easy seven mile run back to the finish line. The riders of the long route however, had to deal with the much hillier seventeen mile loop across to Hartington, Sheen and Earl Sterndale before they could begin the return leg back to Thornbridge from Monyash.
Rider times for the event can be found here
A big thanks to all that took part, the series will be back in the Spring so in the meantime keep yourself and your bike in fine fettle and keep checking www.darkwhitecycling.co.uk for all 2015 event details; for more information or like & follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
