Challenging cyclosportives move further west as Cheshire Cat organisers kilotogo and North Cornwall Distict Council bring a tough new cyclosportive event to the 2008 calendar - The North Cornwall 'Tor' on 20 April.
It's Cornwall's first ever cyclosportive, and with 300 entries already logged, many people have been inquisitive about this exciting new event - so much so that Harry Lodge took his whole KFS team down to the route a few days after KFS and James Stewart won the Perf's Pedal race - perhaps using the opportunity as preparation for the Tour of Taiwan. Access to Cornwall has really opened up since the upgrading of the A30, now less than an hour from the M5.
Cyclosportive riders have a choice of 100 km or 100 miles for the 'Tor'. Both routes contain the vital ingredients of good organisation, tough challenging climbs and beautiful scenery.
Organisers reckon the combination of 3,200m of ascending and the stunningly beautiful Atlantic coast is probably unbeatable in the UK for a tough yet picturesque challenge ride.
Kilotogo's Geoff Saxon adds “I simply lost count of the number of steep coastal and woodland climbs when we first rode the route in 2007. The 1-in-4s to 1-in-8s just keep coming at you all day”. The steepest climb is Millook at 1-in-3 but Bishops Wood just a few miles from home on the long route will have more than a few riders walking.
The weekend's events support the Cornwall Air Ambulance which was the UK's first ever Air Ambulance service. Expect top notch organisation - Transponder timing, 4 feedstations (you'll need them!), support vehicles, clearly way-marked routes, GPX files from the web-site and all the facilities of The Dragon Centre HQ.
More details of the North Cornwall Tor at www.northcornwalltor.co.uk
" & _
Bill Gladwell
