Best Fondo's/Sportives in the UK

Does anyone have any recommendations for Fondo’s/Sportives here in the UK?

Any distances up to 100 miles or so would be good.

I’m thinking about entering 2 or 3 for next year as something to aim for over the winter (indoor) months.

Thanks

There’s some lovely ones in the New Forest if you’re happy to keep a lookout for cows, ponies, pigs, donkeys…

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Fred Whitton

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If you enjoy some tough but manageable climbs, you could give the White Rose Classic a go. The medium route is less than 100 miles and takes you through some stunning Yorkshire countryside. Really well organised by a local club as well.

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Struggle Events host a few that might be of interest. I haven’t done them but, I have heard good things.

Dragon Ride is another worth considering, if you’re prepared to travel to Wales.

The White Rose (mentioned above) is a great day on the bike. Ilkley Cycle Club host the event. Very well run.

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Two I know of with closed roads: Tour of Cambridgeshire & Gran Fondo Isle of Man. One is flat, one is less flat :slight_smile:

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Where about in the UK ? I am biased but I really like the scenery in Scotland, The Cairngorm Sportive, Etape Caledonia, The Trossachs Ton and the Ken Laidlaw Borders Sportive are ones that the spring to mind but there’s lots and some of the smaller ones ran by local clubs are cheaper and enjoy the same scenery.

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That would kill me hahaha

Ridelondon is 100 miles on closed roads. Registrations are open.

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Dragon Ride is another worth considering, if you’re prepared to travel to Wales.

+1 for Dragon Ride. I did the 220km in 2015 when I was still pretty new to road cycling, its a long day out but the scenery is great. There is a shorter medio-fondo option as well. Its one of the few events I have wanted to return to and in fact have booked on for 2023, in a moment of madness for the 300km route

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Depends hugely where you are and what you’re after. At one end of the scale you’ve got the big, expensive, closed road events like Etape Caledonia, Ride London, Tour of Cambridgeshire. Great if you want fast riding in big groups and setting a century PR. But not much of a challenge to finish. At the other end of the scale you’ve got things like Fred Whitton where you’re climbing all day, getting little or no draft benefit, and just finishing is an achievement.

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I did the Fred Whitton in the Lake District and whilst it was (for me anyway) a big day out sort of ride one thing that really struck me was that the locals all seemed really on board with it and there was lots of crowd support and cheering etc. Someone in a camper even came out to give me and my pal some food and refill our water bottles.

I’m not sure many sportives in the UK really have that type of atmosphere (I suspect some are quite the opposite) so if you’re looking for reasons other than just the distance and ascent I’d always recommend the Fred on that basis.

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There’s a few sportives Ive done where I’ve got that impression (the locals disapprove) from the local media, whereas on the day I found locals really supportive :thinking:

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[proud Cumbrian resident face]

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I know you asked about the UK, but if you are based in the South or are prepared to drive somewhere then please go and do one of the big sportives over in Beligium. We do one every year, we live in Hampshire, driving over on the Friday, have a good meal and a couple of drinks the night before, get up do the sportive and we are back in Hampshire by 10pm on Saturday (day of the event) or stay over another night and have a bit of a blow out on the Belgian Beers on the Saturday.

Tour of Flanders is my favourite having done it three times.
Liege-Bastogne-Liege is great if you like long climbs
Paris-Roubaix, is, well, it’s the Hell of the North.

Tour of Cambridgeshire is good and the new Ride London course is OK but a bit bland with no hills.

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thanks but too cold for me at that time of the year :wink: I’m old

Granted the last time I did Flanders it never got over 5 degrees… but LBL which is at the end of April never got below 30 degrees c!

Most of them were around 20

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My son did all 3 when he was 18 (7 years ago) as the start of his gap year travelling europe with his road bike. His favourite was Tour of Flanders. His least favourite Paris Roubaix hahaha

I’ve done Flanders a few times (well the long one once and the fun hilly mid length one several times) but when I did the long one with the early start it was minus temperatures and snow at the end. The next year it was near 17deg.

Ive only done LBL once but that was incredibly warm and sunny comfortable shorts weather the day before the sportive when it turned torrential (so much so my garmin gave up the ghost completely :joy: )

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I love the warnings about “30% grade at mile 98” and “don’t make this your first sportive”.

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