Overseas Sportive of the Year

1. Paris-Roubaix Challenge
2. Etape du Tour
2. L’Eroica

Paris-Roubaix is perhaps the most iconic race in the cycling calendar and its sportive, the Paris-Roubaix Challenge, holds a similar appeal for amateur cyclists who want to follow in the footsteps of their heroes by punishing themselves over the cobbles of northern France.

Stu King described the sportive as “a ride that can span the entire spectrum of emotions within 170km” and an event that “takes no prisoners” when he rode the 2013 edition.

From the cobbles to the Alps, the Etape du Tour, which offers sportive riders the chance to pit themselves against a mountain stage of the Tour de France, is also on the bucket list’s of countless riders.

RoadCyclingUK’s George Scott was among those to take the challenge this year and the 2013 Etape, played out over stage 20 of the Tour, takes second spot in the Overseas Sportive of the Year category ahead of L’Eroica.