The 2010 Southern Sportive and Sunday Sportive events are now open for booking.
The fifth season of sportives from the veteran Southern Sportive team went live on New Years Day. “There’s still no sign of a let up in the events’ popularity,” Southern Sportive’s Martin Harrison tells us. “New Years Day sales alone were remarkable (especially as most people would have been recovering from the night before), with the season opener as Princes Risborough in particular looking like it’ll fill up faster than ever!”
That season starter is on 25 April, and there are a couple of new events to help you prepare for the season before then. Cranleigh on 7 March and Duncton on 28 March host a pair of Sportive Training Days, aimed at honing your form in time for the season proper.
“Sportive riders are getting more sophisticated and looking for a better experience from their ride, so rather than just throw in a couple of early sportives, we’ve created a new Training Day format. The Training Days will allow you to tailor your days riding to gauge your fitness and work on your performance goals on a multi loop course set up. You’ll get a full breakdown of your performance from our transponder timing system, and there will be demonstrations, talks and advice from experts and the trade too.”
The Southern Sportive returns for it’s fifth instalment on 12 September. The original South Downs sportive has built a great reputation since it’s launch in 2006, for the quality of it’s organisation and it’s breath-taking course. There are no radical revamps planned for 2010 and entry will be strictly limited to 1500 riders once more.
The only plan the organisers will reveal for 2010 is to make it the best Southern Sportive yet. And the Southern is joined by the Great Western Sportive on 20 June as the seasons premier events. This brand new event, based on the south edge of Swindon, runs out over the Ridgeway and Marlborough Downs on some of the most perfect sportive roads in the country. With a full 100 mile top distance, a choice of shorter distance options and space for 2000 riders, it promises to be a worthy new addition to the calendar.
Dates and venues:
- 7 March: NEW EVENT Sportive Training Day, Cranleigh, Surrey
- 28 March: NEW EVENT Sportive Training Day, Duncton, West Sussex
- 25 April: The Princes Risborough Sunday Sportive, “The Risboro St. George” (Princes Risborough, Bucks)
- 9 May: Duncton Sunday Sportive, “The Southern Sting” (Duncton, W. Sussex)
- 20 June: NEW EVENT The Great Western Sportive (Swindon, Wilts)
- 4 July: Reigate Sunday Sportive (Reigate, Surrey)
- 15 Aug: Woodcote Sunday Sportive (Woodcote, Oxon)
- 12 Sept: The Southern Sportive (Petersfield, Hants)
- 17 Oct: Dunsfold Sunday Sportive (Dunsfold, Surrey)
