The 2010 Southern Sportive and Sunday Sportive series dates have been announced.
The fifth season of sportives from the Southern Sportive team is set to build on the success of 2009, which saw event after event selling out. For 2010, new events are being added, existing events are getting bigger and new concepts will be introduced to expand the scope of your sportive season.
New Events
The year starts with a pair of pre-season training events in March. Rather than just throw in a couple of early sportives, the Southern Sportive crew have created a new event format to give you a targeted warm up to the season proper.
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 setup. Southern Sportives’ full transponder timing system will be on hand to give you instant feedback on your ride, and there will be demonstrations, talks and advice from experts and the trade to help you prepare for your best sportive season to date.
The Sunday Sportive season launches with it’s traditional visit to Princes Risborough on 25 April and continues throughout the summer, revisiting some classic courses along the way. Always one of the highest demand events in the calendar, the Risborough sportive gets a higher capacity and a new name for 2010; The Risboro St. George. It takes place on St. George’s Day weekend as always and is the perfect early season challenge for the dragon-slayer in you!
Great Western Sportive
One of the season highlights promises to be the Great Western Sportive on 20 June. This brand new event will stand alongside the Southern Sportive itself as a season headliner. Starting on the south edge of Swindon, the Great Western 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, this is an addition to the calendar to savour.
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.
Here’s the full list of events and dates. Booking for all events will open on January 1st 2010 at southernsportive.com.
- 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 (Princes Risborough, Bucks)
- 9 May: Duncton Sunday Sportive (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)
