New on the sportive calendar for 2011, the King of the Pennines will take place on Sunday September 4, putting late-season form to the test with more than 11,000ft of climbing over the full route.

Part of the Evans Cycles Ride It series, the event starts just outside Skipton, North Yorkshire, with two rides covering either 48 miles or 101 miles.

The ride heads through Halton Moor, Malham Cove and Kettlewell, with a series of long climbs, topping out at 1,913ft.

Entry costs £30, including a £5 donation to Leukemia and Lymphoma Research. Head to www.evanscycles.com/KOTP for more information.

Route preview

Former England footballer Geoff Thomas was diagnosed with leukemia in 2003 and in 2005, having fought off the disease, cycled 2,241 miles in 21 days, completing the full route that year’s Tour de France a few days ahead of the race itself.

Here Thomas, an ambassador for Leukemia and Lymphoma Research, samples the King of the Pennines route.