Entries are still open for the Cotswold Edge sportive.
The event, organised by RCUK partners, Southern Sportive, takes place this Sunday (October 14), starting in the south Gloucestershire village of Hawkesbury Upton, on the western edge of the Cotswolds.
Three routes are offered.
The 128km full route takes in 2050 metres of climbing with a maximum gradient of 16 per cent.
Riders aiming for a gold standard time will need to average 27.35kph to record a time under four hours and 40 minutes.
At 101km, the mid route offers 1500 metres of climbing that tops out at 249 metres. The gold standard time is three hours 41 minutes or less.
The 73km short route still features a testing course that includes a maximum gradient of 16 per cent. Riders aiming for a gold time will need to finish the route in under two hours 30 minutes.
Organiser, Martin Harrison, said: “We think we have something very close to the perfect sportive mix for you in the Cotswolds”.
The first 30km passes through quiet lanes on flat terrain as a gentle introduction to the ride.
Steeper gradients soon follow with climbs north towards Stroud. Organisers promise ‘picture book imagery at every turn’ as an antidote to the effort required.
“The climbs are always challenging, sometimes painful, but as those twisting lanes open out, your reward is a series of stunning views over the meandering Severn Estuary, rising on the far bank to the Forest of Dean,” said Harrison.
Continuing the ‘Cotswold edge’ theme of the ride, the routes continue to edge west of Dursely before descending into the Vale of Berkeley along the Severn Estuary.
A choice of finishes is offered to all three routes. Riders who tackle the 20 per cent climb of Kilcott Hill will be rewarded with a souvenir.
Entry costs £19 for the full route, £17 for the mid route, and £16 for the short route.
Prices include mechanical support, first aid, feed stations, electronic timing, free energy drink and snacks, and immediate results for riders with gold, silver, and bronze times.
