Every year, thousands of British riders head to Europe to ride a sportive; the chance to swap British roads for the challenge of the mountains and (hopefully) warmer weather of France, Spain, Italy and beyond.
The popularity of the Etape du Tour, which this year mirrors the penultimate stage of the Tour de France from Megeve to Morzine, is a testament to the number of riders who to Europe to test themselves in the height of summer.
And while the Etape du Tour may be the most famous European sportive, another fabled ‘bucket list’ event, La Marmotte, has now expanded into the Pyrenees and the ever-popular Haute Route is getting bigger and better, too.
The most popular events sell out quickly, but places for a number of top sportives are still available through Sports Tours International. With that in mind, here are five events you can still book on to.