A unique series of UK sportives inspired by Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders and the Strade-Bianche will return for its second year this spring.
Modeled on three of the toughest races on the calendar, the sportives follow routes in the UK based on the pavé, gravel and cobbled climbs of the events that inspire them.
And French bike brand Lapierre, supplier to WorldTour team FDJ.fr, will sponsor the three sportives, organised by Birmingham-based Cycle Classics, to form the ‘Lapierre Cycle Classics Series’.
Tour of the Black Country – Sunday May 10
Paris-Roubaix serves as the inspiration for the Tour of the Black Country, which features cobbled and gravel sections, and, just like the Hell of the North, concludes with a velodrome finale – the only UK Roubaix-style sportive to do so – with a glass of champagne on offer for every finisher in the track centre.
The 100km sportive takes in 20km of cobbled roads, stony farm tracks and bridleway in total, with the sectors varying in length from 300m to 1,800m. There is also a shorter 65km course, which skips five of the fifteen unpaved sectors.
Cheshire Cobbled Classic – Sunday June 7
Meanwhile, Flanders-like cobbled climbs feature in the Cheshire Cobbled Classic and the 45 per cent Corkscrew climb – just 200m long but brutally steep – is the highlight of the 105km route.
Last year, no rider managed to reach the top on a road bike, with former track world champion Andy Tennant the man to come closest, and so a generous cash prize is on offer for the first up this year, alongside a reclaimed cobble for each finisher. All in all, 12 cobbled sectors feature on the route.
White Roads Classic – Sunday July 12
Finally, white gravel and chalk roads are the Strade-Bianche-based order of the day for the White Roads Classic.
The 115km sportive takes in nine sectors of white gravel and chalk roads totaling 15km on and around The Ridgeway in Oxfordshire, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Lapierre UK’s Martin Astley said: “We are really excited to be partnering with Cycle Classics. All three events in the series offer something really unique – something special that appeals to riders looking for a different challenge.
“The events align themselves perfectly with Lapierre bikes, the French theme of the Tour of the Black Country, and of course the abundance of pavé, are the perfect conditions for our new Pulsium model.
“We can’t wait to get to the events this year and a few of the team from France are planning to head over and see what the UK has to offer too.”
For more information or to enter any of the sportives, visit www.cycleclassics.co.uk.
