Over 1,800 riders tackled the tough Fred Whitton Challenge in the Lakes on Sunday.
The Wheelbase-sponsored challenge is regarded as one of the most difficult events in the cycling calendar.
Christened ‘The Daddy of them all’ by Cycling Weekly, riders rank it alongside European events such as the Marmotte in terms of difficulty.
The Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge is a charity event which honours the late Fred Whitton, who was a great advocate for cycle sport in Cumbria and North Lancashire.
It is with respect to Fred and his ideals that the event remains ‘a challenge’ and not a highly competitive or lucrative race.
The course consists of a 112-mile ride around the Lake District, taking in climbs of Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott, Wrynose and Blea Tarn passes.
That’s all of the Lakeland passes, one with a 30% gradient which comes 98 miles into the ride.
The very top riders complete the route in just under six hours but eleven hours and over are not uncommon for the average Sportive rider.
This year 1,871 riders completed the course with Giles Drake, a cyclo-cross specialist from the Wirral leading the way home in five hours 36 minutes 26 seconds.
Second place went to Tom Merry of Edinburgh just over four minutes behind on five hours 40 minutes 29 seconds.
Completing the first three was Oliver Dawson from Brampton in five hours 50 minutes 34 seconds.
The first female rider to complete was Jenny Brown of Rochdale in six hours 46 minutes 32 seconds and she was 74th overall.
Two of our regular Cumbria Crack contributors, Elwyn Evans and Peter Bratley covered the event and here are some of their shots.
