The Lake District has just played host to one of the most difficult cycling events in the calendar – the Fred Whitton Challenge.
It is often billed as one of the most popular sportives in the UK and is dubbed ‘the daddy of them all’ by Cycling Weekly, with riders ranking it alongside European events such as the Marmotte in terms of difficulty.
The ride is a real challenge and everyone who completes it has a true sense of achievement.
The challenge is a charity event in honour of 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 just that, a challenge.
The challenge consists of a 112-mile sportive around the Lake District. Starting at Grasmere it takes in climbs of Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott, Wrynose and Blea Tarn passes.
The very top riders complete the route in just under six hours but 11 hours and over are not uncommon for the average Sportive rider.
Going on rider feedback it’s the hardest one day ride in the UK, as the event includes all the Lakeland passes, one with a 30 per cent gradient and this comes at 98 miles.
Seventeen-year-old Finlay Hawker of the Zappi Junior race team was best on the route on Sunday, completing the 112 miles in just over 5 hours 26 minutes.
He was just 24 seconds better than 35-year-old Londoner Harold Evans of Freeride X Le Col.
Three minutes further back was 28-year-old Tom Armstrong, a former professional road racer.
A clutch of Cumbria-based riders finished 8th to 13th on times – 8th, Ben Goodfellow (Kendal Mint) 5-59-07; 9th, Michael Pluckrose (Carlisle) 6-00-53; 10th, Henry Hunter (Kendal CC) 6-00-56; 11th, Rory Black (Kendal CC) 6-02-27; 12th, Robin Hicks (Kendal CC) 6-03-13 and 13th Andrew Whalley (Lakes RC) 6-06-26.
A total of 2,015 riders completed the course, with 27 outside the cut-off time.
