The Opportunist Cyclist is coming on leaps and bounds or should I said getting on in wheel revolutions get it. I have just finished my first Sportive. For those of you who like me don't know the full range of cycling lexicon, of course you will - you are a wondrous bunch - but just for peace of mind a Sportive is the following...
"A cyclosportive, or often simply sportive, is a short to long distance, organised, mass-participation cycling event, typically held annually."
Hey, thanks Wikipedia. The first Sportive then, the Hampshire Hilly Hundred as it is known formally, well it is to those who do the whole thing. I ducked out and did 80 miles but still pretty good going for a novice like me. For those who want a thorough break down of the route see the linked below but the crux of the route is to start just outside of the village of Sparsholt and finishing again at said village. The route takes in a whole mileau of hills from short punchy hills ranging from 10% to slower grinding leg sappers.
I am still awaiting my details from the day but I have to say that having ridden about 100km in total that I found the race (120km in total) a good challenge but one that I managed to get through without too much bother. True there were a few heartracing moments - the initial climb up Whites Hill where the climb touches 15% was beasty as was the ascent up from the second "feed station" but you know what I survived.
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