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SADDLEBACK FRED WHITTON CHALLENGE PARTNERS WITH LE TOUR DE FRANCE OWNERS TO HELP DEVELOP ITS STANDING AS THE TOUGHEST AND BEST SPORTIVE IN THE UK
posted under: Fred Whitton Challenge, Human Race, Lake District Rides
The guardians of the Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge and the Lakes Road Club have decided, after nurturing the legend of Fred through this iconic sportive since 1999, to team up with mass event organisers Human Race, owned by Le Tour de France owners (Amaury Sport Organisation), to help continue to…
Hotel Room for Fred Whitton Challenge weekend
posted under: Accommodation
A couple of riders who now can’t ride the event have a non-refundable room reservation for the Saturday night (6th May) at the Burton M6 Travelodge (about 50 minute drive from Grasmere), so they’d like to pass on the booking to someone else. If you’re interested please Contact Us giving your…
Marshals and volunteers still needed
posted under: Volunteer
We are now just finalising the positions of all marshals, for those who have already contacted us, your places will be confirmed to you in the next day or two. And if there is anyone out there that still wants to help this year, could you please let us know…
Feb
The Grasmere Showground
posted under: Entry, Grasmere, Lake District Rides
Some interesting facts about our Start and Finish arena at Grasmere Showground. The Arena is famous for the Grasmere Sports, now held each year on August Bank Holiday Sunday. The first recorded official sports event in Grasmere (at a different spot than the showground) was held over two days in…
The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge
The ride is a real challenge and everyone who completes it has a true sense of achievement. The Saddleback Fred Whitton 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’ … an excellent account of the ride was recently written by Kate Rawles in The Adventure Syndicate blog.
Check out the results page
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The Fred Whitton Challenge is one of the most popular sportives in the UK and is also famed as being particularly difficult. Riders rank it alongside European events such as the Marmotte in terms of difficulty.
The Fred Whitton Challenge consists of a 112 mile sportive around the Lake District, starting at Grasmere and taking in climbs of Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott & Wrynose passes.
As the name suggests, it is run in honour of Fred Whitton. Fred, who died aged just 50 in 1998, was an extremely popular member of the Lakes Road Club.
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 is a very tough route and going on rider feedback the hardest one day ride in the UK, the event includes all the Lakeland passes, one with a 30% gradient and this comes at 98 miles.
Latest Videos
The Fred Whitton Film
An insight into the organising challenge behind the Fred Whitton Challenge
Fred Whitton Challenge 2014
