The Route
The ride features a rare closed road, mass start thanks to the kind Support of Kirklees Council Highways Dept and West Yorkshire Police. Route marshals are kindly provided by West Yorkshire Advanced Motorcyclists, a feature well liked by our previous riders for their friendly and reassuring directions. HQ is located at Princess Mary Athletics Stadium, there is plenty of parking on site.
Riders can sign on from 07:00 on the day and should be ready for the 9am start.
The route features 5 key climbs and with around 7000 feet of climbing, including Holme Moss, a regular feature in many cycling events over recent years including the Tour of Britain and Leeds Classic. With the route featuring them all within the first 35 miles, with only brief, fast descents to recover on.
This year the route has a gentle climb to Hartshead before dropping through Brighouse and back to the familiar route at Fixby and over Buckstone Moor to Lancashire
After Wessenden riders can recover on the long descent, whilst enjoying the view, before reaching Holmfirth, home of Last of the Summer Wine – with our feed station ideally placed for a breather before beginning the long climb to the foot of Holme Moss, a hard enough climb in its own right, made worst by the fact you can see Holme Moss rearing up in the distance. Holme Moss itself is 1 and a quarter miles and features marking in the road every 400 metres so you’ll know exactly how much suffering is to go!
With the worst of the climbs behind them, riders can enjoy the descent to Woodhead before the long drag up the Woodhead Pass. The run in home take riders through Dunford Bridge, Denby Dale (famous for its Pies) before swinging back to home though Emley, Kirkheaton and Bradley, before finishing back at the start where food will be on hand.
The rider handbook (collected on the day with your number) has comprehensive route instructions, maps and contact details and should the need arise there are many options for riders to cut short and head back to base.