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Cyclocross sportive comes to Woodcote near Reading next SundayCX Sportive

Cyclocross sportive comes to Woodcote near Reading next Sunday

Format is one of our predicted trends for 2012 - here's your chance to try it out...
by Simon_MacMichael
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 17:24
5

One of the predictions we recently made for 2012 was continued growth in cyclocross sportives, and if you’re within striking distance of the M4 corridor there’s a great chance to try the format out next Sunday at Woodcote in the Chilterns, between Reading and Oxford.

Woodcote first hosted a CX Sportive last year, and this time round three routes will be on offer with distances of 40km, 60km and 80km on offer, the latter featuring 1,207 metres of climbing.

All three routes provide a variety of surfaces ranging from quiet country roads to byways and what organisers Cycle Events Organisation (CEO) describe as some technically challenging off-road segments.

One thing you emphatically don’t need to take part is an actual cyclocross bike – last year’s entrants took part on everything from MTBs to single speed road bikes fitted with ’cross tyres, and as CEO says, “Your choice of steed will define your ride.”

It adds: “Will the versatility of an MTB offer the best performance over mixed terrain? Will the pure speed of a road bike make up for time lost on the short, occasional off road dismounts? Or will the CX bike give you the best return where it counts?

“Your bike choice will even be included in your results listing, so you can see how different bikes stack up on the day. Full route marking, RFID rider timing, top notch catering and first class, friendly organisation and support all feature as part of the event.

Prices are £15 for the 40km route, £16 for 60km and £17 for 80km, with registration open from 8.30am next Sunday morning, 29 January.

Details of how to enter, plus a full breakdown of each route including profiles showing the type of surface as well as elevation, can be found on the CX Sportive website.

 

Oxfordshire
cyclocross sportive. Berkshire
Cyclocross
CX Sportive
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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5 comments

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David Else | 12 years ago
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Thanks for the warning there, Othello. I'm not proud, so if it means I have to dismount and run for a few sections, rather than smash up my bike, I'll do it...
cheers
David

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David Else | 12 years ago
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I’m riding this on Sunday. I did another CX sportive organised by the same team down near Salisbury in November, and it was a well-organised event - and good fun too.

I did it on my winter training bike, as did some other riders, but there was a wide range of machinery there: full-on cross bikes, MTBs, commuter hacks, hybrids, the lot.

In truth, I didn’t have such a great ride last time - wrong choice of tyres - but I’ll be using something which I hope will be better this time around: I’m testing a pair of knobbly 700x32c Panaracer CGs - and they’ve performed well during recent training rides, on a mix of on-road and off-road sections, so the portents are good.

Look out for a full review of these tyres in the Gear section here on road.cc in the next month or so.

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othello replied to David Else | 12 years ago
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David Else wrote:

I’m riding this on Sunday. I did another CX sportive organised by the same team down near Salisbury in November, and it was a well-organised event - and good fun too.

I did it on my winter training bike, as did some other riders, but there was a wide range of machinery there: full-on cross bikes, MTBs, commuter hacks, hybrids, the lot.

In truth, I didn’t have such a great ride last time - wrong choice of tyres - but I’ll be using something which I hope will be better this time around: I’m testing a pair of knobbly 700x32c Panaracer CGs - and they’ve performed well during recent training rides, on a mix of on-road and off-road sections, so the portents are good.

Look out for a full review of these tyres in the Gear section here on road.cc in the next month or so.

Sundays route is my local patch and you are going to need to take it *very* easy on some of the offroad bits, if you are on your winter training bike 1

The bridleway going down to Goring is seriously rocky, steep and fast. Great fn on my MTB but I've not attempted it on my cross. Unfortunately I'm away this weekend otherwise I would be joining in.

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SideBurn | 12 years ago
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Have just finished the Newnham 60 on a CX (2nd Jan '12) it was pure hell! Loved most of it; the bits that did not include fear of death. Bike weighed a ton, caked in mud so I could hardly change gear. It appeared that many entered the 60km (3 laps) but gave up after 2, I was pleased that they allowed me to ride a CX in a MTB race and left a few standing going up hill but they soon caught up on the downhill. Was also pleased to finish 60km but it was hard because of mud and challenging terrain and 3 punctures. Great atmosphere and cameraderie every time I fell off/punctured someone asked if I was OK! Would love to do another but am racing already on the 29th Jan. I hope this is a growing trend!

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pj | 12 years ago
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looking forward to this year's sportive criterium 'race' series where 500 budding cyclosportivistes tackle an all new "it's not a 'race' race" around the mythical aztec west circuit; £50 to enter with a shonky feed station somewhere on the bottom of the circuit. failing that there's always the bristol to bath cyclo sportive railway path classic; £60 for a chipped ride featuring the col de saltford, with a choice of the "etape" stage, there and back, or the "mini-etape", straight out only. full marshalls on all corners.

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