Tour of the Black Mountains

Date: 25th July 2009

What is it? A choice of 50, 85 and 114 Mile routes in the Black Mountains of South Wales.

Event Information: The longest route is 182 km (114 miles) in length and features 3,793 meters (12,393 ft) of climbing making this one the hardest sportives in the UK.

The event HQ is at the fantastic location of Pen-y-dre Farm owned by Idris & Gwenllian Jones where you can camp or stay in their Cottages. There are loads of other B&B's in the area (more details on the event website)

The Black Mountains are an area of outstanding natural beauty with rivers, lakes and mountains in abundance. The challenging climbs are fantastic and all on virtually traffic free lanes.

Huw Wiliams, Cycling Weekly says "A course of stunning imagination, the organisers have simply picked the best roads, whether uphill or down its up to you as an experienced rider to get round it safely. Throw in a handful of soul-destroying long climbs a 60mph downhill and a typically British 20 mile section of rolling hills into a nagging headwind and you've got a course which provided one of the hardest Sportive challenges the UK has yet witnessed."

Event Highlights:

• Single day 115 and 85 mile routes
• Fully signed and marshalled routes.
• National Escort Group safety riders
• 3 Feeding zones.
• Post-event refreshments.
• Transponder timing.
• Medical assistance.
• Official Photographs taken at the start and along the route.
• Restricted entry to 600 entrants.
• Gold, Silver or Bronze medal awarded according to time & classification

Entry Costs: 27GBP (115 mile), 23GBP (90 mile)

Further information and entry: http://www.touroftheblackmountains.com