"I ride sportives to complete them, to meet people, to see new places and to challenge myself whilst having a good day out on the bike. I have met many people from all walks of life both old and young alike, I have cemented a firm friendship with a riding buddy who has sacrificed his own fast miles and helped me through some dark times on climbs that I thought I would never see the top of."
Lorna Johnston, British Cycling Sportive Blogger
The sportive market is continuing to grow and diversify, with the season getting longer and organisers offering events for an ever-growing spectrum of riders.
In an attempt to break down the ‘MAMIL’ (middle aged man in lycra) stereotype and open up sportive riding to new audiences, many organisers are incorporating women’s only rides into their events, to attract female first timers into the sportive arena.
British Cycling is actively involved in this process, its Breeze programme working with a number of sportive organisers to promote women's rides at their events.
Search the British Cycling Sportive Calendar
Case Study: Lorna
Lorna Johnston is one of our British Cycling Sportive Bloggers, who for the past year has been blogging her progress from sportive newcomer to 'proper cyclist'.
Whilst in the minority at many of the sportives she's taken part in over the past year, she's keen to see an increase in the number of women on the startline. In the wake of London 2012, Lorna said "I’d love to think that the summer of sport we have just witnessed will encourage far more girls to take up the challenge of the long distance events as it remains such a male dominated environment."
