Event: 13 April 2014
The Skylark sportive is a brand-new road cycling event coming to the South Pennine uplands of West Yorkshire and Lancashire on Sunday 13 April 2014.
With three routes available of 100, 60 and 40 kilometres in length, it offers an early season opportunity to explore a region of the country that cyclists as a whole have just discovered, thanks largely to the announcement that the 2014 Tour de France is coming to the area.
The Skylark’s longest option takes in of two of the feature climbs of the 2014 Tour de France‘s visit, the longest continuous uphill road in England, Cragg Vale (8km in length, climbing 300m), and the steep and exposed Holme Moss (5.5km in length, climbing 340m), close to the events HQ in Holmfirth.
And, whilst the event will obviously attract riders keen to ride the roads that their Tour heroes will be tackling three months later, the organisers have also sought to design a route that features some of the subtler cycling pleasures of the area, roads that have been favourites of local riders for many years.
Event organiser Wane Law explained the philosophy behind the Skylark: “We wanted to create a route that gave riders the chance to test themselves against the biggest climbs of the 2014 Tour de France visit. But we didn’t want to leave it at that. We employed local cyclists who have ridden round here all their lives to put together a route that is fun, challenging and intriguing.”
“It would have been all too easy to join up the Tour climbs with lengthy sections of unremarkable A-road, but that would not only have been disappointing to ride, it would have also missed out on the incredible, ancient minor road network we have around here: roads that were never going to be big enough to host the tour, but which are the essence of why this is such a fascinating, challenging and enjoyable place to cycle. Above all, we want to put on an event that will live long in the memories of all participants and hopefully bring them back wanting more.”
More on the Skylark Sportive Route
The opening of the M62 motorway, over 40 years ago, removed much of the heavy traffic from the South Pennines A-roads and the Skylark takes advantage of this with some satisfying and dramatic upland road cycling along the western fringes of the route.
But there are also a number of sections entirely on the minor roads that provided the main means of getting from place to place long before motor vehicles, railways and even canals. Although sinuous and winding on the map, these roads have a natural flow to them as they pass through tiny stone-built hamlets and pretty villages and are both quiet and a pleasure to cycle.
But there’s no getting away from the fact that this route is hilly. Whilst Cragg Vale and Holme Moss catch the eye, the 100km option features several sections of minor road that are somewhat steeper than these giants of British hill-climbing. The village of Ripponden is the home to two of these: Dyson Lane, which comes after some 33km of riding and is six hundred metres of narrow tarmac at almost 15% (steeper than 1 in 7 in old money); then, as the route makes a second passage through the village at 63km, there is the forbidding Ripponden Bank, also featuring on the Tour de France route, an ascent of over 2km at around 10% throughout.
The 60km option takes riders high onto the Western fringes of the Pennines, with great views over the Lancashire and Cheshire plains, before missing the Cragg Vale climb, but taking in both Ripponden Bank and Holme Moss. Meanwhile, the 40km route is a pleasant exploration of the Pennine valleys to the Northwest of Holmfirth, before finishing with the climb of Holme Moss.
The Routes:
Riders will benefit from well-stocked refuelling stops at key points on the route, plus an event goody bag. Additional benefits and spot prizes will be announced ahead of the event.
Entries for the Skylark are open now and are priced at £25 for the 100km routes, £20 for the 60km route and £15 for the 40km route.
