A dry and at times sunny, clear Autumn day greeted the 170 or so riders for the inaugural Matlock Top Ten sportive starting from The Whitworth Centre, Darley Dale.

For the time of year the riding conditions were near perfect – a hefty leaf fall during the week before the event made for some greasy surfaces but careful riding particularly on shady tree lined sections meant the bike would stay upright.  

The 60-kilometre long route featured 10 classic White Peak and Derwent Valley climbs including Bank Road and Riber Road in Matlock; Bonsall Moor; Stanton Moor and last but not least Rowsley Bar. Total ascent was 1750-metres with plenty of thigh burning and lung busting 20-percent gradients.

The shorter 30-kilometre route did a more condensed loop including four of the ten climbs and it still packed a punch with 751-metres of climbing.

For a list of all riders times click here

Our resident sports photographer Chris Meads was on hand to record everything, see details of how to purchase your event memento here.

Future sportive events/dates for the diary

The BOB (Battle of Bradfield) - Sunday 29/3/15 – another short but tough sportive close to Sheffield on roads used in this year’s Tour de France. As with the Top Ten there will be a shorter route option.

The third Igloo – Sunday 19/4/15 – starts from a new venue (Holymoorside Village Hall, Chesterfield) with re-vamped, refined long and short routes in and around the eastern Peak District.

The third Peak Epic – Sunday 31/5/15 - from Lady Manners School, Bakewell. The truly epic 165km long route with 4000m of climb; the medium route of 100km (2200m) and short 60km (1350m) option. Start preparing for this already. See here for more information including the routes and the 2014 riders’ times.

Entries for all these events are now open or will be by November. Visit www.darkwhitecycling.co.uk to find out more.