The inaugural Dartmoor Classic in May 2007 was a massive success by any standard. It attracted a capacity field of 1200, with places selling-out well in advance of the big day, establishing it as one of the biggest and best sportives in the U.K.

As Cycling Weekly columnist Huw Williams wrote in his post event article: "The sense of achievement is always greater in arduous conditions and here it was huge. Anyone who completed the 2007 Dartmoor Classic will be dining out on the story for years. It takes a lot more than rain to hide the true nature of an event like this and it’s clearly a ride that will come to deserve its ‘Classic’ tag in years to come. The infrastructure is solid, entry and sign-on were streamlined and efficient, marshalling was impressive, food and drink was bountiful at the control points and there was even a trophy for everyone who finished. I don’t normally say this when I’ve been through hell, but I’ll be back."

Probably the most important changes this year, particularly for those who rode the first edition of the Dartmoor Classic, are the two new routes which will give you more moor for your money; 70% of the 100 mile route is over parts of the moor not covered in 2007.

What is a Cyclosportive? Rapidly becoming the country's most popular cycle sport discipline, Cyclosportives are long distance, mass participation challenges over demanding terrain, with established events now selling out within days of entry acceptance. Although Cyclosportives are not races, finishing times are recorded, which encourages the fittest riders to chase the fastest times, while the majority are just happy to complete the distance within the time allowance. The severity of the course coupled with the time restriction make cyclosportives much harder than the average charity ride and those who take part must be well prepared for their stamina and courage to be put to the test.

Dates

28/06/2009

Sunday 09:00 - 17:00