England : Cheshire Avoiding a Sportive

[G3CWI]

I see that the Cheshire Cat is tomorrow. A mate and I ride out on Sunday mornings and we start in the middle of the 100 mile route (not on it). I checked on the Kilo to go website and it was not clear if the roads are closed or not. While we can avoid cycling along the route, we cant really avoid crossing it. Will this actually be possible?

 

[Hacienda71]

The roads are open.

 

[young Ed]

i find that unless it is TDF or so you can usually squeeze through somewhere
i have many a time either cycled or walked along a road whilst they were resurfacing it and it was closed to vehicles but have even seen the odd vehicle on the 'closed' road!
Cheers Ed

 

[young Ed]

either that or go for another route of a completely different direction?
Cheers Ed

 

[ianrauk]

Very few Sportives ride on closed roads.

 

[Steve H]

Only Mow Cop is closed - it will be easy to cross it

True - but only closed to cars. You will be ok riding anywhere in and around this route.

 

[coffeejo]

i find that unless it is TDF or so you can usually squeeze through somewhere

Were you even born the last time the TDF was this side of la Manche?

 

[young Ed]

Were you even born the last time the TDF was this side of la Manche?

i think it passed my local village a few years back
Cheers Ed

 

[zacklaws]

A couple of years ago, I ventured out onto the roads for a ride whilst my local sportive was on and had to venture onto its route a couple of times. Its then when you discover how many idiots ride bikes and come straight out of junctions without slowing down or stopping to check if the route is clear of oncoming traffic.

At the time, I wished I had rode it, but when I got home, I tapped my pocket and thought, "I'm £26 better off and still had a good ride which cost practically nowt"

 

[young Ed]

A couple of years ago, I ventured out onto the roads for a ride whilst my local sportive was on and had to venture onto its route a couple of times. Its then when you discover how many idiots ride bikes and come straight out of junctions without slowing down or stopping to check if the route is clear of oncoming traffic.

At the time, I wished I had rode it, but when I got home, I tapped my pocket and thought, "I'm £26 better off and still had a good ride which cost practically nowt"

you want to ride it but want to still have your 26 quid?
just find out which route it takes find the closest way to the start onto the course and then ride the course and then leave the route as close to the end as possible a free sportive in the bag
Cheers Ed

 

[User33236]

The law as it stands in the UK is that roads must be closed for races with more than 120 riders. The remaining road races are usually managed with rolling closures using marshals at appropriate junctions with guidance given to limit (if possible) any held traffic to two minutes of waiting. The new "STOP CYCLE" signs are legally enforced.

 

[User33236]

[QUOTE 2993850, member: 30090"]...and a Sportive ain't a race so it's all good.[/QUOTE]

Yep.

 

[e-rider]

A couple of years ago, I ventured out onto the roads for a ride whilst my local sportive was on and had to venture onto its route a couple of times. Its then when you discover how many idiots ride bikes and come straight out of junctions without slowing down or stopping to check if the route is clear of oncoming traffic.

At the time, I wished I had rode it, but when I got home, I tapped my pocket and thought, "I'm £26 better off and still had a good ride which cost practically nowt"

I agree that Sportive events seem to attract the least desirable cyclists

 

[zacklaws]

you want to ride it but want to still have your 26 quid?
just find out which route it takes find the closest way to the start onto the course and then ride the course and then leave the route as close to the end as possible a free sportive in the bag
Cheers Ed

It starts only a few hundred yards from my house and I've ridden it that many times on my own and as an entrant I could do it with my eyes shut, I know the exact timings and average speeds in my head to have acheived at certain points around the route to be on target to acheive the gold award (which means nothing in reality, just a piece of ponced up sportive jargon to sound impressive) and besides there's nothing to stop you crossing the start line and the finish line if you so desire.

 

[young Ed]

It starts only a few hundred yards from my house and I've ridden it that many times on my own and as an entrant I could do it with my eyes shut, I know the exact timings and average speeds in my head to have acheived at certain points around the route to be on target to acheive the gold award (which means nothing in reality, just a piece of ponced up sportive jargon to sound impressive) and besides there's nothing to stop you crossing the start line and the finish line if you so desire.

true!
i wish i could ride with my eyes closed i can hardly find my shed with my bike in without the garmin
Cheers Ed