It looks set to be a scorcher this Sunday for the Wiggle Bournemouth Sportive, a ride for people who want to soak up sun, sea and cycling on the south coast.
Voted as one of the top 10 sportives by Cycling Plus, it's set across the counties of Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire and balances quiet roads, sublime scenery and the challenge of climbs of Win Green, Bulbarrow and Milton Abbas.
There are two route options on offer; a standard 70-mile option (£24) or a more gruelling 100-mile route (£26). Entry includes showers, electronic timing, feed stations, parking, over £10 of free energy products, mechanical support, bike wash facilities and a marked route.
Century rides like this can be a tough ask for newcomers not used to all-day stints in the saddle and it could be worthwhile to check out one of our professional training plans designed to help prepare for upcoming events.
You can select plans based on your riding level and the type of events you want to improve on, whether that means sportives, time trails or road races. Our eight week plans have been exclusively designed by Koolstof Coaching and cost £9.99. The promotional code promo1 will get you 40 percent off any plan until the end of July, too.
Your plan comes with a free interactive training diary where you can enter and download all your training data, speed, GPS map data, heart rate and power readings. Also included is a 30-page booklet, A Cyclist's Guide to Riding Sportives, which will give you the inside track on the events:
- Introduction to sportives
- Training explained
- Which bike and equipment to buy
- Clothing and kit
- Bike fit
- Basic bicycle maintenance
- How to ride in groups safely
- Descending and cornering tips
- Nutrition guidelines
- Fuelling your ride
- Why cyclists need to stretch
- Event day checklist
- Riding the event
Once you’ve got the training plan that's right for you, give it a go and put your new found fitness to the test by choosing an event from our calendar.
