The 2011 Breast Cancer Care’s Bike Blenheim Palace, a festival of cycling which includes two sportives distances, a time trial and the 2011 Brompton World Championship, has been set for 21 August.
It’s the fourth year of the annual event, but the first time it has been scheduled for summer, having moved from autumn to allow for longer daylight hours and warmer conditions.
Over 5,000 turned out for the festival last year, with around 1,500 entering the sportives. For 2011, there will be two distances – 60 and 100 miles – and will start from the event village located within Blenheim Palace before passing through the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Entry to both rides is £32, which includes plenty of feed stations and mechanical support along the route.
For anyone wanting to ride a less demanding distance, the 26.2 mile Pink Ribbon ride is an alternative to the more gruelling sportive distances.
The 20km time trial, run is association with Cycling Time trials, runs through a closed circuit within Blenheim Park. Over 300 people took part last year and attracted some of the top time trialists in the country, though it is open to novice riders.
The time trial was won by Matthew Bottrill in 2010
The sixth Brompton World Championship will again take place during the festival. Registration is now open to the competition, which will see 750 of the folding bike enthusiasts fight it out over two laps of a 6.5km course. Sports attire is banned; only blazers, shirts and ties are allowed here. The race will see national champions from Brompton championships around the world compete for the world title.
Once the serious cycling is out the way, the roads within Blenheim Palace will be opened up in the afternoon for family rides.
For more information on the festival, visit the Bike Blenheim Palace website.
