Want to know how jelly-legged you're going to be a sportive? British Cycling has launched a one to five rating system for an event's difficulty, based primarily on distance and ascent gained.
The governing body announced the British Cycling Grading (BCG) scale today and that it worked in partnership with IMG Challenger World, who organises the Etape Series, to develop it.
Where events are given the same score, the grading system "allows users to compare events more accurately, using a more detailed rating", says British Cycling.
The BCG will be rolled out in 2014 and will cover all sportives registered with the federation.
British Cycling’s Cycle Sport manager, Jonathan Day said: "We are delighted to get this system up and running for 2014. We want everybody entering sportives to enjoy the experience and by providing an easy to understand grading system riders will be better informed about the physical demands of the events they enter."
