Tour of Cambridgeshire online entries close

Paul Horta-Hopkins

Last chance to pre-enter the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships qualifier, the Tour of Cambridgeshire this Sunday 14th May.

The remaining UK round of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series (UGFWS), the Tour of Cambridgeshire, takes place in Peterborough on Sunday 4th June 2017. You’d better be quick however as pre-entries for the event close at midnight on Sunday 14th May 2017.

Are you ready for the Tour of Cambridgeshire?

This is the last opportunity for UK-based riders to qualify for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships on home soil. The top 25% of finishers in each age category will gain an automatic invite to represent their country at the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Albi, France, in August.

The easiest way to describe a true Gran Fondo is to think in terms of a big city marathon; those at the front are racing while those behind are either out to test themselves or just enjoying riding on traffic free roads.

Get ready for a great weekend of riding

The UGFWS course is a 79 mile (127km) fully closed road route with very little climbing, 1926ft (587m). However be warned, the wind can prove the biggest challenge on the day apart from the speed. This is the course which must be used to gain a World Championship qualifying place. You don’t have to race though, most riders are happy to test themselves or simply enjoy riding on the fully closed roads throughout the course.

The Tour of Cambridgeshire’s Chrono events also run on fully closed roads

If you don’t fancy the full Gran Fondo there is also a medio fondo distance of 56 miles (90km). This is based on the long course and is again on fully closed roads round the Fens. This is also the course for The Light Blue Tour Classic event which is a race/ride for pre-1987 bikes. Old school rules for this event, i.e. steel frames, exposed brake cables, down tube shifters, plus toe clips and straps. There will be a podium for males and females in this category but again the majority of the entrants will be happy to just ride their classic bikes on traffic free roads.

Cycling Festival Weekend

The weekend of cycling begins on Friday 2nd June at Peterborough Arena with the folding bike fondo and an electric bike trial taking place on site. The main events on Saturday are the closed road Endura Individual and Team Chrono. These Chrono (time trial) events have proven very popular and sold out very quickly.

Sportive riders enjoying the closed roads on the Tour of Cambridgeshire 2016. Photo courtesy of Sportograf

Also taking place within the showground is a family fondo and a gravel bike enduro. Sunday is Gran Fondo day with the long qualifier and Medio distances as well as the Tour Classic using the Medio route. Whilst the Fondo riders are busy there will be a fixie and cyclo-cross race taking place in the Showground. Registrations open on Friday at midday and there will be plenty going on to entertain those registering as well as an expo area.

For more details on the Tour of Cambridgeshire Gran Fondo and Chrono and the weekend’s events please visit the Tour of Cambridgeshire.

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