New Wight Riviera Closed Roads Sportive
Posted Wednesday 11th January 2012 –
Southern Sportive have launched a brand new Isle of Wight sportive, and confirmed that the event will feature an exciting new closed road format. Beginning with a mass start leading into a 25km closed roads loop, calle dthe Avant loop, before riders head onto their chosen sportive distance.
The Wight Riviera Sportive covers the best of the Islands quiet roads and spectacular views, with options from 62km to 154km, racking up over 2200m of climbing across the Islands steep downland profile. The sportive is the headline event of a bigger Cycle Wight weekend, a festival of cycling on the 19th & 20th May, with rides for road and mountain bikers, and family and leisure cyclists.
The Wight Riviera Sportive is the first in the UK to use the new Sportive Avantage format. Sportive Avantage is an exciting new cycling format devised by the Southern Sportive team, that combines a classic sportive route with a closed road lead out, a new event concept providing the perfect challenge for the widest possible range of cyclists.
By offering a closed road starting loop of approx 25km (called the Avant loop), the sportive provides the excitement and spectacle of a great sporting event. The loop passes back to the start area before sending riders back out and onto the open road part of the sportive , allowing the opening loop to be taken on as a standalone challenge for for those wanting a shorter and traffic free ride.
The rolling road closure also allows the sportive to feature the excitement of a proper mass start, and an atmosphere normally only associated with marathon running. The result is an event that provides a friendly format with the atmosphere and excitement that has equal appeal for rider and spectator.
Once out on the open road sections of the sportive, the course moves onto the tranquil roads of the wider Island; very few roads on the Isle of Wight could ever be described as ‘busy’, and as it winds up and down the Islands chains of hills, the constantly changing scenery is quite breathtaking. Low, leafy valleys pass through classic English villages, along airy country lanes between the hedgerows and up onto high vantage points up on the downs, with sweeping sea views across the Island and beyond!
Places on the Wight Riviera Sportive are limited to 1500 riders, entry details can be found at –
