CHILTERNS LEGENDS SPORTIVE

Part of the Tour of the Chilterns Cycling Festival, this event makes a great day out, says Nick O’Brien

Sportive stats Location Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Date 10 July 2022

Distance 50, 100 or 150km Price £29, £39, £41 One of the UK’s best celebrations of cycling, the Tour of the Chilterns Cycling Festival is back this summer with all its original charm, plus an exciting new race. The gorgeous Penn House Estate near Amersham hosts three sportive routes (50, 100 or 150km) and this year they’ll cover many of the gruelling roads made infamous by the Archer Grand Prix. A highlight of the British cycling calendar since it was first staged in 1956, the Archer GP elite road race returns to the Chilterns this year and gives sportive entrants the chance to watch the UK’s top riders in action.

Pre-ride prep

The Chiltern hills are the backdrop so expect proper elevation gain. This AONB just north of London is a ridge of hills criss-crossed by all three routes. The start rolls out from Penn House through picturesque villages – enjoy it, the climbs are never far off. The 50km route is designed to be slightly less demanding, indeed the festival’s Amersham Classique Retro ride for classic bikes (and gear ratios) shares the same roads. However, Chiltern Legends Long and Medium riders will benefit from a few long training rides, including 5-10-minute hill climbs.

The right kit

The main hills are 1-1.5km long with 20 per cent maximum gradients, so a compact 34/30 crankset will work for most. Keep kit simple and as light as possible. July conditions are usually hot so bring sun cream and there’s no harm in a pocket cape for early starters. Wellstocked feed stations, great scenery and free entry into the festival Velo Village at the end of your ride make this a must-do event.

Event weekend

Easily accessed by road and rail, historic Amersham and Beaconsfield have plenty of great places to eat and stay if you want to make a weekend of it. With live music, gourmet street food, local produce, craft beer and a number of retro cycling stalls at the festival site, there’s loads for the whole family. And with the Archer GP’s finishing laps coming straight through the middle of the festival, it’s a summer spectacle you’ll want to be a part of.

The ride

All the best-known hills in the area, such as Whiteleaf and Wardrobes, feature and will take their toll. Depending on which distance you enter, you may also discover local secrets such as Jolly Eskdale hill, so be prepared. The climbing starts early, at around 15km in, and most riders will experience a decent uphill effort every 15-20 minutes. Keep eating and drinking between climbs: little and often is best here. Pace your ride as, with over 2,000m of height gain, burning matches early is a mistake. Descents can be narrow and fast, so ride within your ability and keep a little in reserve for the final ‘closed road’ climb up to the finish at Penn House. Entry info is at tinyurl.com/52b7n7wt

“THE CLIMBING STARTS EARLY, AND MOST RIDERS WILL EXPERIENCE A DECENT UPHILL EFFORT EVERY 15-20 MINUTES”