Salisbury Racecourse, Wiltshire, SP2 8PN.
An early-season sportive test lays in wait in the Sigma Sports Wiltshire Wildcat Sportive, which criss-crosses the Medieval drovers’ trails the area is famous for, passes through numerous Saxon villages, and offers magnificent views across the Dorset Downs, all in a day’s riding.
Starting out from Salisbury Racecourse, the beginning of the ride is easy going, albeit following roads that are lined along a slight uphill rise, before you face the toughest climb of the day early on. As you flit around the outskirts of Charlton, the climb through Donhead Hollow is always tricky as it’s steep and drawn out, but get this over with and you’re climb-free for a while yet.
The ensuing sections of the Sigma Sports Wiltshire Wildcat can be described as free-flowing, as the action takes place on rolling roads that won’t trouble your legs, with the occasional small peak to tackle here and there. Epic riders split a few miles prior to Bedchester and head out on a loop towards Stour Provost, West Orchard and Hammon before re-joining the Standard route shortly after Iwerne Minster.
Another climb awaits just before the routes merge, which again is steep but can be despatched quickly – and as just reward, the following roads are smooth and easy as only one more minor climb separates you and the finish line. For now it’s just a case of ticking off the miles as you enjoy the quiet countryside back roads that link the sleepy rural villages together.
As you approach the end of the Sigma Sports Wiltshire Wildcat Sportive, one last small hill challenge will test tired legs in the hilly section leading up to Coombe Bissett, but the sloping roads should be easy to deal with as you power your way back to race base for a well-deserved finisher’s medal.
Epic: 81-miles
Standard: 61-miles
Short: 30-miles
Event Includes:
Facilities and parking, Mechanical support, Medical support, Full route marking, 3rd Party Rider public liability insurance, Feed Stops, Energy food and drink, Electronic chip timing, Web results service, Online certificates, Finisher medal, On site catering, Pick-up wagons, Photos by SportivePhoto, Six Physio Massage@Events
In my case the seat post wasn't tightened resulting in a short but violent contact with the top tube.
'Fair' to drivers, an interesting idea; aren't drivers super privileged to start with? They can afford it for a start (many other road users can't)...
Accurate too!
There are times when I think that these right whinger accounts are left wingers in drag, the aguments they espouse are so ridiculous, or don't...
Or any non-drivist. A few years back, I was walking and crossing a side road not far from home. The road has particularly wide corners, especially...
Doesn't quite meet the standard of "unavoidable" though does it?
This was it in November 2022. Now you see the futility of reporting things to the police or DVLA
I'm trying to login at my mobile and it says I need to subscreve. What should I do?
I can tell you exactly what LC will be doing about that offence: nothing. I used to get letters like those- in fact, exactly like that. When you...
I was trying to be funny. OK, I accept it was a pretty weak attempt.