RIDE IT Sussex Road Sportive

RIDE IT is a series of non-competitive cycle events taking place across the country and aimed at riders of all abilities. At every ride you’ll find a choice of fully waymarked routes, well stocked feed stations sponsored by High 5 Sports Nutrition, mechanical and sweeper van support if things go wrong, electronic chip timing to record your ride and a finishers medal waiting for you at the end. 

A new road sportive venue for RIDE IT in 2019 offering an undulating course making the most of our local knowledge of the riding in the West Sussex lanes close to our head office.

For this early season ride we have a choice of 50km or 100km routes with the longer route taking in some more challenging terrain including Kidds Hill, also known as The Wall, which features in the UK Top 100 Road Climbs.

Starting from the South East of England Showground in Ardingly there’s a chance to warm up the legs before the route heads north and starts to gradually climb up through Horsted Keynes. The two route distances split shortly after with the long route taking riders up Kidds Hill then descending away from Ashdown Forest and on towards Groombridge before turning back to join riders on the shorter route.

The return takes riders past Weir Wood Reservoird, through Turners Hill and continuing round to Balcombe. Remember to save a bit in your legs for the finish with a couple of stiff climbs past Ardingly Reservoir that will test tired legs before you head back to the showground to collect your finishers medal.