Paul Kirk North Lincs Sportive 2013

The third year of the Paul Kirk North Lincs Cyclosportive has been a resounding
success! A record number of riders took to the course this year, 290 riders this
year, the biggest number in the events history so far.

Riders keenly registered from 7am on this some what blustery morning,
anticipating the ride ahead, no one knew just how windy the ride would be.
Amongst local riders we welcomed cyclists from local areas such as Sheffield,
Barnsley and regular friends from Selby Cycling Club but riders have started to
attend from further afield as the events reputation spreads.

The course was well sign posted as it is every year, one of the main attractions
of our sportive, as well as the plentiful home made cakes!

The wind certainly started to take its toll on the riders as they headed along
Trent bank only a few miles in! By 10 riders started to arrive at the first feed
station, in it’s regular place in Market Rasen to enjoy the previously mentioned
cake and enjoy a few minutes shelter from the conditions before making there way
onwards.

Entrants then made their way on their chosen course, either the 100 mile for the
extremely brave or the 100km for the slightly less brave but courageous all the
same.

By 1pm riders were arriving back to HQ, exhausted from battling the elements for
hours.

The new results system in place assisted our excellent timekeepers in producing
the results fast, so much so that next year the intention is to roll out a near
virtual large screen results screen that will be updated every 15 minutes with
latest results. Next year we will be at capacity of 500 riders so remember to enter early as there may not be any places left on the day itself!

On a personal point of view, the sportive was started as a fund raiser that
everybody would enjoy yet would remain cheap to enter, some sportives can cost
as much as £45 to enter! Years of riding sponsored events got me to the stage
where people would run and hide as they knew I was coming with my dreaded
sponsor form (others know what I mean here). This event, with all the voluntary
effort, will raise thousands in a day and remain an enjoyable social event in
our early year calendar, bringing Lincsquad together along with other local
riders and clubs ready for the race season ahead. The only racing involved here
will be to get a place on what will be a strictly limited to 500 places event!

Until next year…….

Matt

Results