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Riders and crowds flock to Urban Hill Climb in North London (+ video)

Swain's Lane in Highgate makes for a short, sharp shock close to heart of the capital...

For many club cyclists in Britain, the nights drawing in and leaves falling from the trees means one thing - hill climb season. One event that has quickly established itself as a firm favourite among riders in the capital and beyond is the Sinclair Pharma Urban Hill Climb, drawing hundreds of participants from the capital and beyond.

Held on a short but brutal closed road course whose toughest section is flanked on either side by Highgate Cemetery - the gradient starts at 6 per cent then ramps up steadily to a leg-sapping 20 per cent before easing back to a slightly kinder 16 per cent ahead of the finish - this year's edition, held on Saturday afternoon, drew more than 200 cyclists of all ages plus a sizeable crowd to cheer them on.

Besides the main men's and women's categories, there were ones for veterans, youths and juniors as well as a separate one for cargo bikes - not one for the faint hearted as it involved loading up with a couple of (empty) beer barrels before taking on the climb.

Caspar Hughes of the cycling events company Rollapaliuza, which devised and runs the Urban Hill Climb, told road.cc:  "Closing a road in north London next to a large cemetery, to allow two hundred and forty nine people to race to the top, as quickly as they can is a real challenge.

"This years event was the best Sinclair Pharma Urban Hill Climb my team have put on yet The weather held for all two hundred and forty odd starters and we look forward to making the event even better next year."

You can find more details of the event and full results here.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 01.jpeg

Rider waiting at the start.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 02.jpeg

Cargo bike laden with beer barrels.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 03.jpeg

The entrances to Highgate Cemetery mark the start of the toughest section.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 04.jpeg

The pain starts to set in.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 05.jpeg

Hitting the steepest section of the course.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 06.jpeg

The finish line.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 09.jpeg

Close fought men's final, run as a head-to-head race.

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 07.jpeg

Tough going on a road bike, but well done for even attempting it with a Pedal Me bike taxi ....

Urban Hill Climb 2017 - 00.jpeg

Over and out.

All pictures copyright Simon MacMichael, video courtesy Urban Hill Climb on Facebook.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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8 comments

Avatar
BarryBianchi | 6 years ago
0 likes

They must be embalmy...

Avatar
Leviathan | 6 years ago
0 likes

Sadly I am not a tiny monkeyman.

Avatar
rkemb | 6 years ago
1 like

The bike in the video splash, and the last picture, is an Urban Arrow -- a motor-assist cargo bike. Motors!

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to rkemb | 6 years ago
0 likes

rkemb wrote:

The bike in the video splash, and the last picture, is an Urban Arrow -- a motor-assist cargo bike. Motors!

He was only using it to "feel more comfortable".

Avatar
ChrisB200SX | 6 years ago
6 likes

I've heard that the cemetery section is a killer...

I'll get my coat.

Avatar
Edgeley replied to ChrisB200SX | 6 years ago
5 likes

ChrisB200SX wrote:

I've heard that the cemetery section is a killer...

I'll get my coat.

 

 

No Marx for that comment.

Avatar
nniff replied to Edgeley | 6 years ago
2 likes

Edgeley wrote:

ChrisB200SX wrote:

I've heard that the cemetery section is a killer...

I'll get my coat.

 

 

No Marx for that comment.

 

Grave mistakes, both of those comments.  Talk about digging yourself into a hole.

Avatar
scouser_andy replied to ChrisB200SX | 6 years ago
0 likes

ChrisB200SX wrote:

I've heard that the cemetery section is a killer...

I'll get my coat.

 

I can't wait for the branded Urban Hill Climb caskets next year...

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