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Is The Monster the UK’s toughest sportive? Is The Monster the UK’s toughest sportive? Is The Monster the UK’s toughest sportive? Is The Monster the UK’s toughest sportive? Is The Monster the UK’s toughest sportive?
The Monster sportive

Is The Monster the UK’s toughest sportive?

Welsh event is 195km long with 4,200m of climbing
by Alex Bowden
Tue, Mar 01, 2016 15:57
20

With only 65 per cent of riders completing the course, the organisers of The Monster believe it is the UK's toughest sportive. Organised by A Cycling and first run in 2014, strict cut-offs will be enforced for a 195km event which will feature 4,200m of climbing.

Both previous editions of The Monster have sold out with only a limited number of places available. This year just 100 riders will take part.

Those who do get a spot will get to ride a beautiful and quiet route from Llangadog through the heart of Wales which promises not a single traffic light or roundabout.

However, organisers are keen to emphasise that it is ‘not your average sportive’ and riders must finish within 10.5 hours to be classed as a “finisher”.

“It is aimed at experienced riders who are bored of the standard, easy sportive events out there. It is for riders who know that total climbing is much harder than distance, and for those who think a standard 100 miler is a walk in the park.”

But is it the UK’s toughest sportive? It certain has a case on paper. The Fred Whitton Challenge is 178km with 3,285m of climbing for example – but the Lake District event does boast some rather sickening gradients which surely must be taken into account. The Dragon Ride might be another contender. The longest route for that is 305km long with 2,905m of climbing.

Perhaps someone might like to ride them all and then let us know?

The Monster takes place on July 9 and costs £26. For more information on how to enter and what’s included, click here.

The Monster
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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20 comments

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matthewn5 | 8 years ago
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Only 8,000 m of climbing? Soft.

Now this is hard graft:  Ruta Negra. 14 days, 1,700km, 50,000m of climbing.

http://www.thomsonbiketours.com/trips/Ruta-Negra-01/index.html

Check the route profile:

//www.thomsonbiketours.com/img/profiles/2016_xact_large.png)

Avatar
vorsprung | 8 years ago
0 likes

Here are the top ten AUK rides before July that are over 100km sorted by metres ascent per km

I've done the  "Valley of the Rocks" one and that was pretty tough - but it's only 7th on this list!

"The Monster" at 4200m in 195km would come out at a respectible 3rd if it was an Audax

Weather makes rides harder.  Did a 200km last month in a gale+rain.  Now that was a "monster"

 

 

    200km       08:00 from Pateley Bridge    Dales Grimpeur 200 = 22.98metres per km,4596 total ascent
    200km  08:30 from Padiham, Lancashire    Tan Hill 200 = 22.5metres per km,4500 total ascent
 U  110km  09:00 from Hebden Bridge    Spring into the Dales = 21.3636363636364metres per km,2350 total ascent
    150km  08:30 from Bolsover    Dovedale and Beyond = 20.0666666666667metres per km,3010 total ascent
    200km  08:00 from Lodge Moor, Sheffield    The Sheffrec Full Monty = 20metres per km,4000 total ascent
    110km  08:30 from Bishops Lydeard, Nr Taunton    Dustman Dave\'s Demon Hilly = 19.5909090909091metres per km,2155 total ascent
    200km  Online entry available for this event.  08:00 from Honiton    Valley of the Rocks 200 = 19.5metres per km,3900 total ascent
    200km  08:00 from Penzance    Four Hundreds 200 = 18.8metres per km,3760 total ascent
    200km  07:00 from Leominster    The Cambrian = 18.75metres per km,3750 total ascent
 U  200km  08:00 from Clitheroe, Lancashire    Dales Delight  200 = 18metres per km,3600 total ascent
    300km  06:00 from Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury    Offa's Double Century = 17metres per km,5100 total ascent

 

Avatar
Rapha Nadal | 8 years ago
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I often fail to see the point in these types of rides.  Perhaps I'm missing something?

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DaveE128 replied to Rapha Nadal | 8 years ago
0 likes

Rapha Nadal wrote:

I often fail to see the point in these types of rides.  Perhaps I'm missing something?

To set yourself a challenge. Completing a difficult challenge brings a sense of achievement.

The support provided by the event means you don't need to carry a tonne of water, food etc. There's also a sense of camaraderie that is missing from a solo challenge ride.

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Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
0 likes

I'd prefer to do something like the Isle of Wight Randonne ( long route) two times in the day. It's free, and will get you about 200Km's and a fair bit of climbing. It's well organised as well.

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Bjj.andy.w | 8 years ago
0 likes

Done the Fred Whitton (twice, third and I think the last time for me this year), Le Terrier and the Bowland Baddass and for me the Baddass is the daddy...(although Le Terrier is a toughie)

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Beefy | 8 years ago
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Le Terrier, awsome!

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ianrobo | 8 years ago
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All these are great but I am doing La Marmotte this July now that is tough !! Seriously though I may pencil some of these in for 2017 and I may look at a super Audax 400KM plus.

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CarbonBreaker replied to ianrobo | 8 years ago
0 likes

ianrobo wrote:

All these are great but I am doing La Marmotte this July now that is tough !! Seriously though I may pencil some of these in for 2017 and I may look at a super Audax 400KM plus.

 

Marmotte, hmm, if there is one thing to be gleaned from this thread, one persons tough, is another's "pish". Go the whole hog and do the tour du Mont Blanc, 330km, 8000+m or as others have said, Audax!

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picko | 8 years ago
0 likes

If we're talking sportives and not Audax events, the coast to coast in a day is 240km with 4500m of climbing.  And goes over Hardknott Pass and Wrynose Pass after 10 miles.  Also a very well run and supported event.  Recommended.

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willvousden | 8 years ago
2 likes

That 65% figure is dishonest; most of those DNFs were actually DNSs.

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crazy-legs replied to willvousden | 8 years ago
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willvousden wrote:

That 65% figure is dishonest; most of those DNFs were actually DNSs.

I entered it last year (or maybe 2014, can't remember) and was then ill with less than a week to go so emailed the organiser to withdraw. Asked if he could donate what was left of my entry after his admin costs to the air ambulance so hopefully some good came of it!

For a couple of years there was an invite-only event called the  Bowland Badass which was 167 miles with 18,500ft climbing. Not sure it counts as "toughest ever sportive" though as it wasn't exactly open to all.

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burtthebike | 8 years ago
2 likes

You might like to compare it to triple A Audaxes rather than sportives.  One hell of a lot cheaper too.

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dafyddp replied to burtthebike | 8 years ago
2 likes

burtthebike wrote:

You might like to compare it to triple A Audaxes rather than sportives.  One hell of a lot cheaper too.

 

At the last Audax I did, there was a mature chap riding a single speed, flat handlebar bike with his jeans tucked in his socks and wearing a pair of plymsols. Without even a nod towards any macho posturing, he plodded the distance (200km, I think) in a respectable 9 hours. Monster, my arse.

 

Avatar
mike the bike replied to dafyddp | 8 years ago
6 likes

dafyddp wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

You might like to compare it to triple A Audaxes rather than sportives.  One hell of a lot cheaper too.

 

At the last Audax I did, there was a mature chap riding a single speed, flat handlebar bike with his jeans tucked in his socks and wearing a pair of plymsols. Without even a nod towards any macho posturing, he plodded the distance (200km, I think) in a respectable 9 hours. Monster, my arse.

 

 

Indeed.  These Johnny-Come-Lately types, with their carbon shoes and their CO2 cylinders actually believe they invented this type of ride.

 My grandfather used to walk 13 miles to work and 13 miles back again, six days a week, which is completely irrelevant but I love to squeeze  it into conversation as a memorial to a lovely man.

Avatar
burtthebike replied to mike the bike | 8 years ago
5 likes

mike the bike wrote:

 

Indeed.  These Johnny-Come-Lately types, with their carbon shoes and their CO2 cylinders actually believe they invented this type of ride.

 My grandfather used to walk 13 miles to work and 13 miles back again, six days a week, which is completely irrelevant but I love to squeeze  it into conversation as a memorial to a lovely man.

[/quote]

 

When I were lad we lived in't shoe box in middle of road.  Had to lick road clean wi' tongue, got up two hours before we went to bed, paid boss to go to work.  Eh, those were the days.

 

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to mike the bike | 8 years ago
1 like
mike the bike wrote:

dafyddp wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

You might like to compare it to triple A Audaxes rather than sportives.  One hell of a lot cheaper too.

 

At the last Audax I did, there was a mature chap riding a single speed, flat handlebar bike with his jeans tucked in his socks and wearing a pair of plymsols. Without even a nod towards any macho posturing, he plodded the distance (200km, I think) in a respectable 9 hours. Monster, my arse.

 

 

Indeed.  These Johnny-Come-Lately types, with their carbon shoes and their CO2 cylinders actually believe they invented this type of ride.

 My grandfather used to walk 13 miles to work and 13 miles back again, six days a week, which is completely irrelevant but I love to squeeze  it into conversation as a memorial to a lovely man.

Why didn't he use a bike?

Avatar
sponican replied to burtthebike | 8 years ago
2 likes

burtthebike wrote:

You might like to compare it to triple A Audaxes rather than sportives.  One hell of a lot cheaper too.

Absolutely! How about 600km with 10150m of climbing, including the best of the lakes?

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-312/

Last year's event was done by at least one person riding fixed.

Avatar
PpPete replied to sponican | 8 years ago
0 likes

sponican wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

You might like to compare it to triple A Audaxes rather than sportives.  One hell of a lot cheaper too.

Absolutely! How about 600km with 10150m of climbing, including the best of the lakes?

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-312/

Or indeed any of the Cambrian Series Permanents  £3 a pop !

 

Avatar
dislocatedMTB | 8 years ago
1 like

First Dragon Devil was 302km and between 4700-4900m of climbing, depending on which GPS/route mapping you believed.

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