How do Sportives work?

veganrun

Saw a Sportive listed and it's a doable distance for me (about 55k). I've never done one of these and I don't know how they work.

Are they timed? I did a few running races years ago which were chip timed but I don't know if cycling events are done a similar way.

I'm assuming roads aren't closed so I'm wondering how well the routes are signposted. I've this notion I could take a wrong turn and get lost!

Macy0161

Not timed. Roads are not normally closed, but may have an escorted roll out. There's normally marshals or signposts/ road markings for turns - how good depends on the event tbh!

el tel

Some are timed, though the common gist is that pretend racers in all the gear pretend they are in a race, while noobs with gutties (and sometimes toe clips) strenuously complete the course at the best of their ability and arrive at the end totally ****ed but immensely satisfied.

Macy0161

"All the gear"? My race gear is exactly the same as my sportive gear, which is exactly the same as my commuter gear, which is the same as I wear out on the bikes with the children. Helmet, cycling clothes, cycling shoes!

I would say timed events marketed as Sportives rather than Gran Fondo's are rare?

lissard

There was a great thread on the topic a few years ago - it should answer all of your questions.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=77357107

mloc123

I don't get sportives anymore. I did a few back years ago but no longer see the attraction. Pay money to cycle on public roads with a crappy food stop half way around.

fat bloke

mloc123 wrote: »

I don't get sportives anymore. I did a few back years ago but no longer see the attraction. Pay money to cycle on public roads with a crappy food stop half way around.

For sure, the matured, experienced cyclist doesn't to shell out and tog out for your bread and butter local 100k'er, but a well-run, challenging sportive, round a quality scenic route and at a good pace with a like-minded group, is a fantastic day out.

guanciale

fat bloke wrote: »

For sure, the matured, experienced cyclist doesn't to shell out and tog out for your bread and butter local 100k'er, but a well-run, challenging sportive, round a quality scenic route and at a good pace with a like-minded group, is a fantastic day out.

Sounds like a good club ride!

ED E

mloc123 wrote: »

I don't get sportives anymore. I did a few back years ago but no longer see the attraction. Pay money to cycle on public roads with a crappy food stop half way around.

All sportives are not created equal #thatCarrotcake

py

ED E wrote: »

All sportives are not created equal #thatCarrotcake

Agree. Any I've been to run by Naas CC, Reservoir Cogs or Orwell have been fantastic.

gmacww

mloc123 wrote: »

I don't get sportives anymore. I did a few back years ago but no longer see the attraction. Pay money to cycle on public roads with a crappy food stop half way around.

It depends on the sportive. The like of the W200 I get as most would not do 200km on their own. To do it with support, food stops (however bad or good) and the general safety net of a lot of backup makes it a very worthwhile challenge.

On the lesser distance ones it really depends. Some events are terrible and some are fantastic. Most of them have a charity angle mind so while you could do 100km on your own without having to shell out €30 you miss out on the experience of doing a well run event while supporting a charity with many like minded people who all have their own stories as to why this charity speaks to them. It can make for a fantastic experience.

terrydel

Cycling is relatively new in Ireland in terms of being a popular leisure activity.
Perhaps a bit of snobbery is kicking in now where people now see sportives as not being good enough?
I personally love one with a nice scenic route thats a bit of a challenge, long may they continue.

mloc123

terrydel wrote: »

Cycling is relatively new in Ireland in terms of being a popular leisure activity.
Perhaps a bit of snobbery is kicking in now where people now see sportives as not being good enough?
I personally love one with a nice scenic route thats a bit of a challenge, long may they continue.

It isn't snobbery on my part... it is poor value. Why pay 30-50e for a bad food stop and open roads. Like others said, club cycle offers more than that.

Deep Thought

el tel wrote: »

Some are timed, though the common gist is that pretend racers in all the gear pretend they are in a race, while noobs with gutties (and sometimes toe clips) strenuously complete the course at the best of their ability and arrive at the end totally ****ed but immensely satisfied.

well I enjoyed a couple but unfortunately like some appear to be, I wasn't born a professional cyclist...

marvin80

mloc123 wrote: »

It isn't snobbery on my part... it is poor value. Why pay 30-50e for a bad food stop and open roads. Like others said, club cycle offers more than that.

Club routes are grand but there around your local area.

The likes of Tour de Kilkenny, Rebel Tour are worth the money between the great routes and food stops.

benneca1

For your 30 Euro you get Food stop, water stop, secure parking, marshals, shower and changing at the end  meet new people see new places get a tow if there is a bad head wind. I agree other that that you get nothing.

terrydel

mloc123 wrote: »

It isn't snobbery on my part... it is poor value. Why pay 30-50e for a bad food stop and open roads. Like others said, club cycle offers more than that.

Agree thats a big issue.

terrydel

Deep Thought wrote: »

well I enjoyed a couple but unfortunately like some appear to be, I wasn't born a professional cyclist...

Who cares if youre not born a pro, thats the point of sportives in my opinion and I think it would be an awful shame if they were ruined by wannabes.
Theres races to enter if people want to race, that is absolutely not the point of a sportive.

Macy0161

benneca1 wrote: »

For your 30 Euro you get Food stop, water stop, secure parking, marshals, shower and changing at the end  meet new people see new places get a tow if there is a bad head wind. I agree other that that you get nothing.

Mechanical support on the road potentially as well, which is nice to have.

I'm not sure it's really snobbery though - is it not more that as you get into it that the distances aren't as big a deal? If you're doing 100km plus as a normal weekend, I think it's natural not to be enthused about travelling and paying entry to do a similar distance. I get that sportive distance increases the costs, time and hassle for the organisers so that's not a criticism per se.

As for faster people/ groups, I really don't see what peoples problem with that is. It's like having a problem with a club, because they have multiple groups that go at different average speeds. Faster groups only around at the start, surely, not in the way of others?

ford2600

marvin80 wrote: »

Club routes are grand but there around your local area.

The likes of Tour de Kilkenny, Rebel Tour are worth the money between the great routes and food stops.

The group from my club that I occasionally ride with have local lads lost within 10km of home; a typical ride is streets ahead of nearly all sportive routes and typical club runs.

The better audax routes and the routes a few loo laas ride from Cork city hall every Sunday is the only thing comparable.

I was never enthused by the average Sunday club spin

timmyjimmy

ford2600 wrote: »

The better audax routes and the routes a few loo laas ride from Cork city hall every Sunday is the only thing comparable.

I'm interested in these loolaa routes from Cork city?:)

Mefistofelino

ford2600 wrote: »

The better audax routes and the routes a few loo laas ride from Cork city hall every Sunday is the only thing comparable.

ford2600

Mefistofelino wrote: »

It's not a bad likeness for the focus rider!

ED E

benneca1 wrote: »

For your 30 Euro you get Food stop, water stop, secure parking, marshals, shower and changing at the end  meet new people see new places get a tow if there is a bad head wind. I agree other that that you get nothing.

You should. Unless all the marshalls jog off home at noon with half the participants still on the route.... *cough*.

Koobcam

A sportive is an event where people say it's not a race and then proceed to behave as if it is a race, at least if you are nearer the front of the group. Actual races tend to take place on circuits where you do a bunch of laps, wheras sportives will usually be ne big long route, often with a load of climbs thrown in. There will usually be a big foodstop at some stage. The start os generally a big roll out at some stage the lead car goes a bit faster and all the lads at the front immediately put the hammer down and keep it that way until the food stop, when everyone stops for tea, except those people in a hurry who keep on going to the finish and subsist on gells. Then everyone leaves the food stop, the hammer goes down again and everyone rides to the finish. If there are climbs, people end up gravitating towards a group that suits their level and the groups ride on to the finish.

07Lapierre

I’m heading over to France to do the Etape on Sunday. There are food stops, but because it’s a timed event, you can’t really use them! ( well you can but you don’t hang around too long) Its held on closed roads with Mavic Support vehicles, police escort motorbikes, medical assistance the works! The Entry fee Is €90, which I think is bloody good value!

Budawanny

veganrun wrote: »

Saw a Sportive listed and it's a doable distance for me (about 55k). I've never done one of these and I don't know how they work.

Are they timed? I did a few running races years ago which were chip timed but I don't know if cycling events are done a similar way.

I'm assuming roads aren't closed so I'm wondering how well the routes are signposted. I've this notion I could take a wrong turn and get lost!

Mostly it is not timed. the roads are not closed and the event is usually led out by escort through the town at the starting point.
They are generally speaking brilliant events for beginners.
I started road cycling last year and started off by doing a few 60 -70 and 80 sportifs, Westportif , Westport gran fondo etc. There are food and water stops.
there is a great sense of comaradery at these events, and feeling of pushing towards greater good. if your struggling someone will encourage you.
there is always someone new to chat to along the way.
whiles as some said quality may differ, all the sportifs ive done were really excellent so i think you should give it a go!

veganrun

There's one in Tyrone next weekend I was considering doing but I haven't entered it. They have 3 different distances, 53k, 104k and 168k. The longest distance I've done (at a leisurely pace) is about 50k. Some people from my club are going but are all doing either the 104 or 168k races. I think 104k is probably well beyond me as it's double the longest distance I've done to date and 168k is completely off the agenda. I could probably do the 53k distance easy enough but as others have said, it could be just a solo training run essentially as I've a feeling it's not a very well known event. Having said that, I'm new to cycling so maybe it is.

Is there a website that gives a list of sportives across the 32 counties?

fat bloke

veganrun wrote: »

There's one in Tyrone next weekend I was considering doing but I haven't entered it. They have 3 different distances, 53k, 104k and 168k. The longest distance I've done (at a leisurely pace) is about 50k. Some people from my club are going but are all doing either the 104 or 168k races. I think 104k is probably well beyond me as it's double the longest distance I've done to date and 168k is completely off the agenda. I could probably do the 53k distance easy enough but as others have said, it could be just a solo training run essentially as I've a feeling it's not a very well known event. Having said that, I'm new to cycling so maybe it is.

Is there a website that gives a list of sportives across the 32 counties?

Any details on the Tyrone spin?

retalivity

http://irishsportives.ie

Not sure if its kept up to date or exhaustive. Stickybottle had a great calendar for 2017, but dont appear to have done the same for 2018

veganrun

fat bloke wrote: »

veganrun wrote: »

There's one in Tyrone next weekend I was considering doing but I haven't entered it.  They have 3 different distances, 53k, 104k and 168k.  The longest distance I've done (at a leisurely pace) is about 50k.  Some people from my club are going but are all doing either the 104 or 168k races.  I think 104k is probably well beyond me as it's double the longest distance I've done to date and 168k is completely off the agenda.   I could probably do the 53k distance easy enough but as others have said, it could be just a solo training run essentially as I've a feeling it's not a very well known event.  Having said that, I'm new to cycling so maybe it is.

Is there a website that gives a list of sportives across the 32 counties?

Any details on the Tyrone spin?

Hopefully this link works.  Think it's called the Tour of Tyrone Sportive.  If the link doesn't work, if you search for Tour of Tyrone Sportive on FB you should be able to find it.

https://www.facebook.com/dungannonswifts/?hc_ref=ARQ8CZn5Eo5R0RoWDsgcIxobgRFJ7S0DQYJjZiN5F-Y19y0IFd3be8bISxrRsArJHn8&fref=nf