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Riders’ Notes

The nature of a Sportive is to offer a cycle ride that provides a challenging combination of distance and climbing on public roads traversing rugged and often beautiful terrain. You need to be self-sufficient to deal with any problems you might encounter on the course:

 Navigation

• There are signs round most of the course, but it is your responsibility to navigate accurately
• You should carry a copy of the route notes and associated map. These can be downloaded from the website. There will also be copies for collection at Registration.
• You are also advised to carry a copy of OS Explorer Map OL41 Forest of Bowland and Ribblesdale.

 Food and drink

• The courses pass through the following villages where it may be possible to refuel (but it cannot be guaranteed that cafes etc are open, and they may be busy with other customers):
• Short Course – Dunsop Bridge (16 miles), Slaidburn (20 miles), Wray (35 miles)
• Long Course – Chipping (25 miles), Wray  (67 miles)
• A water station will be sited at the crossroads at 44.5miles on the long route.
• A feed station will be set up on the roadside where the Long and Short Courses rejoin in the vicinity of Lowgill after 60 and 28 miles covered respectively.

 Accidents & Enquiries

• It is recommended that you carry a mobile phone (though mobile coverage is patchy), have ID and a certain amount of money.
• The phone numbers for contacting Event HQ are In order of preference 07793860577; 07736306499; 07958434549.
• Dial 999 directly if there is  a serious problem.
• It is strongly recommended that you have your own third party insurance (e.g. through membership of the CTC)

Parking

There are several pay and display long and short stay car parks close to Dalton Square. See www.lancaster.gov.uk > transport and travel>parking for map and information on charges.

Registration

This will be located in Lancaster Town hall.

 SportIdent has provided the pre-entry system and is also providing the system that will demonstrate that you have successfully completed the course (see www.sportident.co.uk). This means that all riders must collect a personalised SI card from Registration.

 Parental consents

 Riders under the age of 18 can only be accepted with the approval of their parents/guardians. Parents must complete a parental consent form, available at Registration or on the website at www.le-terrier.co.uk .

 Start Procedure

The Start will be located on the north side of Dalton Square. Report to the Starter at a time of your choosing between 7 and 8.30am. Insert your SI-card into the control box. This will flash and beep as it records the time that you have started. You can then mount your bike and head off.

On the Course

Whilst the route notes provide information about various potential hazards on each course, they cannot provide warning of every bend, junction, descent etc. Remember that this is not a race, and that you should be alert to your environment at all times. You should be at a speed appropriate to the road conditions and circumstances. You are cycling through rural terrain, so be prepared to encounter (among others):

   Cattle grids (may be slippery when wet)

   Poor road surfaces and potholes

   Narrow lanes, possibly narrowed further by overgrowing vegetation

   Blind bends

   Junctions that are difficult to spot

   Mud, hedge clippings

   Animals (such as sheep on open moorland areas, horses)

   Speeding motorbikes, slow agricultural vehicles

Remember to inform the event organisers should you decide, for any reason, not to complete the ride.

Control Points & Cut-Off Times

There are various control points along the course. Although Le Terrier is not a race, there are time constraints imposed on your participation. A broom wagon will sweep round each course. Any rider who is overtaken or fails to reach a particular point before the cut-off time will be asked to quit the event and join the broom wagon. Should you wish to decline the offer of a lift, you must surrender your SI-card. This will signal that you are no longer part of the event, and the event organisers will have no responsibility for monitoring your safe return to Dalton Square.

 The cut-off times at each of the control points are;

 Long Course :

• Jubilee Tower (6 miles) 9:30am
• Water Station(44.5 miles) 1:00pm
• Feed Station (60 miles) 2:30
• Top of climb out of Littledale (75 miles)  4:00pm

Short Course :

• Jubilee Tower (6 miles) as above.
• Feed station (28 miles) as above.

At each of these points, you will need to stop and may need to get off your bike to insert your SI-Card into the control box. It will flash and beep to record your presence. If you have any doubts of your ability to ride within the cut-offs you should consider setting off earlier.

Route Variants

With one exception, you should not deviate from the official route. Long and Short Courses diverge for a second time in Wray (after 67 and 35 miles respectively). For the Long Course, stiff climbing through Roeburndale and Littledale is yet to come. Whilst by no means flat, the Short Course offers a much easier and slightly shorter return. Long Course riders may choose to take the Short Course return. Short Course riders keen on a further challenge may opt to take the Long Course return. To do this, you must have route notes for both courses with you. On the Long Course return there is a control point at the final gate at the top of the climb out of Roeburndale. An entry (or not) on your SI-card at this control will be used to determine which variant you have ridden. On finishing, please also inform officials that you have varied your route.

Finish

The finish control point is by the Memorial Gardens in Dalton Square. Insert your SI-card to register your Finish time. You should then move on a bit further into the Memorial  Gardens to Download. Here you will surrender your SI-card and in return receive a printout showing the time you have taken to cover the route and the times at which you visited the intermediate control points. Do not forget to Download – even if you fail to complete the whole course – as this provides us with evidence that you have returned safely.

Certificates

Shortly after the event we will post to you a certificate stating the time you took to ride Le Terrier.