THE SEASON is now in full swing with Bronte Wheelers riders taking part in different cycling events.

The evening time trials are well attended but there is a slight hiccup with new roadworks started at Cononley Lane Ends, meaning that the event on May 20 had to be cancelled.

Other cyclists have been riding sportive events. These are not races as such, but are instead organised events that challenge the riders by presenting them with either long distances or challenging terrain.

They include time limits that riders can aim to complete the course in, to be classified as gold, silver or bronze.

Sportives also cater for a range of abilities by running different distances on the same day. The organisers usually have a short, less challenging course for beginners and families, a medium course, and the main course.

The recent Tour de Yorkshire had a sportive that ran over part of the course on the Sunday. The longest course was 90 miles of challenging terrain including some very steep climbs: the hill out of Goose Eye (Cote de Goose Eye) started with a 1 in 4 section, challenging even for the professionals!

The latest event that saw Bronte Riders taking part was the Etape du Dales on May 17. The event is 112 miles over some of the most challenging climbs in Yorkshire, including Tan Hill, Fleet Moss, Buttertubs and the Cole Road.

The Etape is run by the Dave Raynor Fund, which was set up in memory of Dave Raynor, a talented local rider who went on to a professional racing career.

He was killed on a night out in Bradford. A full biography can be found at the website daveraynerfund.co.uk.

The profits generated by the organisers from this event are used to fund promising young talent. It gives them the chance to race and live on the continent, and support them with living expenses.

David Miller was in the first batch of riders to benefit from this funding and went on to have a successful professional career that included winning stages in the Tour De France and wearing the Yellow Jersey.

This year’s event saw over 900 riders sign up to ride, and they all had to contend with strong winds if the climbs were not bad enough on their own!

The fastest riders complete the course in less than six hours and the slowest over 12 hours.

For the Brontë Wheelers riders taking part it is the miles that count towards the club’s Sportive Rider of the Year trophy. So the Bronte riders who finished have 112 miles in the bag.

These events provide an ideal opportunity for beginners or those returning after a few years to get back into organised events. As you get used to doing these events and your fitness improves, you can then increase the challenge by riding longer, faster or more challenging courses.

Just make sure you are fit and prepared if you are intending riding the Etape du Dales. You have a year to train if you start now.