Entries are now open for the 2017 Cycletta series for women cyclists. Cycletta waves will now feature at some of the UK's top sportives including the Tour de Yorkshire Ride and the Chiltern 100 Cycling Festival.
Now in its seventh year, Cycletta began in 2011 as a series of women-only cycling events designed to promote cycling for fun and fitness. In past years the rides have been standalone events, but this year Cycletta waves reserved exclusively for female cyclists will be incorporated into some of the UK's most highly-regarded sportives.
Participants will have the opportunity to ride the spectacular routes of the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride, the Dragon Ride L'Etape Wales by Le Tour de France, the Chiltern 100 Cycling Festival and ICAP L'Etape London by Le Tour de France.
The Cycletta series is organised by Human Race, the company behind some of the UK's most successful sportives and recently acquired by Tour de France organisers ASO.
Announcing the change, Human Race said: "Participants will continue to enjoy the fun, friendly and safe environment for which the series is famous. At the same time, riders will benefit from the fantastic atmosphere and event village activities that these multi-thousand participant events provide."
Human Race say the shift to inclusion in existing sportives "reflects the evolution of the Cycletta audience and women's cycling in general since the series' inception in 2011."
"As more and more women have taken to their bikes over the course of Cycletta's lifespan, demand has shifted away from introductory-style rides to more challenging courses. In 2011, Cycletta's first year, 75% of participants were taking part in their first cycling event, a figure that dropped to just 21% in 2016."
Nick Rusling, creator of the Cycletta concept and Human Race CEO, said: "We are immensely proud of Cycletta's achievements in attracting thousands of women onto their bikes and creating a genuine community of female cyclists. This community has developed over the years, with many of our riders now experienced road cyclists. The decision to offer a series of more challenging rides, therefore, makes sense.
"There'll be no change to Cycletta's fun and supportive ethos, nor to our dedication to the highest levels of rider safety. This coupled with the stunning scenery and incredible atmosphere of the new venues will make the 2017 Cycletta rides some of the best yet.
"We launched Cycletta in 2011 as a direct response to the fact that most sportives had a very low proportion of female riders taking part. We deliberately created a new event product for the cycling market, catering to existing and new cyclists. Since 2011 we've been part of a continued evolution of female cycling (not as a sport but a fitness pass-time) and have brought tens of thousands of women together on two wheels, whilst raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support. It's been fascinating and rewarding, and this latest evolution is our next phase."
Which sportives have a Cycletta ride?
Women-only Cycletta waves have been announced on four of Human Race's major sportives for 2017, ranging in distance from 45km to 100km.
Cycletta at the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride on Sunday 30th April will be 45km in length. The Cycletta course at Dragon Ride L'Etape Wales by Le Tour de France on Sunday 11th June will be 100km in length, while Cycletta at the Chiltern 100 Cycling Festival on Sunday 16th July will be 52km in length. Entries for these three rides are open now and available at a reduced price until the end of January.
Finally, entries for the 79km Cycletta at ICAP L'Etape London by Le Tour de France on Sunday 24th September will open on February 9th.
Apart from the Cycletta waves, all of these sportives are mixed events and men and women can of course continue to enter other distances and ride together.
For more information and to secure your place, visit www.cycletta.co.uk.
0 Comments