OC Sport, organisers of the Haute Route series of cycling trips, have today announced the launch of the Maserati Haute Route Norway. With the inaugural edition set to take place in summer 2018, entries will go on sale later this year.
The Maserati Haute Route Norway is a three-day cyclosportive based around a fixed race village in a location yet to be announced. Like all Haute Route events, the Norwegian edition will feature timed and ranked racing on authorised roads for an amateur peloton of riders from all over the world.
The Maserati Haute Route Norway is the latest step in an ambitious global expansion of the successful Haute Route concept. The original seven-day European Haute Route events - the Haute Route Alps, Haute Route Pyrenees and Haute Route Dolomites - have been followed by the inaugural Mavic Haute Route Rockies, which takes place in Colorado this summer, and two new three-day events - the Haute Route Ventoux and Haute Route Alpe d'Huez.
The Norway event will feature all the key ingredients that make Haute Route trips unique, offering amateur riders of a range of abilities the chance to be treated like pros. Riders on the 2018 Maserati Haute Route Norway can look forward to massages and a hearty rider's meal after racing, as well as full logistical support, meaning that the focus is exclusively on the riding. Safety, mechanical and medical back-up is also provided on the road by an experienced support team (reports that they are to be called 'fjord escorts' are as yet unconfirmed).
Matt Holden, Cycling Strategic Development Director at OC Sport, says the Maserati Haute Route Norway is just one part of a continuing programme of expansion that will see yet more three and seven-day events announced in the coming months. He said that Norway - which is due to host the World Road Race Championships later this year - was immediately attractive as the first location for an Haute Route event in Scandinavia.
"Norway quickly became a front-runner as we reviewed possible locations for our next Haute Route adventure," he said. "Our riders will discover some of the most beautiful and challenging terrain in the world, where roads with majestic switch-backs climbs in amongst the Norwegian fjords - already an area of world class tourism."
Maserati have been announced as title sponsor of the event, as the iconic Italian road car manufacturer deepens its involvement and support of amateur road cycling.
"Maserati has demonstrated a passion and respect for their craft, much like the Haute Route has for the legacy of professional road racing," said Holden. "We are delighted to have them on board for our latest and most exciting new Haute Route challenge."
Preparations for the Maserati Haute Route Norway are already well advanced, with a recce of the proposed course due to take place within weeks and a test event scheduled for summer this year. Entries will then go on sale for the inaugural peloton, which is expected to attract riders from Scandinavia and all over the world.
Stay tuned for more details as they're announced, or visit www.hauteroute.org to find out more about the Haute Route series.
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