"Horror vacui", as Aristotle used to say - nature abhors a vacuum - and in much the same way, sportive organisers abhor a gap in the calendar during peak cycling season.
With this year's L'Etape UK cancelled, the organisers of the original Tour of the Chilterns Cycling Festival have stepped up to fill the void.
Taking place on 10th July 2022 at the same venue as L'Etape, Penn House Estate near Amersham, the festival will include a sportive alongside the return of the famed Archer GP road race.
The Chiltern Legends sportive will start and finish amid the grounds of Penn House, with a choice of three routes on offer of 150km, 100km and 50km.
The course takes in many of the most challenging climbs in this area of outstanding national beauty., with over 2000m of climbing on the long route.
Entry to the sportive includes a pass to the on-site Velo Village, where live music, food and drink stalls await for riders, their friends and family.
The festival will also host The Amersham Classique Retro, with a vintage-inspired 'Golden Era' 30 mile sportive and Vintage Concors displays.
At the heart of the event will be the Archer GP road race. Having first taken place almost 75 years ago on many of the same roads, there are rumours that the elite road race will conclude with laps of the Estate and a spectacular finish in front of festival goers.
"Now more than ever we all need a little cycling inspiration and something to look forward to," says Chiltern Cycling Events Nat Rizzi.
"We know our festival is firmly established as a great summer's day out, so we are looking forward to welcoming as many of our friends, old and new in July."
Further details of the sportive, race and festival programme will be announced in coming weeks on the event website.
Entries to the Tour of the Chilterns sportive are open now at: www.britishcycling.org.uk.
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