British Cycling together with IMG Challenger World have announced the launch of a new system for grading sportives according to difficulty. The system will rate sportives on a scale of one to five based on length and elevation, and is designed to help cyclists find a sportive that matches their ability.
Called British Cycling Grading (BCG), the system takes into account the total distance and elevation gain of an event, with a sportive's rating based on a combination of these two factors. The scale uses colour coding to enable cyclists to identify rides at a glance. Easier rides will be given a yellow label, with the most challenging rides indicated by a red label. From 2014 all British Cycling registered sportives will be allocated a BCG rating under the system, allowing for easy comparison between events.
In addition to the published ratings, British Cycling have produced a quick-reference table which allows event organisers and the public to rate the difficulty of any ride based on distance and total elevation. The table provides a more detailed rating for a range of distances and climbs, delivering a more in-depth breakdown of where all graded events sit relative to each other.
IMG Challenger World events include the Marie Curie Etape Series, credited with introducing closed-road sportives to the UK seven years ago. Announcing the new system, IMG said:
"BCG will offer much needed guidance for riders when looking at how challenging events are and deciding which events to take part in. The system will also benefit organisers when mapping possible routes for a range of abilities."
British Cycling's Cycle Sport Manager, Jonathan Day said: "We are delighted to get this system up and running for 2014. We want everybody entering sportives to enjoy the experience and by providing an easy to understand grading system, riders will be better informed about the physical demands of the events they enter.
"It will also help organisers to promote and publicise their events to the right audience so we're very confident that British Cycling Grading can have a very positive and significant impact on the ever-growing sportive scene."
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