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The UK National Hill Climb Championships is coming to the Lake District on Sunday the 29th of October, pitting riders against each other on one of the most infamous climbs in the Lakes! The Struggle, local to our Wheelbase Headquarters, strikes fear into the hearts of road cyclists who are familiar with its steep slopes and unforgiving length as it rises out of the picturesque town of Ambleside.
Event organiser Jack Talbot has organised the local Struggle Hill Climb race for the past few years, with our very own Andy Cunningham from our Wheelbase Yorkshire store taking the men’s win in 2022. This year he’s teamed up with the RTTC (Road Time Trials Council) to host the biggest hill climb of the season – the National Championships and just like in other years the event will be raising important funds for the Great North Air Ambulance who saved Jack’s life in 2017
You can look forward to large crowds of rowdy supporters encouraging each and every competitor up the fearsome Struggle.
Wheelbase will be proudly co-sponsoring the UK National Hill Climb Championships along with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors and Romney’s Kendal Mint Cake; we’re looking forward to cheering around 400 competitors up the climb as they take on fearsome Struggle. Join us and enjoy a unique sporting spectacle that promises multiple pain faces and some truly outstanding performances on one of the Lake District’s most iconic climbs!
Want to know more about the Struggle Hillclimb? We’ve included a link to GCN’s excellent YouTube video below as well as a detailed breakdown of the complete ascent from Ambleside to the top of Kirkstone…
Watch the GCN channel take on the Struggle Hill Climb in 2022
So what can our competitors expect? Here’s a brief summary of the Struggle climb…
The Struggle hill climb ramps straight up from Ambleside, with no chance for competitors to ease in before they immediately hit the 18-20% gradients and the lung-busting effort begins. It’s very easy to go too deep too soon here, breathing so hard that you go into anaerobic threshold and never really recover for the remaining length of the climb.
After negotiating these steep lower slopes, which are hemmed in with dry stone walls, the odd tree and a series of tight bends, the terrain opens out in front of you and the climb becomes a little more forgiving with gradients shallowing to around 8-10%. It’s hard to manage your rhythm here as you encounter a series of false flats with small portions of descent thrown in which have you questioning your pacing strategy for the overall climb.
There’s a reason that this climb has been named ‘The Struggle’. As the elevation increases and you glance upwards you’ll see the very top of the climb ramping up dramatically before you for the final 200-300 metres. You’ll need to dig deep for one final lung-busting effort up the remaining 20% gradients featuring two difficult hairpins and a more unpredictable road surface.
The only redeeming feature of this final kick to the top will be the large crowds of supporters at the roadside, shouting encouragement and ringing their cow bells as they will you on to the finish line where the pain will finally cease and the inevitable wave of relief will wash over you as you begin to recover and wait to find out your time and overall position in the race.
The Struggle – Fast Facts…
- Total Elevation: 403m
- Maximum Gradient : 24%
- Total Distance : 2.67 miles / 4.8 km
- Avg Grade : 8.2%
Check out all the Struggle stats you need to know on STRAVA…
Who will be crowned as National Hill Climb Champion on The Struggle, one of the Lake District’s most iconic climbs?
Andy Cunningham from our Wheelbase Yorkshire store took an impressive win at last year’s Kendal Mint Cake Struggle Hill Climb.
Local cycling club Kendal CC won’t be short of competitors and supporters.
The final ramp up to the top of the Struggle is particularly unforgiving, experienced racers will leave something in reserve for that kick to the top.
The 2022 Struggle Hill Climb was a dry rehearsal for the biggest hill climb of them all – the 2023 National Championships!
Those vying for the win will go incredibly deep in an effort to take the National Champion’s jersey.
The Struggle Hill Climb will also be raising money for Great North Air Ambulance; they saved the Struggle race organiser Jack Talbot’s life in 2017.
Head to the Struggle on Sunday the 29th of October to join the party and witness the unique spectacle of the National Hill Climb Championships.
Written by Johnny Dodgin
Photos by Ellen Isherwood
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