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Are you ready?!
There’s only a couple of days to go until the 2023 edition of the The Fred Whitton Challenge! Recognised as the UK’s toughest cycling sportive, it takes place each year on the doorstep of our Wheelbase HQ in the heart of the Lake District National Park. We continue to be title sponsors of this grueling challenge in 2023, following years of involvement providing technical support for this iconic event.
The hills keep coming, with the most severe gradients featuring in the latter half of the course.
Set to take place on Sunday the 7th of May the Fred Whitton Challenge can claim national-level infamy within UK cycling culture thanks to its demanding 112 mile route which includes over 3,000 metres of elevation and takes in some of the Lake District’s most iconic climbs including Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott, Wrynose and Blea Tarn. Riding the ‘Fred’ should not be underestimated, with the UK’s most challenging sportive featuring a particularly cruel sting in the tail when the 30% gradient of Hardknott comes towards the end of the route at 94 miles.
You’ll make plenty of new friends during long hours in the saddle.
The Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge starts and finishes in the charming Lake District village of Grasmere where we’ll be on hand to provide technical and practical support for both the event’s organisers and the thousands of participants poised to take on this 112 mile epic. Look out for us on the road too as our elite Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli road racing team take on the Whitton and try to set the fastest time of the event. Last year our multi-cycling-discipline star Giles Drake who is more typically seen racing off-road in Cyclocross, Gravel and Mountain Bike races took on the Fred Whitton Challenge for the first time and came home in first place with an amazing time of 5 hours and 35 minutes! Giles is back for the 2023 edition and is hoping to go under 5 hours and 30 minutes this time.
Our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team rider Giles Drake was the first finisher last year with the fastest time of 5 hours and 35 minutes.
During Wheelbase’s long relationship with the Fred Whitton Challenge we’ve enjoyed watching the event grow to become the UK’s premier sportive. Running for 24 years this charity event which is named in honour of Fred Whitton of the Lakes Road Club who passed away in 1998, has to date raised nearly two million pounds for a wide range of charities including Macmillan Cancer Support, Great North Air Ambulance, The North West Air Ambulance and The Duddon & Furness Mountain Rescue Team. Wheelbase’s close friend Paul Loftus MBE, who is also the grandfather of one of our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli road racing team riders Tyla Loftus, received his Member of the British Empire honour in recognition of his hard work and fund raising over the years, from organising the original Fred Whitton Challenge in 1999 to his ongoing work as President of the Fred Whitton Challenge.
We hope that all Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge participants are preparing well for the upcoming 2023 event and we wish you all the best of luck for this iconic cycling event. We’ve got everything crossed for a weekend of good weather and are looking forward to welcoming you all to the Lake District and cheering you on as you take on the UK’s most grueling cycling sportive.
As title sponsors we’re looking forward to cheering you all on at the Fred Whitton Challenge.
Want to save up to 50% off the latest lines of Castelli road and gravel clothing? Come and visit our exclusive stand at the Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge this weekend, on the Grasmere Sports Field LA22 9SL (you don’t need to be riding to bag yourself a bargain, parking is £5). We have over 2,000 lines to clear – huge range – huge offers!
Regardless of whether you’re participating in the Fred Whitton Challenge or not we’ve got exclusive offers on Castelli clothing for all attendees.
Written by Johnny Dodgin
Photos by James Vincent
Wheelbase Team Photos by Steve Flemming
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