tour de Norfolk

Routes for the first ever Tour De Norfolk are announced

With about a month to go, organisers behind the Bullards Tour de Norfolk have released details of the four routes…and warned hopeful participants who have not yet registered that under half of the entry places remain on the first ever Norfolk cycle sportive of its type, so they should literally get on their bikes!

Whether it is the increased interest in road biking since the Tour de France rode through the country and the success of Team GBs riders in the Rio 2016 Olympics or just the incredibly dry and warm summer days giving a taste for family activity outdoors, organisers are thrilled with the strong early response and are optimistic they will have staged the biggest cycle ride in the county on September 25th.

This on-road event held at the end of the tour series is one for everyone from the “Wannabe Wiggins’” cycling enthusiast to people wanting a leisurely day out to explore part of the county by bicycle over 20, 35, 70 or 100 miles.

All routes start and finish at the Norfolk Showground are clearly colour coded and marked with directional arrows to guide cyclists  The 20-mile route cuts through picturesque countryside from Colton through to Barnham Broom and returns via Marlingford, while the 35-mile, established to celebrate Big C’s 35th anniversary, extends from Barnham Broom to Crownthorpe, Wymondham and links back at Barford.

More adventurous riders of the 70-mile route will follow a route as far west as Swaffham cutting cross country to Watton that returns via Hingham and Deopham, while Methwold Hyde is the furthest point for the 100-mile riders. Food and drink stops are located at Swaffham Rugby Club, Sue’s Cycles of Watton, Spooner Row Primary School and The Green Man at Methwold Hyde. Riders travel through historic towns and traditional villages taking in many different sights. Tour de Norfolk changes the routes each year giving cyclists the chance to cover the county in the next five years.

Swaffham rugby club feed station with, from left: Stuart Hamilton and Matthew Clarke, both 1st XV players who will be cycling; Adam Lamb Swaffham RUFC Chairman and Russell Evans, Bullards Beers.
Swaffham rugby club feed station with, from left: Stuart Hamilton and Matthew Clarke, both 1st XV players who will be cycling; Adam Lamb Swaffham RUFC Chairman and Russell Evans, Bullards Beers.

Also delighted with the strong take-up is Norfolk and Waveney’s cancer charity Big C who receives £1 from each entry and anticipates that more than 200 riders will be participating to raise funds to support the charity.

norfolk-big-c

Among those cycling 70-miles will be Heidi Anderton in memory of her older sister Raine Hedges who lost her life to cancer aged 40 leaving a young family. “Raine was a fighter and never complained about what she was going through. Big C being there helped her. There was always a shoulder to cry on and they also made her feel normal and not a cancer sufferer. After she died in 2011 I wanted to do something to give back to Big C and the amazing help and support they gave us as a family,” she said.

Husband and wife team Kevin and Karen Mingay took up cycling barely 10 weeks ago aged 60 as a good way to keep fit and enjoyed they decided to register for the 20-mile route.

“We sat discussing the ride looking at the companies supporting it,” said Kevin.” We have both lost relations and friends to the big C, so decided not only to do the ride for fun, but to  raise some money for a good cause and Big C seemed the most appropriate charity for us .If everything goes okay on this ride, we have discussed five other different rides from April 2017 that we are hoping to enter  to raise money for  Big C.”

The entry fee varies on the route chosen starting from £10 and includes free parking, pre-ride mechanical support, music from Norwich 99.9Fm on site, have a go biking activities from Active Norfolk and entertainments at the show ground. Under 15s cycle for free.

Entry is available on the day from 6.30am and the staggered start is from 7.30am. Tent and camper pitches are available from midday on September 24, book at [email protected]

To register visit www.tourdenorfolk.co.uk Keep up-to-date at  www.facebook.com/tour-de-norfolk join the conversation on twitter @norfolkbybike. Visit www.big-c.co.uk to see all its doing to help cancer patients in this region or to sign up to ride.