To secure an entry for our Struggle events in 2018 you can now pre-register and you’ll have the chance to enter one day before everyone else. Ensure your spot on the start line at one of our sell-out sportives in Yorkshire and pre-register now. Pre-register for Struggle Dales Find out more about Struggle Dales here….
Struggle Moors First Finisher’s Story: Jimmy Parvin
Although looking longingly at his friend’s 32 cassette, Jimmy powered himself over the North Yorkshire Moors’ steepest climbs to become first finisher. “If you’re looking for the hardest sportive challenge surely there’s very few in the UK that can rival Struggle Moors,” says Jimmy. Discover how Jimmy gets fit for the sportive season and paces…
How hard is Glaisdale Horror?
Glaisdale Horror (aka Caper Hill on Strava) is an elusive hill concealed in the heather-clad North Yorkshire Moors. But once you’ve unearthed it, by jove you’ll know it. Discover more about this tasty climb and how to conquer it here… Stats Glaisdale Horror (Caper Hill) is 0.8 miles long with an elevation gain of 608ft, an average…
The truth about tapering for a sportive
Sharpening the pencil in the lead up to a sportive allows us the best possible chance of clocking up an awesome time. But could tapering for a sportive limit our fitness potential? We ask the expert… Head Physiologist and Coach at OTE Performance Centre and Founder of VitFor personalised online training, Craig Stevenson said: “Tapering can be…
Struggle The Moors
The Yorkshire Dales are your rolling hills, your picturesque landscapes and your quaint cafe stops. The Yorkshire Moors are steeper, bleaker, more exposed and fearfully isolated. The Route Struggle The Moors sportive spans 110 miles and takes you over notoriously steep Yorkshire Moors climbs. To rub salt into the wounds, between your categorised climbs you’ll find…
Cycling Weekly reviews Struggle The Moors
Rating it 10/10 for toughness, Cycling Weekly says: “Struggle The Moors is a test of mental and physical abilities. It will have you working hard up until the bitter end.” Read Cycling Weekly’s Struggle The Moors review
Top Cycling Climb: Discover Malham Cove
Weave your way between the drystone walls, remembering to leave something in the tank for the later stage of this cruel climb of two halves. The Cove Road The Cove Road, as it’s known by locals, is the steeper of your two get-outs from the village of Malham. Ignore the righthand road inviting you to Malham Tarn and force…
Top Turbo Session: How to Improve your Aerobic Capacity
Top Physiologist Craig Stevenson talks us through his tough turbo training session to increase maximal sustainable pace and get you riding faster for longer. “Winter is the perfect time to focus on improving weaker areas of performance,” says Craig who heads up performance testing and coaching at the OTE Performance Centre in Leeds and has developed his own online…
Pro Annie Simpson: Why Mallorca makes the best training camp
Our OTE Training Camp nutritionist Annie Simpson heads to Mallorca ahead of our camp with her UCI Pro team Drops to discover why a training camp in Mallorca is perfect for day-in-day-out riding. This time last week I was climbing in a lined-out formation with my new teammates up The Orient climb in Mallorca. Belgian National TT…
My Struggle: Woman with will
It’s Rachael’s story that sticks in our minds here at Struggle HQ. We often recall Rachael to encourage anxious procrastinators whose curser hovers over the enter button. Here full-time solicitor and mum of two tells us why anyone with strong will can complete the Struggle. Do I, Don’t I? “I had lots of pre-event…
8 Top tips to fuel your winter sportive training
OTE Sports Nutritionist Annie Simpson said: “Optimal fuelling when training – and recovering – in the winter go towards bigger training adaptations.” Here Annie takes us through her eight top tips to fuel your sportive training over the winter months. Step 1: Fuel your session The Struggle is one of the hardest sportives in the…
8 New Year’s Resolutions for Cyclists
To embark on the road to sportive readiness pick from our top New Year’s resolutions for cyclists and harness your willpower into becoming stronger, fitter and faster in 2017. 1. Shun Sugar Cutting out sugar is a great resolution for a sportive rider looking to lean up. But nowadays it’s much harder than simply cutting out…
Yorkshire Reliability Rides 2017
Test your fitness in the Hateful Eight Yorkshire Reliability Ride Series 2017, kicking off with The Struggle’s on Sunday 22nd January 2017. Check out all the Yorkshire Reliability Ride 2017 dates below… What is a reliability ride? The Yorkshire Reliability Rides are a long-established highlight to the counties cycling calendar. Originally set up as Ron’s Reliable Five, the…
The Mags review The Struggle
Journalists from Cycling Weekly and Cycling Plus ditch their desks for a press pass around The Struggle route. But how do they fare against our killer climbs? Cycling Weekly Upon return from their reccy Cycling Weekly tweet “…could taste blood in my mouth up Park Rash.” En route, Cycling Weekly experience typically unpredictable conditions, all four…
My Struggle: First Finisher Tom Denwood
Stopping the clock at a jaw-dropping 5 hours 40 minutes, this dad of four with a heavy work schedule explains how time-efficient training helped him conquer The Struggle. Bike-Life Balance My cycling passion comes a clear third after my family (patient wife and four kids) and a very busy work life that has me travelling from…
How to improve your cadence
Winter is the perfect time of year to focus your training on improving technique and iron out any bad habits. Team Struggle shares their top turbo session to help improve your leg cadence. Up your revs Speeding up your leg cadence will help lower fatigue levels during those long hours of Struggle training and ensure that…
Discover Hartwith Bank
The Struggle sportive takes you off Yorkshire’s beaten track and over some of the most narrow, steep and unforgiving climbs. Here we talk you through what to expect when you tackle Hartwith Bank. Local Knowledge After a warm-up over Bedlam Hill you’ll hit Hartwith Bank at mile 10, a climb not as forgiving as its precursor. This…
Join us for our Mallorca training camp
Train, rest, eat, repeat on our OTE Sports training camp. We’re bringing you the opportunity to up your Struggle training miles this winter somewhere warm, sunny and ice-free. Join us on 17th March at our training camp in Mallorca. The training camp will maximise your hours in the saddle while creating a hassle-free holiday so all you have…
The Struggle on ITV
Tune into ITV’s Countrywise on Friday 4th November to see Ben Fogle take on the Struggle sportive. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Ben Fogle decides to take on the hills of our epic sportive in Yorkshire as part of a feature on Yorkshire cycling. Ben’s little experience of road cycling isn’t the…
Our Struggle: Riding for Carl
Our 2016 sportive was a very personal struggle for Joe Dobinson and his Yorkshire bunch of cycling comrades. Find out how they fared… We lost a dear friend Carl to a Motor Cross accident who later passed away in Hospital. A few of Carls friends are cyclists. With the sport being so accessible we decided that riding…
Chip times
Find your official Struggle finish time via Sports Timing Solutions here.
Struggle Nutrition Map
Sports Nutritionist and Elite Cyclist Annie Simpson of OTE Sports has devised a comprehensive, mile-by-mile nutrition map to ensure you’re rolling back into Harrogate as energised as you rolled out – well almost. BREAKFAST Start the day with a high-carbohydrate breakfast. We suggest a large bowl of porridge made with milk, a sprinkle of raisins…
What to do for cyclists in York
If you’re heading to Express Sign-on this Saturday, why not enjoy the day in the cycling-mad city of York. Here’s our top tips for cyclists on what to do in York. Giant York Express Sign-on is held at Giant York from 12 – 5pm on Saturday 8th July. Use the workshop, grab some last-minute spares,…
Pre-register for 2018 Struggle Dales sportive
The sell-out Struggle Dales sportive is now open for pre-registration for 2018. Don’t miss out on challenging yourself to one of the hardest UK sportives next year. Still looking to test your fitness in 2017? It’s not too late to enter Struggle Moors sportive on 9th July, while spaces last.
Struggle 2017 Results
Congratulations to every rider who completed The Struggle 2017. You can now view your finish time here…
What to do in Harrogate the day before?
If you’re heading to our Struggle Express Sign-on make the most of your day with our insider tips on what to do in Harrogate the day before the Sportive. Drink Coffee At Struggle HQ we love our coffee and in our opinion the best place for a brew in Harrogate is Hoxton North. What’s more, this trendy brunch bar…
Read your Struggle Dales Rider Pack
Your rider pack contains all the information you need for a hassle-free lead up to the event and the knowledge you need to get you around the course in the best possible shape. Read your rider pack online now or download and print it.
