Haute Route organisers OC Sport have announced five new rides for 2018, which sees their 2018 programme expand to 11 events.
New additions to the Haute Route series include three-day events in San Francisco, Ashville, Stelvio, Utah and Norway, and for 2018 riders will have the option to ride the Haute Route either as a solo rider or with a team mate.
After signing off the 2017 series in style with Haute Route Mont Ventoux last weekend, OC Sport have unveiled their full calendar for the 2018 season. Starting in San Francisco in April and finishing on Mont Ventoux in October, with nine events packed in between, it's a bumper year for Haute Route - and exciting news for amateur cyclists keen to sample the pro experience in some of cycling's most spectacular locations.
Here's the 2018 programme in full:
SAN FRANCISCO April 20th to 22nd
ASHEVILLE May 18th to 20th
STELVIO June 8th to 10th
MAVIC ROCKIES June 23rd to 29th
ALPE D'HUEZ July 13th to 15th
MASERATI NORWAY August 3rd to 5th
PYRENEES August 18th to 24th
ALPS August 26th to September 1st
DOLOMITES 3 days in September
UTAH September 14th to 16th
VENTOUX October 5th to 7th
Riders on each event can look forward to a professional level of organisation usually reserved for the pro peloton, including medical teams, mechanical support, rolling road security, film crews and, of course, massages.
While the level of service is set in stone, both of the flagship events in the Alps and Pyrenees will see rejuvenated courses next year. The Alps (August 26th - September 1st) returns to its North to South route, departing from Megève to reach Nice with a host of world-renowned Alpine cols in-between.
Haute Route Pyrenees (August 18th-24th) will start and finish in Pau, while also visiting a number of host towns throughout the week, allowing riders to discover the raw beauty of the mountain range.
The Mavic Haute Route Rockies (June 23rd-29th) also returns for a second edition in Colorado, featuring once again the iconic dirt roads, high altitude passes and beautiful panoramas that make Colorado the heartland of American cycling. These seven-stage long timed and ranked events are the pinnacle of the 2018 Haute Route calendar, and will allow hundreds of amateur riders from across the globe to fulfil their cycling dreams in an iconic mountain range.
>> Read Granfondo.com's report on the 2017 Mavic Haute Route Rockies >>
The 2018 series kicks off in April with the inaugural three-day Haute Route San Francisco (April 20th-22nd), offering riders an opportunity to experience the fierce local cycling culture in the Bay Area, appreciate the breath-taking ocean views and iconic landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge.
Meanwhile in Europe the much-awaited Maserati Haute Route Norway will take place in August (3rd to 5th), with the Stavanger fjords providing an extraordinary setting (think Scotland on steroids).
Anotehr change for 2018 is the option to either ride the Haute Route as a solo rider or as a duo (team of two cyclists). Riders registering as a Duo will not be included in the individual standings, and Duo rankings will be established based on the time of the second team member to cross the finish line every day.
Registrations are currently open to the general public for the Mavic Haute Route Rockies and Haute Route Alpe d'Huez, with entries to most of the remaining events opening next Thursday 19 October.
For more details and to sign up, visit www.hauteroute.org.
0 Comments