When Sportive HQ went bust last month just two weeks before its flagship Coast to Coast in a Day sportive, the future looked bleak for one of the UK's iconic rides.
But now, just a few weeks on, the event has been rescued with a date already set for 2025.
Sarfraz Mian, organiser of The Jo Cox Way and a friend of Sportive HQ CEO Matthew Porter, has agreed to take on the running of Coast to Coast in a Day.
When the news of Sportive HQ's demise first broke on 7 June, Mian stepped in to try to salvage the situation. Realising from social media that dozens, perhaps hundreds of riders were still planning to ride Coast to Coast despite the event being cancelled, he quickly organised feed stations to cater for those riding the route unsupported.
"This year following the unfortunate closure of SportiveHQ, I saw that quite a lot of riders were still planning to undertake the ride," comments Mian.
"I thought that it would be important for the safety of the riders to set up some feed stations and I pretty quickly organised and put this into place.
"On the day over 180 riders went through the feed stations and no doubt from many of the comments that they left, the feed station provision was key in them undertaking and completing the ride. Following the event I have received many requests to run the Coast to Coast in a Day going forward.
"Having thought about it, I have decided to run the event, however using a different model to a typical sportive."
As Mian explains, he already has a full-time job and so his primary aim in taking on this event is to fundraise for charities - in keeping with the ethos of his other cycling event, The Jo Cox Way.
"I do have a day job and so the sportive activity is not my income," he says.
"I am more interested in using the event to bring benefit to local small charities and community groups that may be struggling for support. In addition I am keen that riders when signing up also fund raise for a charity of their choice.
"So a slightly different model, but one that hopefully brings benefit to people along the route and beyond. The other event that I organise, called The Jo Cox Way has been successful on raising many 10's of 000's over the years and so hopefully this will too deliver to struggling small charities and community groups local to the route."
Under Mian's management, Coast to Coast in a Day will return on 21 June 2025. The event will follow the classic route devised by the Coast to Coast's original organisers, Open Cycling, starting at Seascale and crossing the country to finish in Whitby.
All the classic climbs, including Hardknott and Wrynose, will feature - along with, of course, the essential feed stations and support that helped so many cyclists complete this year's 150-mile challenge.
Entries to Coast to Coast in a Day 2025 are open now priced £100. And, recognising the disappointment felt by entrants to this year's cancelled edition, Sarfraz is offering a 25% discount to riders who entered in 2024.
Full details are available on the entry website at riderhq.
Find out more and enter at www.riderhq.com.
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