Fred Whitton Challenge 2021

The 2020 Fred Whitton was cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. Entries will carry over to the 2021 edition provided the entrant confirms between 5 November - 20 December 2020.

Please note the 2021 edition has been postponed from its original date of 9 May, and will now take place on 19 September 2021.

The Fred Whitton is widely regarded as the toughest sportive in the UK and right up there with European events such as the Marmotte, Maratona dles Dolomites and the Etape du Tour.

The Fred Whitton route changes a little from year-to-year but the 2018 edition was 113 miles (182km) and 3,900 metres of climbiing. Starting and finishing in Grasmere, in the middle of the Lake District, the route takes in plenty of the iconic climbs of the area but crucially has the Hardknott pass 99 miles into the ride, which finishes off many riders who end up walking the final section. The very best riders finish in just under six hours but many riders take eleven hours or longer.

Entry for the Fred Whitton is typically through a ballot which opens in early January. With 2020 entries carried over to 2021, it's likely that available places for 2021 will be severely limited unless the organisers increase the number of riders. Any additional places that become available will be announced on the event website on 5 January 2021.

On our estimates, you usually have about a 40% chance of getting a place via the ballot. You can bag a guaranteed place now by choosing to ride for one of the event's charities. Visit the event website for more details.

History of the Fred Whitton

Until his untimely death at the age of 50 in 1998, Fred Whitton was an extremely popular member of the Lakes Road Club. In his capacity as club secretary he was full of enthusiasm for the club and ran it practically single handedly. He was the organiser of the Lakes Road Club Easter 3-day each year which attracted many of the UK’s top riders.

Not only was Fred the main instigator behind all the clubs activities, he was always there on the club runs and training weekends, cracking a joke, having a laugh and generally enjoying the sport to the full. Amongst all this, Fred also managed to find the time to be the Lakes & Lanc’s Division Road Race Secretary and was well known and liked throughout North West cycling circles.

Raising money for charity

The Fred Whitton has raised millions of pounds for charity in the past two decades and the main charity is currently Macmillan Cancer Support.

More content about the Fred Whitton sportive:

• Ian Fillingham's 2016 Fred Whitton ride report
• Fred Whitton Challenge news page