The Essex Roads New Spring Lambs Sportive

The Essex Roads New Spring Lambs Sportive is on Sunday 6th April 2014 and as a sportive rider you are invited to this even exiting event! It’s a 150 Kilometre Sportive covering the best of our wonderful county of Essex. It’s one of the first early-season challenges of the year and one of the few sportive rides located in the South-East.

Due to the massive popularity of this ride and sell out attendance in previous years we’ve now performed a significant makeover and moved the event HQ from Hannakins Farm to the much larger Barleylands just outside Billericay. As a result we can now cater for up to 1000 cyclists and their cars on site. We’ve laid on a new fast-track booking system too meaning that we’ve reduced the amount of time taken for riders to queue. If you’ve ridden this event before you will know about our famous post ride pasta-feast. Well, this is now even better with hot pasta meals home cooked on site by La Bottega the Italian Cafe. We also have our wonderful cake tables with lashings of tea and coffee on tap. There are now showers too enabling you to spruce up after your ride, and masseuses on hand to bring your body back to life after your mammoth effort. Barleylands has great all round attractions – why not meet your family at the finish afterwards where they can wave you in on your return?

We’ve now modified the route too, adding some great up hills at the start and down hills to the finish. Don’t worry – we’ve kept the best bits in including the biggest challenge of all – the mighty North Hill. With many years experience in organising these events we’re going even further to improve your ride. Our feedstops are well-stocked with the latest High 5 products including; gels, bars and drink mixes, plus high energy cakes and bananas too. Our event is supported by Yellow Jersey Cycles who will provide mechanical backup at the start and at the feedstops too. And, we’re laying on portable toilets en-route so that you don’t have to look for a hedge any more!

The ride takes a great loop within Essex taking in some lovely towns and villages along the way. The Spring Lambs is a great test for the Sportive Rider anxious to kick-off their early season and test the effectiveness of their well-earned winter training. The ride will also make ideal preparation for road racers trying to sharpen their form in preparation for even tougher later season challenges.

Navigation is everything on events of this size and we’ve got it well covered with turn by turn instructions, gpx downloads and signage at every turn. We also have a rider-finder service too just in case you can’t figure where you are.

All riders are provided with bike numbers and Phil O’Connor Photography Limited will be present on the day providing downloadable photographs for those who wish to remember their endeavour.

The event HQ is also easily accessed from the main line Billericay railway station (Liverpool Street line) or Basildon railway Station (Fenchurch Street line) and the A127. If travel distance is an issue we’ve also negotiated a discounted rate at the Holiday Inn, Basildon for riders wanting to stay in the area on the Saturday night before the ride.