Etape Du Dales

June 23 2024

North Yorkshire UK

Date Confirmed

Distances: 62, 110 miles

Difficulty: Ultra Distance and Climbing for events well over 100 miles

Limited to: 2,000 or less Participants

The Etape du Dales is a classic event taking in some of the iconic climbs in the Yorkshire Dales, the “Etape du Dales” was established well before Yorkshire was chosen to host the 2014 Tour de France and some of the climbs you will ride in the Etape were used in the Tour.

With a height gain equivalent to a Tour mountain stage the Etape du Dales figures on most riders list of “must do rides”, even if only once! So, why not come and ride over some of the country’s most challenging terrain and experience some of the roads used in the 2014 Tour de France!

Covering 110 miles in the Yorkshire Dales the Etape du Dales sportive starts and finishes in Threshfield, near the picturesque Yorkshire village of Grassington.

Please do not treat your entry lightly, remember to respect the challenge. The Etape du Dales route is an extremely difficult 110 mile ride and requires an excellent level of fitness. It takes in the major climbs of the Yorkshire Dales and that means steep and technical descents as well. The course has good signage but you should be aware of the route and terrain.

The course takes on roads in high and very exposed areas. In the past some riders have suffered through lack of adequate clothing. Please make sure you have adequate clothing (you can always take clothes off!) and that your equipment is in perfect order, a bottom gear of 34×28 is recommended as a minimum. Please be prepared for multiple punctures on such a ride. Safety is our priority and so tri-bars are not permitted and approved cycling helmets are compulsory for all participants, no helmet, no start.

If you’ve read this far, you will be well aware of the seriousness of the first challenge, that of completing this event. The second challenge is the one close to all our hearts at the Dave Rayner Fund – to raise funds to support the young aspiring riders who are the future of our sport. We are proud that we can do this and it is no co-incidence that the riders the Fund has supported in the past are amongst today’s stars of the sport. To this end we challenge you to help us support more stars of the future by getting sponsorship for completing what is arguably one of the toughest sportives in the British calendar.

Etape Du Dales