Manchester to London

Date 2nd September 2018

Start Venue

Manchester Velodrome

National Cycling Centre

Stuart Street

Manchester

M11 4DQ

• Venue open: 05:00
• Registration: 05:00-06:00
• Riders set off: 06:00-07:00

Finish Venue

Lee Valley Velopark

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Abercrombie Rd

London

E20 3AB

• Venue open: 15:00-00:00 First riders expected from 17:00 (+/-)

Pre-ride Party

The day before the ride, Saturday 1st September, join us at Rapha Manchester for a pre-ride party and the opportunity to meet your fellow riders, teammates and rivals. Fuel up for the next day and pick up your rider pack.

Time: Saturday 1st September, 18:00-20:00. Speeches at 19:00.

Address: Rapha Manchester, 5 St Ann’s Alley, Manchester M2 7LP

Registration

Registration times: Saturday 1st September, 15:00-18:00 at the Rapha Clubhouse and Sunday 2nd September, from 05:00 at the Manchester Velodrome.

Please bring your helmet to registration so your timing chip can be attached.

Rider Pack

The rider pack is a limited edition M2L musette containing your M2L north or south cap, your rider number, luggage tags and brevet card. Your M2L musette can be used as a wet bag on the ride.

Morning Registration

On the morning of the ride on Sunday the registration area will be located inside the entrance to Manchester Velodrome. Registration will open at 05:00 and closes at 06:30.

Bikes Helmets and a road bike with drop handlebars are mandatory. TT bars or track/fixed gear bicycles are not allowed.

Will the Rapha Clubhouse be selling ride bars and other food prior to the ride? We are hosting a pre-ride party at our Manchester Clubhouse for all participants the night before the ride where riders can fuel up. There will also be plenty of ride food and energy products available at the start and on the route at the four feed stops free of charge.

Will there be any transport to the velodrome on the morning of the ride? There will be no transport to the velodrome due to the scattered nature of riders’ locations and the fortunate nature of the velodrome being in a central location.

Are there any hotels you recommend in Manchester? Manchester has many accommodation options. Some of the big hotels near the start are listed below.

• Premier Inn Manchester Piccadilly (2 miles from start)
• Travelodge Manchester Ancoats (2 miles from start)
• Ibis Manchester (3 miles from start)
• Holiday Inn Manchester Central Park (2 miles from start)

What time does the ride start? The registration area will open at 05:00 and the first riders will set off at 06:00, in groups of 25 every two minutes. All riders will be on the road by 07:00.

Can I leave a bag with the organisers at the start? Yes. Your main luggage bag will be left with staff at the start and transported straight to the finish line. You will also have the option of filling a wet bag (the musette your rider pack comes in) with dry kit and spare supplies that will also be left at the start and will be taken to Feed Station 3 for you to access. The wet bags will be taken to the finish once all the riders have passed through.

Feed Stops With four feed stops at 43-59-mile intervals there will be plenty of opportunities to stock up on sustenance, including energy products from Science in Sport. However you should carry enough food/energy products with you to supplement this and to last the duration of the ride.

• Feed Station 1 – Carsington Water, DE6 1ST (45 miles in)
• Feed Station 2 – Bosworth Hall Hotel (88 miles in)
• Feed Station 3 – Castle Ashby, NN7 1LQ (147 miles in)
• Feed Station 4 – Woolmer Green Village Hall (187 miles in)

We expect riders to stick to an average speed of 15mph in order to complete the ride.

Feed Station 3: Light Check At Feed Station 3 each rider must leave with appropriately bright lights and at least one reflective item ready for when darkness falls. Riding on unlit country roads means that powerful lights are a must in order to see the road, and reflective clothing helps keep riders visible to drivers in dark conditions. We recommend a Brevet Gilet or Hi-Viz Gilet. Brand new Lezyne lights will be on sale at Feed Station 3 for those who require stronger lights.

What do I need to take with me for the ride? The ride is fully supported with sweet and savoury food supplied by the More? Artisan Bakery and ride nutrition supplied by Science in Sport, however if you have a preferred energy brand or any particular food that you enjoy whilst riding long distances, please bring enough with you. It’s also advisable to bring a small tool kit and spares, sufficient to fix a puncture and broken chain.

What if I have a mechanical issue between two feed stops and the light is fading? There will be mobile mechanics and medical support vehicles on route. Should you need these please contact event control on the appropriate numbers, which will be distributed to all riders at the start and be printed on your waterproof maps. It is worth adding these numbers onto your mobile phone.

What happens if I am unable to finish? The organisers will do their utmost to help all riders finish. We will advise on time checks at each feed stop and if we feel that you need to be ‘bumped’ up the course, we will discuss that with you. You may want to ride past a certain point on the course so can choose where you are bumped up, however, in all circumstances any riders falling short of the time checks will be driven further up the course towards London.

What type of food will there be at the feed stops? Each feed stop will feature food from the More? Artisan Bakery with a bias towards sustenance, plus Science in Sport have generously donated energy gels and electrolyte powder for riders which will be available at the start and at each feed stop. There will be water to top up bidons, and do remember that if you have a preferred energy brand that is not Science in Sport that you know agrees with you, please bring enough to top-up what the feed stops will offer. Try not to eat too much sugar too soon, as many riders find that long rides are better fuelled by real food.

What spares do I need to carry?

• Inner tube x2 (if you ride on tubs, carry a spare tub and some sealant)
• Tyre levers
• Patches
• Multitool (with chain breaker)
• Split link
• Pump and/or CO2
• Tyre boot
• Latex gloves (optional, handy for staying clean during repairs)

Most importantly, know how to use all of the above. Whilst we have support vehicles out on the course, it will be much quicker if you can fix things yourself. Make sure your bike is in good working order. Now is the time to have it serviced if required.

GPS Tracker If you would like to be tracked ‘real time’ during this event, so family and friends can follow your live progress, you can book your own personal tracker when you sign up. This will be given to you at registration and details will be forwarded to you of the web address where your family and friends can follow the action live.

What happens when I finish the ride at Lee Valley Velopark? There will be hot food, a large bottle of beer (or three) and a chance to analyse the North vs South leaderboard.

Can I shower after the ride? Yes. Showering facilities will be provided, however you must supply your own towel and toiletries. Your finish line bag will be waiting for you at the end.

Is there secure bike parking? Yes. There is a designated bike parking area, and this will be marshalled.

Will there be transport home from the velodrome? The phone numbers of local taxi firms in Stratford for those staying in London to book their own cabs will be available, and the coach back to Manchester which can be booked during sign up will leave at 00:30 sharp.

Coach A coach with limited places is available for riders travelling back from London to Manchester, including bike transport in a separate vehicle. The coach will leave the finish point at 00:30 and drop back to the Manchester Velodrome. A coach ticket costs £50 and can be booked when signing up, these are sold on a first come first served basis.

What about trains etc? Being a Sunday availability is very dependent on what time you finish due to trains finishing a little earlier.

Arranging your travel plans in advance will help you have a stress free experience on the day and let you focus on your ride. The information below will help you plan how to get to the start of the ride and more importantly back from the finish.

Start The ride will start at 05:00 from the National Cycling Centre – Manchester Velodrome, registration will open at 05:00. Parking will be available close to the National Cycling Centre in the allocated Ethiad Car Park G if you wish to leave your car there until you return on Sunday night/Monday morning, there is no cost for parking in the allocated area.

The National Cycling Centre Stuart Street Manchester M11 4DQ Details on how to get there »

Registration You can register for the ride and receive your rider pack from 15:00-18:00 on Saturday 1st September at the Rapha Manchester. Registering on Saturday will mean you can sign on quicker on Sunday morning and is strongly advised.

Hotels There are a number of hotels near the velodrome as listed on the National Cycle Centre website.

Finish The ride will finish at Lee Valley VeloPark in Stratford, East London. It will be dark and you will be tired so make sure you know how you are getting home.

Lee Valley VeloPark Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Abercrombie Rd London E20 3AB

Coach A coach with limited places is available for riders travelling back from London to Manchester, which includes bike transport in a separate vehicle. The coach will leave the finish point at 00:30 and drop back to the Manchester Velodrome. A coach ticket costs £50 and can be booked when signing up, these are sold on a first come first served basis.

Friends and Family We would encourage friends and family to join us on the finish line to cheer you in and help you home. There is plenty of car parking at the school.

Taxi It is possible to secure taxi’s from the velodrome but please be aware you may have to wait some time for the taxi. Also the cost of a taxi with a bike on a Sunday night late at night will be high so be prepared.