Last Sunday’s amazing weather was welcomed by the 2,000 riders taking part in this year's Fred Whitton Sportive.

The event is held annually to raise money for a number of charities including The Macmillan Trust; supporting families and individuals dealing with cancer.

The event was originally organised and conceived by Paul Loftus and the Lakes Road Club following the untimely death of Fred Whitton, a popular club member, and has now established itself as probably the premier sportive in the UK and certainly the toughest.

Although the route was changed recently due to its growing popularity it still contains the UK’s most challenging road climbs, including Hardknott, Honister, Wrynose and Kirkstone as well as Newlands, Whinlatter and Cold Fell.

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The route is 112 miles long and involves a total ascent of nearly 11,000 feet.

If this wasn’t enough of a challenge, Keswick Bike’s mechanic James Bell and his fiancé, Ailsa Kaye, decided to complete the ride on their newly-built tandem.

A tandem is much harder to climb with, but the pair managed to ascend all the passes without having to get off and completed the event in an impressive nine and a half hours.

Other riders who shone included Keswick School bus driver Mark Benson, who showed his talent completing the ride in just over six hours while Rob Jebb proved he is still the man to beat with an amazing time of five hours 47 minutes.