Cycling - Thousand riders tackle Fred Whitton

1:06pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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THE Fred Whitton Challenge cycle ride takes part in South Lakeland and this year there will be 1,000 competitors.

The 112-mile circular route starts and finishes in Coniston, climbing all the main Lakeland passes.

The first rider home will take around six hours and the last rider over 12 hours.

This year the Fred Whitton Challenge has attracted its biggest field to date, with riders from home and abroad.

The 'cyclo sportive' event is the most popular in the country with the entries being sold out in less that 12 hours.

For the first time this year an ex-Tour de France rider Adrian Timmis takes part along with other professional riders.

Riders start between 6 and 9 am and are looked after at two feed stations - Buttermere and Calder Bridge - and the event is not a race but a test of stamina and fitness.

Last year £35,0000 was raised by the riders for The MacMillan Nurses and The Dave Rayner Fund Motorists are advised that cyclists will be on the roads from 7am-7pm on Sunday..

The following is the estimated time that the bulk of the riders at these places: Kirkstone Pass 7 - 10 am Keswick 8 - 11 am Honister Pass 9 - 12noon Newlands Pass 10 - 1 pm Whinlatter Pass 10 - 1 pm Loweswater 11 - 2 pm Cold Fell 11 - 2 pm Gosforth 12 - 3 pm Hard Knott Pass 1 - 5pm Wrynose Pass 1 - 6pm Little Langdale 1 - 6 pm Coniston 1 - 7 pm