Cyclist
The Fred: Fred Whitton Challenge sportive review
It’s quarter to six on a gloomy May morning. I can already feel water creeping through the vents in my shoes as I stand in a wet but bustling field, clutching a cup of instant coffee. The sky: grey. The fog shrouding the start line: grey. The mystery meat filling in the bone-dry petrol-station sausage roll I reluctantly forced down for second breakfast: grey.
‘Lucked out with the weather, haven’t we?’ exclaims a fellow rider without a hint of sarcasm as he trudges past me with his bike. He must be a local.
To be fair to him, the Fred Whitton weekend has so far been uncharacteristically warm. Only 12 hours ago, my group and I were enjoying a perhaps ill-judged pint in the balmy 16°C temperature, watching cyclist after cyclist cruise past on their pre-event shakedown. For once, bikes outnumbered backpackers in the picturesque Cumbrian village of Grasmere, and the fresh Lakeland air was abuzz with the sound of whirring freehubs, clinking glasses and excited chatter.
Unpredictable weather is the norm in this part of the world. So much so that the organisers have made it mandatory to pack a long-sleeved top. Even on hot years, the conditions can be extremely changeable, particularly on top of the route’s nine mountain passes. During the 2009 edition, riders experienced a complete whiteout on top of Wrynose Pass on what had otherwise been a sunny day. It’s one of a number of factors that have earned The Fred its fearsome reputation as the hardest one-day cycling event in the country.
Now in its 24th year, the annual sportive tracks a 180km course around the Lake District, taking in all of the area’s most notorious climbs. And the route has an infamous sting in its tail: the preposterously steep Hardknott Pass, which must be tackled on already tired legs 150km in.
The Fred Whitton started in 1999 to commemorate the eponymous Lakes Road Club mainstay and local legend who died of cancer that same year. Whitton was the club secretary and was actively involved in promoting racing in the North West cycling division. Event president Paul Loftus MBE tells me Fred was particularly well known for helping younger riders get involved in the sport.
A charity event to its core, the Fred Whitton Challenge raises money for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of its namesake. It also donates to the local air ambulances and Mountain Rescue, both of which provide support on the day. Unfortunately, given the brutal nature of the route, this support is often needed, as will prove to be the case this year too with an injured rider on Hardknott Pass.
Climbing from the off
As the clock strikes six, the first riders begin slowly clattering along a slippery strip of temporarily laid festival flooring and towards the start line. It’s a perilous mission with nothing but wet cleats for traction, but I manage to keep my footing as I nervously trundle my bike away from the safety of the event village and towards the open road.
A cacophony of clicks cuts through the misty morning air as riders clip in and snake off as part of a 2,500-strong peloton along the twisty lakeside road away from Grasmere.
The first real challenge of the day is Kirkstone Pass. The summit can be reached via three routes, most famously the aptly named The Struggle, which Bradley Wiggins jokingly jogged up part of in the 2016 Tour of Britain, and which this year was the venue for the National Hill Climb Championships. Thankfully we are heading up the longer but far more palatable route that curves south and then north via Troutbeck, climbing relatively gently for 9km with an average gradient of around 4%.
Steadily spreading patches of clear blue sky begin to outnumber clouds as we head up the second climb of the day, Matterdale End, and I find myself comfortably jacketless, in a short-sleeved jersey for the first time this year. My spirits are lifted further when I have my first encounter with the famously enthusiastic Fred Whitton spectators, in this case a lone man at the roadside wearing a green tutu and vigorously ringing a cowbell. A valiant effort given that it’s still only 8am.
Speeding through Keswick, more spectators line the streets to offer shouts of encouragement. The whistling, clapping and the clanging of cowbells spurs me on as I psych myself up for the next climb.
If there is any inkling at this stage that perhaps the Fred Whitton isn’t as hard as people make out, Honister Pass shuts it down forcefully. With an average gradient of 10% and max gradient of 22% over 2.4km, this is where the real climbing starts. I prefer to stay seated when I can, but here there’s no option other than to grind away out of the saddle, wrenching on the bars to get this one ticked off.
I speed past the first feed station, shovelling another flapjack down in a risky bid to save some time, and head straight up Newlands Pass. It’s another brute, with gradients hitting 18%. It’s also the route’s only timed climb, but with images of Hardknott Pass and its savage 30% hairpins seared into my mind’s eye, I opt to save my legs.
There are a few brief miles of respite before the route throws me into yet another of its uphill stretches. Whinlatter Pass marks the halfway point, snaking steadily upwards through the towering Douglas fir trees of Whinlatter Forest. The sun is now blazing down and the sides of the road are lined with people cheering as I push over the crest of the hill.
My long-suffering wife is among the crowds, having kindly agreed to meet me there to refill my water and replenish my supply of tooth-rotting snacks. I’m in high spirits and making good time as I press on.
Beauty and the beast
There are numerous ups and downs in this third quarter of the ride, but for the most part the intensity ramps down slightly. This allows me to look away from the road and enjoy my surroundings for a while.
The Lake District is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of the most jaw-dropping scenery in the UK. Rolling golden hills, emerald-green grass and crystalline bodies of water serve as a backdrop for slate and stone towns and villages, all interconnected via a network of winding mountain passes and ancient Roman roads.
It’s now midday and I’m leaving the second feed station a couple of sandwiches heavier, having gorged myself in preparation to take on Hardknott Pass in approximately 25km. The mounting tension among the riders is palpable and, as the climb comes into view, nervous chatter turns to deathly silence.
Hardknott Pass is the sort of road you’d think twice about attempting in a car, let alone on a bicycle, and heaven forbid having already ridden 150 excruciating kilometres. It’s an absurd prospect and a big part of the reason this event is so highly regarded in the cycling community.
A red phone box marks the start of the climb, and the gradient ramps up to 20% almost immediately. There’s even a cattle grid thrown in for good measure.
It feels like the road flattens out for a while, but in reality it’s still around the 8% mark. Nevertheless, it gives me a chance to catch my breath as I head for the first of three aggressive hairpin turns that look almost vertical as I approach them. It’s a delicate balancing act between keeping the front wheel planted on the ground while loading up the rear with sufficient weight to prevent it from spinning. All of this while trying to dodge wheels, patches of loose gravel and toppling riders. There truly is no shame in pushing your bike up this thing.
After a treacherous descent during which I risk life and limb to retrieve a pair of sunglasses dropped by the rider in front of me (you’re welcome), I find myself all too soon on Wrynose Pass. It’s a pig of a climb by anyone’s standards, but with the mental and physical torture of Hardknott behind me it might as well be a mere bump in the road.
With 15 flat kilometres left to the finish, I finally hit the wall. I prop myself up against a fence to eat the last of my Haribo and give my legs a break. A friendly scouser offers me a wheel to sit on for the remainder of the ride, but I decline, not wanting to slow him down. I’m done. I roll back towards Grasmere at snail’s pace, each turn of the cranks a battle. But before long I’m being cheered across the finish line by scores of cowbell-waving supporters and the endorphins are doing their thing once again.
As I sit on the grass enjoying the first of what I’m sure will turn out to be several beers, both my questionable sausage-roll breakfast and the hell of Hardknott Pass feel like distant memories. I’m already planning my trip back next year.
The details
Get ready for The Fred
What: Fred Whitton Challenge
Where: Grasmere, Lake District, UK
How far: 180km
Total ascent: 3,170m
Next one: 12th May 2024
Price: £99
More info: fredwhittonchallenge.co.uk
The rider’s ride
Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7, approx £9,000, specialized.com
Now superseded by the shiny new SL8, the Tarmac SL7 is Specialized’s former flagship road model. This top-of-the-line S-Works version is super-stiff in all the right places, light, fast and smooth as butter to ride, mainly thanks to its S-Works Turbo 28mm tubeless tyres.
The SL7 is a race bike first and foremost but its geometry is not overly aggressive, which means it can be ridden all day without requiring the services of a chiropractor. Its aero shaping makes it fast on the flats, and its sub-7kg weight makes it spritely on the hills – all perfect for an event like the Fred. The compact 50/34 chainset paired with an 11-30t cassette is also a great help on those 30% gradients.
It’s not cheap, but this custom spec worked excellently – Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset, Enve SES AR handlebar, Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels – and because it has now been surpassed by the SL8, the price will only drop from here.
How we did it
Travel
It’s tricky to get to Grasmere by any other means than car. The nearest large-ish train station is Oxenholm, just south of Kendal, which is still a good 40 minutes’ drive away.
Accommodation
Cyclist stayed at the Bridge House Hotel in Grasmere (bridgehousegrasmere.co.uk). It’s perfectly located for access to the event village, which is a few minutes down the road. There’s free afternoon tea, a fantastic spread for breakfast, and the staff made packed breakfasts for those riding the event. Prices were around £380 for two nights B&B.
Thanks
Many thanks to event organisers Josh O’Boyle and Paul Loftus for hosting us, and for their local knowledge. Also thanks to all the volunteers who help to make the Fred Whitton such a fantastic event every year… a special shoutout to whoever made the feed-station sandwiches.
• This article originally appeared in issue 147 of Cyclist magazine. Click here to subscribe
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