What is a sportive? 

If you’ve ever wanted to take part in a huge, non-competitive group ride, then a cycling sportive could be the right fit for you. 

As triathletes, we’re no strangers to the weekly club ride and bike training. Triathlons can be fiercely competitive, though. So if you’re after a low-pressure, fun day out on the bike, when you can smell the roses and soak in your surroundings with some cycling buddies, then why not consider taking part in a sportive?  

What is a sportive?

A sportive is a mass participation, cycling event that is organised over a range of distances to suit all abilities. It is non-competitive and designed to be accessible to all cyclists. The main aim is to bring people together through cycling, enjoying a scenic, sign-posted set route together. 

Sportives are paid events and many are organised with charity partners, they provide people with a challenge to train and fundraise for. Often, sportives will offer several different distances, with longer routes being 100km or more. Sportives are organised year-round but tend to be most popular in summer, especially in the UK.

Sportives are a great way to get into cycling, too, and join in with an organised bike event, without the pressure of hitting a certain pace or time. Enjoyment is the priority!  

Is a sportive a race?

A sportive is not considered a race. While some organisers may publish finishing times on the race website and finishing positions, there are not normally prizes or awards given to the top finishers.

Taking away this competitive aspect is intended to allow all participants to focus on enjoying cycling for the sake of cycling. 

Sportives are also often organised on open roads, meaning you’ll be sharing the road with other vehicles. This is why it’s essential to pay attention to the rules of the road and ride safely; hi-vis and fluorescent gear will boost your visibility to other road users. 

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How to pick a sportive 

If you were to look up sportives in your area or country, it’s likely you’ll come across hundreds of results. Not all sportives are made equally, though. So it’s important that you know what you’re after. Some are pretty low-key, local charity events, while others are run on a much larger scale. 

Firstly, you should decide on the distance that you’re willing to ride. Often, sportives will offer the distance of 100km or 100miles, along with shorter options for beginners or those not looking to spend the whole day in the saddle, and longer options for those after a big challenge. The choice is yours. 

As you decide, consider also if you want to ride with a friend or as part of a group. If you do, you’ll need to choose a distance that will suit the weakest rider and a route that you think all participants will appreciate. 

If you’re not looking to travel too far and don’t want to stay overnight somewhere ahead of the event, stick to your local area and events up to an hour or so away (early starts are common).

For sportives further afield, be sure to factor in cost of accommodation and transport to get there. Also bear in mind that not all public transport options – like buses and trains – accept bikes, so do your research ahead of entry. 

Finally but importantly, where do you want to be riding? What kind of scenery are you looking to come across? When making your decision, it’s sage to research the route itself as some can either be very hilly, or on difficult terrain (the hilly cobbles of the infamous Flanders Sportive is a prime example). 

It’s fine to aim for a challenge, just make sure that you have enough time and motivation to train for the terrain and distance. Picking a sportive is exciting, choose well and don’t lose sight of the core sportive value – enjoyment.    

What gear do you need for a sportive?

If you’re someone who cycles regularly, it’s likely you’ll have much of the necessary gear needed to complete a sportive. Unlike triathlon, you can stay in the same cycling gear for the whole event. Since you’ll likely be spending the good part of a whole day in the saddle, comfort is key. 

Bike shorts

Possibly the most important piece of kit to get right, wear a tried and tested pair of cycling bib shorts with a plush enough chamois to pad out your ride as much as needed. 

For women, consider foregoing the bibs for a pair of droptail bike shorts that are easy to slip out of for toilet stops throughout the day. A comfortable saddle will also hold you in good stead, and is in general a smart investment for keen cyclists. 

Bike jersey

Don’t wear anything new on race day, go for your most breathable and comfortable cycling jersey which fits well and has good storage capacity for snacks. As you’ll be wearing it for a long time, make sure it’s moisture-wicking and quick-drying. 

Cycling base layer

You’ll likely be stopping at aid stations and for toilet breaks, some sportives even offer a seated, drop-in lunch if you want, so don’t set off with only one layer and assume you’ll be warm enough. A good cycling base layer will help to keep your core insulated and will wick away moisture as you sweat. 

Cycling jacket 

For UK sportives, the sun is never guaranteed. Even in the summer, rain can threaten, so bring along with you a packable, lightweight cycling jacket that can be stowed in your top tube bag or a pocket when not needed. It’ll offer an extra layer for fuel stops and give you protection from the elements should the clouds roll in. 

Cycling sunglasses 

A necessity for any bike ride, in our opinion, a good pair of cycling sunglasses (or clear glasses for overcast rides) will protect your eyes from the sun and wind when you’re speeding along downhill. 

Not only that, opt for a pair with wrap-around protection to deter any bugs from getting in your eyes and causing a dangerous situation out on the road. 

Top tube bag

A modest cycling top tube bag will do for most sportives. It will give you space to stuff energy bars and gels, extra hydration, and your phone for emergencies.

It’s unlikely your jersey pockets will offer quite enough capacity for a day out on the bike, especially if you prefer to bring your own tried and tested snacks than reply on race day provisions. 

Look for a shower-proof bag that attaches neatly and aerodynamically to your top tube, extra points in you can open it single-handedly while riding (not that we recommend this, of course).  

Nutrition 

Many sportives will provide some food in aid stations, but it may not be what you’re used to eating or what works best for you. We highly recommend bringing some of your own nutrition, at least if only for emergencies. Be sure to practice consuming these on the bike in training, so there’s no surprises on race day. 

Pack a few energy bars and energy gels for a quick-release energy boost. As sportives are often over a long duration, we’d also recommend bringing with you some ‘real’ food.

This comes down to personal preference but you’ll likely be craving savoury food after a day of cake, bars, and sugary syrups. A sandwich of choice or some boiled, salted potatoes could work well.  

Don’t skimp on hydration, either. Be sure to fill at least one of your cycling water bottles (we recommend two bottles) with an electrolyte solution, and bring extra hydration tabs for additional fluid refills en route. Salt tablets are also an option, if you prefer.   

How to train for a sportive 

If you’re coming to the sportive event as a triathlete, then it’s likely that you’ve already got a good base of bike training under you. In this case, consider simply adding in a long rider each week of increasing distance until you reach your sportive goal distance. 

If you’re starting as a beginner cyclist, then slowly build your bike training volume per week, along with a ‘long ride’ each weekend to get your body used to endurance riding. 

Try to build up to cycling at least three times a week in order to see improvement. This could be something simple like one weekly spin or a static bike class during a lunchbreak, one shorter ride with intervals or hill reps, and one longer, easy ride at the weekend. 

Be sure to build your distance gradually to avoid too much strain on the body, long rides are the ideal opportunity to ride with a friend or join a weekend club ride in your area. 

Finally, while training try as much as possible to mimic the same route and conditions that you’ll have on race day. If your route has a lot of elevation, don’t skimp on the hills in training and try to do one dedicated hill session each week.

Equally, if your route has some off-road sections then practice accordingly and be sure to use the right bike for the job. 

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What’s the difference between a Gran Fondo and a sportive?

Sportives, or cyclosportives, are organised group cycling events that usually require a fee to enter. They are non-competitive and can attract cyclists of all levels. Sportives can also be known as gran fondos, which simply means ‘big ride’ in Italian. 

The term ‘cyclosportive’ originates from French and has since been shortened to sportive in the UK. Meanwhile, the originally Italian term Gran Fondo is more typically used in the U.S to describe sportive events.  

What’s the difference between a sportive and an audax? 

Sportive are mass-participation, organised cycling event on marked roads. They typically include aid stations and have marshalls to help guide participants. Audaxes, however, are a different beast entirely. 

Audaxes, also known as a randonnée, are self-supported rides that must be completed within a set time limit. It’s not a race, but rather a personal challenge. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient, meaning that it is your responsibility to navigate, bring enough fuel with you or buy your own on the way, and sort out any mechanical problems yourself. 

Though there is a maximum time limit, an audax even does not publish individual riders’ times. This is not a race.  Distances can range from 50km to 2500km, but typically they are at least 200km long. Normally an audax of up to 600km will have a minimum speed of 15kmph and a maximum speed of 30kmph.   

Back to basics, riders navigate using route sheets and reach certain checkpoints to obtain a stamp in their brevet card. You can ride as a solo randonneur, or as part of a team in the classic audax set-up. Extra points are given to those who ride to the starting point of their organised audax event.

Looking for your next challenge? Take a look at these cycling challenges for adventurous triathletes.