KILOTOGO’s Tour of the Peak sportive 2016 - based upon the legendary road race, famous for tough hills and tough competitors – launches next week with priority entries given to previous riders. The event will take place on Sunday 15 May 2016 at the Bakewell Showground in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District – Britain’s most popular national park. 

General entries will be available from midday on Thursday 22 October 2015. Riders who have previously ridden the event (and booked via www.kilotogo.com) will be able to enter the event 24 hours earlier, from midday on Wednesday 21 October. Further details are available at the KTG website. 

If you’re planning on riding as a group, KTG advise you to use the Group Booking facility to make sure that you and your friends do not miss out on riding the event. Read their ‘Group Booking’ information in advance to make sure you secure your places. 

Last year saw the first ever fully closed-road ascent of Winnat’s Pass (which will return this year) and the event sold-out months in advance. Not only is it the biggest sportive in the Peak District, but it offers participants the chance to ride in the wheel tracks of legends as they retrace the route of the eponymous professional road race. 

The Tour of the Peak is one of very few sportives to tackle the ‘Big Three’ Peak District road climbs: the aforementioned Winnat’s Pass, Holme Moss (now of Tour de France fame) and the seven-mile Cat ‘n’ Fiddle. Cyclosport’s James Berresford described the set as the ‘Triumvirate of Pain’. 

New for 2016, the event will also offer the Killer Mile Challenge on Winnat’s Pass. Based on KILOTOGO’s infamous Mow Cop Killer Mile challenge at the Cheshire Cat sportive, if you don’t put a foot down on the climb, you’ll be presented with a unique Killer Mile medal. The Killer Mile series will be appearing at various events throughout the 2016 KILOTOGO season. 

(Image: SportivePhoto)

The event offers two routes of 63 and 116 miles - with the stiffer of the two tests serving up over 10,000ft of climbing. You can't design a picturesque route in the Peak District, taking in some of the country's toughest climbs and favourite beauty spots without creating an incredible cycling challenge. That's the essence of the Tour of the Peak - it'll take your breath away in more than one sense.    

Winnats Pass is one of the most iconic and spectacular climbs in Britain. A cleft cut between two limestone pinnacles, the climb is relatively short at 1.2 miles, but reaches its steepest gradient near the summit. The average gradient is 11.7%, but tops out at a gear-grinding 25% at its steepest.  

Holme Moss is a long but gradual climb that starts just after Holmebridge, but in effect actually starts way back down in Holmefirth. The gradient stays steady for the most part, and once you've got to the top there's a fantastic long descent which, courtesy of the 2014 Tour de France visit, has now had a bump smoothed out part way down - perfect for the speed demons.     

Cat 'n' Fiddle is the last major climb on the route. At nearly 7 miles long, this climb is similar to those found on the European circuit. Both routes take on this climb from the edge of Macclesfield to Buxton.     

James Berresford has reviewed the Tour of the Peak a number of times for Cyclosport: "The Tour of the Peak is fast becoming a classic in the UK sportive calendar, and deservedly so. The difficulty level and scenery is up there with the biggest and the best, and KILOTOGO seem to have the sportive formula down to a tee."    

For more information and to book your place, visit www.kilotogo.com.