RACE – £49
58.2km | 700m
Kids / Family Timed lap – FREE
14.6km | 175m
Route
58.2km | 700m
OVERVIEW
NEED TO KNOW
The route
accommodation
PACKING LIST
FAQs
SHERWOOD PINES TROPHY: OVERVIEW
Part of the brand new Gravel Masters series of UK gravel races, join us in Sherwood Pines for a classic 58km race over closed trails.
You will race 4 laps of a 15km course taking in some wide fire roads, flowy singletrack & a few sandy sections.. Race against riders in your age cat for the chance to win the inaugural Sherwood Pines Trophy.
Enjoy a great gravel cycling weekend with a sportive on the Saturday heading into the Notts countryside and a social race village in Sherwood Pines. Bring the family, we open the route up from 1pm to 2pm for kids to take on a timed lap and there are plenty of places to watch the racing.
Women’s race & men over 60 – 10.30am start
Family timed laps – 1pm to 2pm
Men under 60 – 2.30pm start
Podium presentation – 5pm
RACE HIGHLIGHTS
- A beautifully varied 15km loop on closed trails
- Race on a great mix of wide forest trails and winding singletrack
- Make a weekend of it & ride the sportive into the Notts countryside on Saturday
KNOW BEFORE YOU RACE
tHE ROUTE
Set in Sherwood Pines, this route starts near the Arena and heads around the forest over a 15km loop. The course takes in a mix of wide forest trails and some singletrack with a couple of sandy sections.
THE WEEKEND
Stay over and ride a sportive on the Saturday on lovely sportive exploring trails outside the forest around the Notts countryside.
TIMINGS ON THE DAY
There are two races on the day, women & men over 60 starting at 10.30am and a mens under 60 race at 2.30pm. The race village opens at 9am and there is a free family ride from 1pm to 2pm.
RIDE SUPPORT
There will be a mechanic stand at the start and then on each lap you will pass a feed & mechanic stop. There will also be a spares box on the course.
Included in Entry
Fully Signed Route
Our team work tirelessly to create the best gravel routes in the UK. All courses are fully signed so you can just enjoy the ride.
Checkpoints with Proper Food
An epic ride deserves proper support. We have tea, coffee and cake at the first feed and sandwiches & crisps at the main feed. Checkpoints are approx every 30 - 35km
Accurate GPX Files
A few days before the ride, we will send GPX files for all of the route options so you can follow the course on your GPS as well as the signs.
Mechanics Available
At the rider village & at selected feed stops we have mechanics available to help with any bike issues. We also have spare inner tubes, CO2 & more .
Rider Support Vans
We are here to make sure you have a great day on the gravel. If you have any major mechanicals or need collecting, support vehicles are a phone call away.
Beer at Finish Line
You will be greeted at the finish line with a beer & food available from our food truck. Perfect to chat about your day with fellow riders.
EVENT PROGRAM
14th Oct: Rider lists published and final route details sent out.
19th Oct – 09.00: Race village at Sherwood pines opens. Collect your ride number & test out the route before it closes at 10.15am
19th Oct – 10.15: Pens open for Women’s race & Men over 60
19th Oct – 10.30am – 13.00: Women, Men age groups over 60 race.
19th Oct – 13.00 – 14.00: Free family ride. Collect your ride number and see how fast you can get round the 15km course.
19th Oct – 14.15: Pens open for Men under 60
19th Oct – 14.30 to 17.00: Men under 60 race.
19th Oct – 17.00: Podium presentations
THE ROUTE
Please note this route is subject to some small changes. We will send out the final route to all participants one week before the race.
The route is 4 laps of a 15km course starting in the heart of Sherwood Pines. After a short section on wide fire roads, we head onto some flowy singletrack where passing is possible but not easy. Back on the fire roads we hit our first small climb of the day (0,5km at 4%).
The middle of the route is fast & flowy before another minor climb (0,5k at 4%) which could cause some gaps. The final 3km is on a mix of wide & then narrower gravel trails before a finishing loop around the ride village where spectators will be cheering you on!
Distance:
58.4km
Elevation:
712m
MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT
Our race is in Sherwood Pines (nearest big town in Mansfield). There are several lovely villages nearby to stay for the weekend or camp onsite at the lovely Sherwood Pines Campsite (link HERE).
On the Saturday we have a sportive – Sherwood Pines Gravel X which starts & finishes in Sherwood Pines and takes in some trails around the forest and then out into rural Notts.
Hang around on Sunday to watch the race you aren’t involved in. There is plenty to do in the Forest including a cafe, Go Ape & disc golf.
ACCOMMODATION
Come for the race, stay for the warm local hospitality and beautiful countryside!
There are plenty of hotels & campsites in nearby Ruthin including:
Lyons Woodlands Hall Hotel & Caravan Park
GET IN TOUCH
Got any questions on this race, our race series or want to partner with us? Send us a message on the form and we will get back to you within 1 business day.
Bike Selection & Packing List
Bike Choice: The route is designed for gravel bikes with 99% of the route being off road.
Tyre Choice: We will send an update on conditions closer to the ride. The gravel is mostly smooth throughout so a fast rolling or all rounder 35mm to 40mm tyre should be ideal.
Packing List: There will be a mechanic / feed stop on each lap plus a spares box on route but please bring equipment to be self sufficient on the route (inner tubes, sealant, multi-tool, pump or CO2).
Clothing: Likely to be fresh at this time of the year particularly early morning so layer up accordingly. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
This route makes gravel racing accessible for anyone. At the front of the race we will have a good field of elite men & women racers but this would make a great first race due to the rolling terrain with a mix of smooth gravel & singletrack.
Registration is open from 9am for the 10.30am race and from 1pm for the 2.30pm race.
You will also have some time to ride the course before pens open for the race.
The race starts near Sherwood Pines (Edwinstowe, Mansfield NG21 9JL). The nearest train station is Mansfield, just over 4 miles away.
Parking at Sherwood Pines is available for £5
There will be a spectator area within the race village where you can see riders go past each lap.
You can also stroll up 500m and catch the route twice, once at the start of the lap and another near the end of the lap.
Sherwood Pines is a major tourist destination with lots to do for non-riders. If you are bringing kids that love cycling, make sure they bring their bike for the family laps from 1pm to 2pm or they can enjoy walking trails in the forest, Go Ape, play area, disc golf & more.