The Toughest 100

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Welcome to the Toughest 100

A sportive like no other. No flats roads. No recovery. It's either up or down. More elevation per km than any other UK sportive. This is the toughest 100km you may ever ride.

The Band of Climbers Toughest 100 is a one-day sportive that will take place on 20th August 2023 in Sheffield and the Peak District. Designed, organised, and route tested by the Band of Climbers team, we've selected the toughest possible route for our very first sportive.

At just over 100km in length (68miles), the Toughest 100 is the hardest UK Sportive you may ever ride. What it lacks in distance, it makes up for in elevation. Over 3200m (10,500ft) of climbing awaits, over 22 steep and savage climbs.

For perspective, The Toughest 100 has 65% more elevation per mile than the Fred Whitton.

We've stripped out the flat roads, deliberately. No rest, no recovery, just climb after climb.

When and Where?

The Toughest 100 will take place on Sunday 20th August 2023. Starting and finishing in Ringinglow, just outside of Sheffield. You can begin your ride from 7am to 8.30am. We expect the ride will take on average around 5 hours 30 minutes - riding time.

The Route

Distance : 110km / 68 miles

Elevation : 3200m / 10,500ft

We've designed the toughest possible route of its kind for our first sportive. Over 20 punishing climbs await, ranging from short, steep (and we mean steep) climbs, through to longer, slightly more gentle but beautiful climbs towards the end of the route. Most climbs hit gradients of over 10%, but many 15% and 20%+ moments await.

The route takes us from Ringinglow on the outskirts of Sheffield, heading north towards Bradfield, before heading back through the Strines, Hathersage and 'The Dale' before finishing back in Ringinglow. The route is all about the climbs. There is almost zero flat on the entire route. The descents are steep and short, so they're over in seconds. Then you're onto the next climb immediately. No flat. No recovery.

The ride will be run on open roads, and is limited to a small number of riders. Just 150 places will be made available for this event, for its first edition. The route will be signposted throughout the ride, and GPX / Strava Routes will be provided to you by email at least 1 week before the event.

Rider Packs

All entrants will receive a rider pack when signing on for the event, as well as a digital info pack by email. The rider pack will contain your ride number and chip timer, so you can compare your times with others. You'll also receive a digital guide to the event, BoC Stickers and more from our partners OTE Sports and Veloskin.

Feed Stops

There will be 2 feed stops on the route, run by our partners OTE Sports. The feed stops will be stocked with OTE Anytime Energy Bars, Gels, Water and Electrolytes, as well as bananas, oranges, and other carb-based snacks.

Photography 

We will have an official event photographer on the course, and all photos will be made available to you, for free. Photos will be uploaded to the Band of Climbers Facebook page where you can download your photos and use them anywhere you like.

Event Jersey

We have produced an exclusive Toughest 100 jersey to commemorate the event. This high-performance jersey is available in mens' and women's sizes, by pre-order only. You can purchase event entry and this exclusive jersey for £99. Your Jersey will be handed to you at event sign on at the Toughest 100.

When selecting the Event Entry and Jersey Option, after completing your booking, we will send you an email to confirm your size and fit required, in order to produce the jersey for you.

Entry Terms & Conditions

Entry into this event is entirely at the risk of the participant. All riders will be required to read, accept and sign an entry disclaimer confirming they are riding on open roads, at their own risk.

Entry is non-refundable in the event you cannot enter the sportive. We can however transfer your entry to another rider, or defer your place for 1 year, subject to our terms of service.

Read our full entry TERMS & CONDITIONS HERE.