Cotswold Tusker Sportive

This is a brand new event with new routes that haven’t been tried before – except by our talented route finders of course. Held in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside at Sibford School, the routes are a fresh challenge with plenty of elevation gain. The 45 mile and 32 mile routes both offer significant climbing challenges with some spectacular views if you need a breather.

To encourage a new generation of cyclists you can sign up for a “Family” ride. An easy 7 mile route takes you through some fabulous woodland lanes before arriving back at Sibford School.

The Cotswold Tusker Cheeky 45 mile ride around the rolling hills of the Cotswolds. The event starts at Sibford School in Oxfordshire which is an independent co-educational school. The school is set in more than 50 acres of glorious grounds and is surrounded by beautiful countryside.

As you leave the school on a quiet lane you turn left through the village of Sibford Ferris but after a short distance you will leave the village and ride along a quiet road with fields and valleys falling away from you. You will take in your first decent with a tight turn and here starts your first climb of the day. You wind up and along less travelled country lanes as you head into the heart of the Cotswolds.

You ride onto a slightly larger road and make your way into the first of the many picturesque villages, Lower Brailes. You soon come to Upper Brailes and then there is a nice decent as you sweep towards Willington.

As you scoot across a river you have a short climb to Todenham to warm your legs up for the first significant climb of the day at the 15 mile mark from Aston Magna to Bourghton-on-the-Hill. This hill featured in the 2017 Tour of Britain Hemel Hempstead to Cheltenham although you will only ride a short way and you will be going downhill! Try not to be distracted by the amazing stone houses of Bourton-on-the-Hill as you quickly turn off the A44 and back onto the quiet lanes.

You will wind through Longborough and Donnington before a short blast on the A436 before you head off on the back lanes of the Rollrights.

As you come into Long Compton at around 37 miles make sure you use the downhill to shake your legs out as after a rolling hill you get to Whichford and the 1.4 mile climb with an average gradient of 5%.

From Whichford it’s all downhill until you turn left onto the Hook Norton Road and if you look over the valley you should be able to see the multi-coloured buildings of Sibford School. One short climb and before you know it you are back in Sibford Ferris. Heading back through the village to where you started and through the school to the finish line where a well-deserved beverage and a massage await you.