Wilier Gauntlet returns for 2012 Southern Sportive

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The Southern Sportive course is a perrenial favourite, and has remained largely unchanged since it was first run in 2006. The popular 155km course was retained as the 'Classic' route last year, alongside the new Gauntlet, and it will still be there too in 2012. The organisers tell us, "The 155km remains as the full Southern Sportive course; the Gauntlet is an extended version of it for those who want to push themselves further. We don't think of courses purely by distance, but in terms of quality, and the classic Southern Sportive course has a perfect balance in it's characteristics. "But we wanted to add something for riders looking for bigger challenges to take on, in a way that would compliment the event without changing it's character. Feedback from last years Gauntlet suggests it did just that, so we're delighted to bring both options back this year."  

The Wilier Gauntlet adds a 35km loop towards the end of the route, that extends the ride further into the stunning Meon Valley and adds nearly 600 metres more climbing. That gives you a days total of 192km with 2900m of vertical, including four extra good climbs and a stubborn sawtooth set of rollers to test your momentum at the sharp end of the day. But to help you round, you'll get an extra support station on the route plus a commemorative Gauntlet finishers souvenir.To find out more about the Southern Sportive, and to sign up for any of the distances, visit southernsportive.com.