Held annually since 2008 in the magnificent grounds of Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, ancestral home to the Marlboroughs and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, this annual celebration of (almost) everything two-wheeled has gone from strength to strength and this year promises, weather permitting, to be bigger than ever. Running across the weekend of 18 and 19 August, the likes of Sarah Storey and the GB Para Cycling Team (including Shaun Mckeown and Mark Colbourne) are already signed on for the 20km Time Trial and with a range of events from unstructured family rides through the traffic-free grounds (much of it landscaped by Capability Brown) to the spectacle of Bike Polo, there is pretty much something for everyone.
Starting at 8am on Saturday August 18 is the new-for-2012 40km off-road sportive (£28 entry fee) that will take riders through the grounds and out through the surrounding countryside on the edge of the beautiful Cotswolds. Sunday sees tougher challenges with both the 60 and 100mile sportive and the staging of the 26.2mile Pink Ribbonride (10am, £30) for Breast Cancer Care.
On the less conventional side of things – and in addition to the Bike Polo – are the perennially popular Brompton events, which this year incorporates the Brompton Marathon and Brompton Sprint, the latter seeing a strictly limited field of 100 riders running to their pre-folded machines, four abreast, assembling them and taking to the 300m course. The Festival of Cycling also includes the Brompton World Championships, something of a highlight of the weekend for competitors and spectators alike, which has riders from as far as the US and Japan wearing the obligatory jacket and tie on a double lap of Blenheim’s ‘Queen’s Pool’ for a total of 13km.
Advanced entry prices are £10 per day (£17 for the weekend) with concessions for students, the over-60s and under 16s; entry includes events viewings, family rides and full access to the event village which will hold a variety of exhibits and demonstrations throughout the weekend. Competitor entry to the various events ranges from £15 to £35 with full details and online entry at www.blenheimpalace.com
