Rat Race Road Trip
Uk’s Toughest Sportive Moves Up A Gear With Brand New Venues Announced
News Release / 05.02.2014
Rat Race Road Trip is a multi-day Sportive linking London and Edinburgh in 2 or 4 days. It was launched in 2013 and in its inaugural year was widely praised for both the quality of its delivery and of its superb 440 mile route. Its difficulty has also cemented a notoriety that is currently seeing hundreds of competitors making a New Year’s resolution to sign up for the second outing, in a bid to join the modest band that finished the 2013 event. The event takes place between 8th – 11th August 2014 with a start at Wembley and finishes at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh.
The race has been created by Rat Race, the UK’s leader in adventure sports events. The company is currently enjoying massive growth, seeing numbers rocket for their various challenges, ranging from road biking to iron-distance Tri, Ultra runs and adventure races. The firm, which was formed by ex-Red Bull events manager Jim Mee in 2004, expects to cater to some 70 000 participants in 2014 making it one of the largest single operators of mass-participation sports events in the UK. Rat Race has also launched a successful online retail store selling endurance sports gear, bikes and cycling kit and 2014 will see the unveiling its first line of own-label sports apparel also.
Road Trip forges a superb cycling line between the iconic Wembley Stadium and Murrayfield Stadium. It routes via Stamford, York and Morpeth and options exist to complete the 440 mile one-way journey in 4 days, overnighting 3 times during the journey; or 2 days. It is this 2-day format that has set the ride apart from the hundreds of Sportives in the market, presenting a challenge like nothing else currently on offer.
Jim Mee, Rat Race MD and creator of Road Trip explains: “With popularity growing in the extreme cycling market, through longer and longer Sportive day rides and the growing popularity of multi-day events, we wanted to stage something that stood out from the crowd and that catered to cyclists who want to push themselves to the absolute limit. It is deliberately not elitist however and the event boasts the 4 day option for mere mortals. The journey element is also important to us: We like the fact this route possesses a real objective, as well as being a great ride. “
The inaugural 2013 event took place in May but Rat Race has taken the decision to move the event back into August this year in order to allow more time for people to train towards the 2 day goal, given the challenges that a winter training window can present for a ride of this calibre. The company has also selected some new venues for 2014, presenting both iconic locations and easy logistics.
Mee comments: “Wembley needs no introduction and as a starting venue it provides both an iconic backdrop and a no-nonsense platform from which to launch the adventure: Loads of parking, hotels galore and easy to get to by road or public transport. And we figured – if we are going with stadiums, lets link the home of English football and the home of Scottish Rugby. Murrayfield provides a carbon-copy of easy parking, good accommodation options and simple connections to road, air and rail. We will offer our bike-packing service again for those who want us to ship their bike home for them, or who simply want to forget about the 440 miles just ridden and get down the pub.”
With satellite stops in Stamford and Morpeth and the York overnight at historic St Peter’s School right in the city centre, the event overnights offer hot showers, catering, camp-site, secure bike storage and a bar.
Entries to the 2014 event are open until capacity is reached and cost £210 per person for Solo Entry into the 2-day “Expert” class. More information and online entry can be found at www.ratraceroadtrip.com.
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