'Harsh Experience' - Account of the Downhill World Champion's Challenging Encounter with the UK's Most Tough Road Cycling Event
Hitting the road on a bicycle for 200 kilometers? Sounds like a wild ride, mate! A few years back, I was invited for a surprise birthday event - the 200km Audax. The experience sparked a newfound appreciation for challenges on my road bike.
Fast forward to last year, I joined the Chase the Sun South, and this year, I'm aiming for the bucket-list event, the infamous Fred Whitton Challenge, held in the breathtaking Lake District in the UK.
Tracy Moseley, a formidable force in international downhill mountain biking, shares her experience tackling this year's Fred Whitton Challenge, her first major road sportive.
Having heard whispers about its difficulty, she saw the event as a perfect opportunity to test her mettle against the Lakes' majestic climbs. After all, bike riding for her has been more than just a job or hobby - it's been a journey of passion, escape, and friendships.
Aging and scheduling challenges make fitting adventures like these a top priority. The Fred not only brought her and an old university pal, Wendy, together for the ride, but also inspired them to plan monthly rides together in 2025, a rare opportunity considering their busy lives.
Joining them was a dear friend from her UK enduro racing days, Cheri, a woman always up for a new adventure.
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Training for the Fred Whitton Challenge was far from conventional. Tracy embraced flexible routines, prioritizing her e-bike over traditional road bike prep. Guided by racing legend Isla Rowntree's advice - concentrate on standing and climbing for long periods - she prepared with a handful of club runs, a reliability trial, and some out-of-the-saddle practice.
Unfortunately, her last-minute 100-miler ride seven days before the event left her feeling drained and dealing with knee pain, far from the ideal preparation.
Dating back to 1999, the Fred Whitton Challenge is one of the UK's first and longest-running challenge cycling events. Organized by the Lakes Road Club, the 112-mile loop showcases the beauty of the Lake District while testing riders with steep climbs, including the daunting duo of Hardknott and Wrynose passes.
Known as the hardest one-day challenge ride in the UK, Tracy approached the event with a strategy to eat, drink, and prepare for anything throughout the day to ensure she could complete the course. She acknowledges that her self-sufficiency and over-preparedness might have slowed them down, but it kept them going strong with enough supplies for potential multi-day rides.
If you're intrigued by Tracy's journey and want to know more about nutrition for cycling, check out our enlightening article on the topic!
The Fred Whitton Challenge pushed her boundaries, offering a mix of hardship and camaraderie. Making it onto her bike bucket list, she encourages everyone to add it to theirs.
Gearing up for new challenges, Tracy Moseley, a seasoned mountain biker, decided to tackles the infamous Fred Whitton Challenge, a grueling road sportive in the UK. Training for this event led her to explore unconventional methods, including using an e-bike and focusing on climbing techniques, all in preparation for the steep climbs and challenging terrains that the event offered.
