Background

History

Dave Riley who conceived the idea of running a Gran Fondo in the Peak District explains the background to how it came into being:

L’Etape du Tour

“The idea for the ride was hatched after a group of South Manchester cyclists rode L’Etape du Tour in 2001 which finished on Luz Ardiden in the Pyrenees. We travelled to the event by road and although we had a wonderful ride the weather was worse than any we would usually encounter back home!

“We stayed at Lourdes and on the morning of the ride we were up at 5:00am to ride the 14 miles to the start at Tarbes – it was absolutely pouring down, with roads like rivers. We then had an hour’s wait in our start pen in the rain and so preparation for the ride was not ideal. However the organisation and the ride itself were fantastic and everyone enjoyed it, apart from the weather.

“The year before we also rode the L’Etape du Tour which finished on Mont Ventoux and although I managed to get to the top before the rain started it was freezing cold and several of our group were soaked to the skin.

“So, two L’Etapes with all the travelling, expenses and a good soaking both times gave me cause for thought when I got home. Why don’t we arrange one of these rides along the lines of a Gran Fondo and run it locally. We live on the edge of the Peak District, indeed we spend our weekends riding all the big climbs anyway and so the seed was sown.

The first event

“In September 2002 I ran a trial ride of 100 miles through the Peak District and Dovedale areas on “B” and unclassified roads (but all rideable on road bikes with lightweight wheels) and spread the word locally to see what interest would be generated. There was no entry fee, we just met at 9:00am at our normal meeting place in Handforth, collected a route sheet and set off. Although I had marked the route with arrows I hadn’t organised any feeding stations.

“I decided to call the ride the HOT 100. HOT, standing for Handforth Old Tuggos, which was the unofficial name of our group of 40 to 65 year old roadmen who had been meeting in Handforth for 20 years. Team HOT is a group of like minded cyclists who enjoy cycling trips to Italy and Majorca and, of course, riding nice bikes. Most of the group are members of the Manchester Velo Club but riders from other clubs including Manchester Wheelers, Tame Valley and Westmead Team 88 also ride.

“For the first ride I asked one of the Velo’s prolific road race organisers, Pete Lickfold, if he would help by taking names of the starters. That first event had 49 riders, who all enjoyed it and thought it was a great day out. The route for that first ride has now become the route for the “Spud” Riley Memorial Gran Fondo.

The Spud Riley Memorial

“When I said I’d organise a ride the following year (September 2003), Pete volunteered to accept all the entries and manage the ‘signing on’ on the day while I handled the preparatory work for the ride itself. I wanted the ride to be modelled on l’Etape with a fully signed route, 2 feeding stations, all the climbs sign posted and an event HQ with good parking facilities and thought that if it was professionally organised then we would get numbers of riders.

"At this time (early 2003) it was just one ride, which by now was called the Spud Riley Memorial in memory of my brother who’d spent a lifetime in cycling and working for the sport and had been a member of the Velo Club for 55 years. His wife had agreed on the name and we decided that all the entry fees would be donated to the Adult Leukaemia Unit at Manchester’s Christie Hospital who had nursed him to the end.

The Polka Dot Challenge

“Pete had said this type of Gran Fondo event could be the future for cycling as he had seen steadily declining entries over the years for road races he organised. He suggested that we put on a second event each year and he would help with this as well. This was when I thought of a route that would include most of the legendary climbs of the Peak District over which UK road races had been run for 60 years. We thought if it was run in early June it would be a good try out event for people preparing to ride L’Etape du Tour and decided to call it the Polka Dot Challenge after the name of the jersey worn by the King of the Mountains in the Tour de France.

“The first year (2003) had an entry of 222 and we donated £1589 to Christies. In 2004 we were amazed to have an entry of 543 and donated £5200 to Christies.

Dave’s final comment is “My hope is that one year we will get riders from France coming to our event and the first ones who do will be guaranteed a very hospitable welcome!

George “Spud” Riley

A lifelong member of the Manchester Velo CRC “Spud” started cycling in 1948 with the breakaway British League of Racing Cyclists. Always a roadman, he enjoyed success in that early era of our sport.

He was responsible for many people in the South Manchester area starting cycling and in particular his own daughter Terrie, who represented Great Britain in many international races all over the world. Spud was always a willing worker for everything cycling and involved in Velo Club promotions for 50 years.

Being a craftsman in building and carpentry and joinery he was given the job of recruiting and overseeing the labour for the construction of the Manchester Velodrome.

In 2001 he developed a virulent form of Leukaemia and after spending many weeks in Christies Hospital he passed away. Sadly missed by everyone he everyone he touched, this ride will be a fitting memorial to one of life’s good guys.