3/2/08 The Team take up for the Chiltern Hundred Challenge sportive, to be held 1st June 2008, has been a huge hit. All Team places have been taken and team registration is now closed. 21 teams have been accepted and all 200 places made available have been assigned to the Teams. In addition to providing Team entries for the event, the organisers have been careful to ensure that the event is equally successful for individual riders, with well over half of the places reserved for Individuals. Online entry for both Individuals and Team riders open 1st February 2008 through the event website home page. The concept of "Teams" has been unprecedented within the UK cyclosport scene, until now. The Chiltern Hundred has identified the demand for Team participation in cyclosportives and recognises the extra fun to be had from riding as part of one's own regular team, club or group. This has proved attractive to all types of groups from cycle clubs, tri clubs, work mates, non-work mates, and charities alike. The Teams are as follows: Thames Velo As to how Teams will ride together remains to be seen. Lead organiser Eddie Spriggs said, "Teams will probably start together. But this is a very hilly sportive and as the hills kick in only the most compatible and determined teams with pre-arranged tactics will stay together." In addition to standard awards for individuals, the organisers also plan to recognise Team efforts by having Team standard awards. These will be based on the individual standards achieved by 6 riders of each Team. The individual and Team standards have yet to be published by the Chiltern Hundred on their website. To ensure that the event is equally successful for individual riders, over half of the places have been reserved for Individuals. Further improvements include transponder timing, wider selection of HQ refreshments, more detailed map (additional to a fully signed route), and a slicker online entry system for both Individuals and Team riders, via their private Team pages. |