Le Cure’s “Hell of the North” ride will start and finish at Nell Bank on Sunday, October 4, taking cyclists on a challenging 107km route through the Yorkshire Dales featuring around 2,000 metres of climbing.
The event is being organised by Denton resident Dan Cullen-Shute, whose children attend Ben Rhydding Primary School and who coaches youngsters at both Ilkley Town AFC and Ilkley Rugby Club.
Mr Cullen-Shute helped establish Le Cure in 2014 after a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since then, the charity’s annual cycling challenges have raised almost £4 million for breast cancer research through The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Le Cure is best known for its annual Alpine cycling challenge (pictured) (Image: submitted)
Le Cure is best known for its annual Alpine cycling challenge, which sees riders tackle some of the Tour de France’s toughest mountain climbs. This year marks the launch of two new UK-based events under the banner of Autumn Classics, with rides taking place in London and Ilkley.
The Ilkley route will take riders across some of the Yorkshire Dales’ most scenic and demanding roads, passing landmarks including Barden Moor, Fountains Abbey, Menwith Hill, Burnsall Fell and Brimham Rocks.
Participants will return to Nell Bank for food, drinks and family activities, including use of the site’s gravel track for young cyclists.
The route of the Ilkley cycle ride (Image: Le Cure)
Mr Cullen-Shute said: “It’s much more a charity event than it is a sportive. We really want as many people as possible to get on their bikes and help us raise money to cure breast cancer.
“Like all the best Yorkshire rides, the route offers a bit of everything – riverside roads, rolling hills, steep-sided limestone valleys, challenging climbs and exhilarating descents. It showcases some of the very best scenery the county has to offer.”
Le Cure is entirely volunteer-run, with funds raised supporting research fellowships and pioneering breast cancer research programmes linked to The Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
Mr Cullen-Shute added: “This new phase of Le Cure’s fund-raising only works if people sign up, which we’re very much hoping they will.
“Of the north, in the north, but not just for the north – we hope to see as many of you as possible there, to have a cracking day on the bike, and to help us cure cancer.”
Entry to the ride costs £60 and includes a commemorative cycling jersey, route support, feed stations and a finisher’s medal. Riders need to sign up by August 9.
For more information or to register, visit: https://lecure.org/autumn-classics/hell-of-the-north/