HUNDREDS of riders from Wiltshire and the surrounding area have already signed up for the inaugural Black Legend Sportive and, with two weeks to go until the event, there are just a handful of places left.

The event is open to entrants of all cycling ability and there are 45, 65 and 80-mile route options available, taking in part of the Marlborough Downs, starting from Hungerford on Sunday, March 22.

It is the first sportive organised by Purple Patch Running and event director Chris Donald says: “With just a couple of weeks to go until the big day, I encourage anyone with an interest in cycling to get involved in this exciting event.

"We are delighted with how well entries have gone so far and it’s set to be a fantastic day.”

This week Claire Donald, an Ironman triathlete and head coach of Purple Patch, gives advice about group riding.

She says: “The chances are that if you are riding in a sportive, you will end up in a group of similar paced riders to yourself.

“Riding in a group can be efficient as well as enjoyable and often allows you to maintain a faster pace than you would on your own.

“To help, you will often find that many cyclists in the group, have developed their own methods of communication, given that only those in front can see what is going on. Typically, messages are passed backed down the line to ensure that everyone is aware of any potential hazards that may be approaching.

“Examples include signaling with your left hand when you see a pothole in front of you and moving out safely to avoid it, or if you need to move out because of a parked car. These gestures are beneficial to everyone in the group and can ensure that you ride safely and enjoyably.

“You may also find that shouts are used - if a car is approaching, you may hear a shout of 'car front' or 'car down'.  

“Also, be aware of the shout 'single out' as this means the group needs to ride in single file. Make sure to pay attention to what’s going on around you and listen out for these helpful calls.

“It’s important to stay relaxed when you’re on the bike. Try to stay as calm as possible and don’t worry about trying to keep up – more often than not you will waste a lot of energy by being tense, so just enjoy it!

“Maintaining a smooth line is key, and this can be done by relaxing your shoulders. This is especially important when turning corners. Using your brakes lightly to avoid coming to an abrupt halt is one of the key differences when cycling as part of a group compared to on your own.

“In order to fully benefit from group riding, you need to ensure that you are 'sheltering' behind the person in front, but are not riding too close to them so that your front wheel is overlapping their back wheel, this is often the most common cause of crashes and ideally we want to be avoiding these on ‘race’ day!”

Entry fees range from £25-£29 in the 45, 65 or 80 mile event options and all finishers will receive a hangman style medal. Visit www.purplepatchrunning.com for details.

* Purple Patch has five of its event buffs, pictured below, to give away to readers.

To enter visit our Facebook page, 'like' it and answer the simple question: If you take part in the Black Legend Sportive which part of Wiltshire can you expect to ride through?

Entry closes on Wednesday, March 11, at 2pm and winners will be contacted by Purple Patch. Only one buff can be won per entrant.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: