The Cambridge Pork Pie — Extra Slice — 200 calendar event Enter this event »

8am, Saturday 16 March 2019, from the Recreation Pavilion, Girton, Cambridge (next to the church).

225km, 15 to 30kph (6h48m to 13h32m).  2200m of climbing.

The Extra Slice is an alternative route for the Cambridge Pork Pie 200km audax event.  This route is 10km longer and 300m more climbing and yet uses the same single control at Melton Mowbray as the Classic Pork Pie.  You must work harder for the scenery, but it's worth it if you have the legs for it!

The Extra route this year is the reverse of last year's route, with some alterations to keep it interesting.

IMPORTANT

This route is offered as an alternative to the Classic for those riders who rode the Classic last year, and are looking for a new route, and are full of winter miles!  Also, since we're running the Oundle-Melton-Oundle loop leftwards (anti-clockwise) then those riders who rode last year's Extra will also have something new to ride.  If you are not one of those riders then you probably want the Classic Pork Pie instead!

As far as entry is concerned, this is the same event as the Classic, just an alternative route — you can decide on the day which you would prefer to ride, you do not have to do anything different, it's the same entry.  And if you do ride this then please let us know how you get on!

ONLY USE THIS ROUTE IF YOU ARE CONFIDENT OF YOUR ABILITY ON THE DAY — YOU MUST STILL FINISH IN THE SAME TIME AS THE CLASSIC RIDERS!

The first 70km of this route is the same as the Classic with a group-friendly 60km run to Oundle.  This year you'll turn left further along the Classic route, in Glaston, just after crossing the A47 — the Extra route heads west into hillier country, passing through many picture-postcard villages of sandstone and thatch, taking the Classic route in reverse to Melton Mowbray.  The climbing really starts on the return leg to Oundle, which is both longer and hillier, so don't hang about having a long lunch, you'll need to get on with it! 

The route takes you back through many lovely, but steep-sided valleys to a magnificent view of Launde Abbey and a superbly challenging climb out of the Abbey grounds, past Rockingham Speedway, and eventually rejoining the Classic route at Bulwick for the long, gentle descent to Oundle. 

All riders use the same return route from Oundle to Girton, Cambridge, although there are choices even here, but only to avoid riding through Huntingdon.

If you ride this route, when you turn left in Glaston, and after Melton Mowbray on the return, please check that all your riding partners intend to go the same way as you — I don't want to lose any Classic riders on the Extra route, that would be not-good!

Strong riders should be fine on this route — the extra distance is not onerous and the climbing is steady.  As a benchmark, I managed to ride this route on fixed-gear in about 12 hours 15 mins, so geared riders with plenty of winter miles ridden should be okay, so long as their endurance holds.  Note, though, that if the wind is in the wrong quarter then this could be a very tough choice!


Important notes

  • The route can be agricultural in places and therefore mudguards are requested for the benefit of café proprietors and other riders — and us cleaning up the pavilion afterwards.
  • There are some steep descents — you should definitely check that your brakes are in good working order before starting.
  • This is an x-rated event — you must get just one proof-of-passage – a receipt – from a commercial establishment in Melton Mowbray, of which there are plenty.  Please check that the time and date on the receipt is correct and that the place name (Melton Mowbray) is clearly shown (note that we are familiar with Greggs' receipts for Melton)
  • You are on a private excursion on public roads.  The given route is advisory.
  • You should carry a lock to secure your bike at the controls.

IMPORTANT — there are major roadworks after Oundle with significant delays and narrow lanes for some distance — if you are not able to sprint to keep ahead of the traffic and lights then DON'T use the A605!  Instead, just at the temporary traffic lights, when it is safe to do so cross to the shared-use path on the right-hand side and continue to the end where you should dismount and cross through the queuing traffic to the island and then to the opposite pavement, before immediately turning left into Barnwell and then immediately right into Church Lane. The routesheet and GPS files have been updated to take this route.

The controls

Start and finish at the Recreation Pavilion in Girton next to St Andrew’s Anglican church on Cambridge Road, CB3 0FH, 2km northwest of Cambridge city centre.

There is just one commercial control:

Melton Mowbray — Lots of cafés — Gracies, More Coffee Co, Café 54A recommended — pubs, Greggs, McDonalds, Wetherspoon, banks (ATMs), and of course Dickinson & Morris Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe on High Street (walk through the market, it’s on the RHS opp Santander).

Toilets are available at the start/finish and in Oundle and Melton Mowbray, or behind the many hedges along the route.


The routesheet and GPS files

I rode the route to check the route, routesheet and GPS files on 25 February 2018.  (updated 7 March 2019)

There are several versions of the GPS files, depending on your device and preference: TCX files provide turn-by-turn in Garmin Edge devices; GPX files provide a track to follow on-screen on all devices, although older devices need tracks with fewer than 500 points. They're all here, although you only need to download one.  NOTE you need both GPS files from whichever ZIP file you download from below — one gives the route from Girton to Melton Mowbray, and one back to Girton.  (updated 7 March 2019)

You can browse the route and view the elevation profiles on RideWithGPS here.

Have a great, safe ride!  Enter this event »