All set for new Autumn Series rides

FORCE Cancer Charity is staging one of its popular fundraising cycle events this weekend (October 1) with a new twist.

There’s a different location for the charity’s autumn ride this year and for the first time there’s also a choice of two distances.

FORCE’s Autumn Series features the 55-mile Autumn Storm challenge and the Autumn Breeze, a 30-mile route to mark the charity’s 30th anniversary.

Sunday’s rides start and finish at Clyst Vale Community College in Broadclyst. Cyclists will be on staggered starts in small batches from 8-8:30am.

Breakfast stop

Both routes go via Whimple, Talaton and Payhembury before a breakfast stop at Broadhembury Village Hall.

The longer ride then takes cyclists on a 23-mile loop around Smeatharpe, Churchstanton, Hemyock and Dunkeswell before returning to Broadhembury for a second refreshment stop.

The two routes then converge to return to Broadclyst via Kentisbeare, Clyst Hydon, Talaton and Whimple.

“We started our autumn bike ride seven years ago as a thank you to people who supported us on our big Nello ride in the summer,” said FORCE Head of Income Generation Sarah Daniels.

Beautiful countryside

“The event has now grown to become a firm fixture on the cycling calendar and for FORCE’s 30th anniversary we are celebrating with a new start point and route within the beautiful East to Mid Devon countryside.”

The event is sponsored by Bike Shed, who will have a support team on the course, and Devon based insurance and financial services company Pavey Group.

Online entries can be made at http://www.active.com/exeter-devon/cycling/autumn-series-2017 until 4pm on Friday (September 30).

Entry fees are £20 for Autumn Storm and £15 for Autumn Breeze.

Check out the routes

Autumn Series 30 mile route (Autumn Breeze)

Autumn Series 55 mile route (Autumn Storm)