British Classics Weekend: Buxton - Hebden Bridge Classic 157.2km: Saturday 28th May 2016

Race Route
For too long the Peak District and Pennines have been ignored by the major bike races of Britain, but this one day will go a long way to putting that right. If you just look at the distance then it's very easy to scoff; it's far shorter than any other classic or semi classic, it's shorter than most stages of any stage race and it's under 100 miles. But anyone who thinks that the length means that this will be an easy race will be in for a brutal shock. There's almost 3,300m of climbing and less than 7km of flat roads! That's 21 meters of climbing for every single kilometer of racing - this is an absolute nightmare of a route, expect the roads to Hebden Bridge to be filled with individuals and small groups in their own world of pain.
The start however, is more Downton than Dante. The town of Buxton, and its waters, gained popularity on the recommendation of potter and abolitionist, Josiah Wedgewood. The riders will be grateful of the gentle start to the day, there's an 11km ceremonial start where the route goes down the aptly named "Long Hill" - the flag will drop as the peloton enter Whaley Bridge. For the next 30km the course is benign with some small lumps providing ample opportunity for a break to go clear. But that's where the riders stop having fun, after 45km they head up the south side of Holme Moss (3km@8.8%), possibly the most famous climb in Britain, Holme Moss is used as an entree in this race but with the following climbs coming in such quick succession it will be just the first of a number of jabs.

Holme Moss during the second stage of the 2014 Tour De France

It's a very fast descent down to Holmfirth but put your climbing legs back on for the 2.8km (5.9%) climb of Greenfield Hill. Downhill again, but again, it's straight back up Slaithwaite Hill (1.6km@6.8%). Professional cycling is a sport of repetition, every day you go out and ride your bike, at races you room with the same rider week in week out and this race manages to replicate this repetition. After another quick descent it's another climb, this time the beautiful and steep Scapegoat Hill (2km@8.9%). Less than half of the way through the stage but with just over 80km to go the riders will hit Stainland Bank (1.2km@9.2%) at the top there is a brief respite from the short sharp hills and an introduction to the longer, more gradual climbs. How many riders will still have a chance at glory?
The bottom of Cragg Vale (from the east side) marks the halfway point but almost all of the difficulties are ahead of them. The climb itself is not especially troubling (6.8km@3.6%) but it is incredibly exposed so any hint of wind will have a massive bearing on the race. After the descent it's straight up Scout Road, looking like a small pimple on the route profile the climb it is actually 1km@7.8%. A meandering route on small roads leads back to the bottom of Cragg Vale for another ascent, at the top there will be around 45km to go but still 4 categorised climbs to complete.
The first of these is Midgely Hill (1.8km@6.4%), worryingly for the peloton this is actually the easiest of the last four climbs if you look at the numbers but with arrow straight roads and a less than ideal surface it will feel much much harder. More descending before finally some flat roads will lead to the bottom of the Jowler climb (1km@13%), named after the Victorian mill located halfway up and with a throwback section of cobbles the riders will need to put in some industrious revolutions to reach the top still in contention. There's a very steep descent back to Luddenden Foot and then a uncategorised but testing climb back into Midgely and through it to the narrow and windswept Heights Road, riders would be well advised to try and claw back as much energy as they can because despite the previous 140km of racing it will come down to the last 14km, this will be hell.

The final climb up to Heptonstall features some sections of
cobbles.

Mytholm Steeps (1.6km@10.8%), with the length of an Ardennes classic climb but the steepness of a Flandrian berg has no right to be climbed by bike, but, it's there so we'll use it. The start flows between terraced houses as if to invite the nervous cyclist in but once you're in the facade is dropped, what follows is one horrifically steep ramp through the trees, it eases slightly after that but it deposits you on a windswept moor to battle a headwind and a false flat. A gradual stepped descent leads back down to the valley and finally some flat roads. When the riders hit Hebden Bridge again there will be just 2km left but almost all of that is uphill with a finish on the cobbled streets of Heptonstall, famous for the grave of Sylvia Plaith and the house that she shared with Ted Hughes. the climb is 1.4km long but 9.5% so it will likely be a case of not blowing rather than attacking for the line. Anyone who wins this race will quite rightly be remembered for a long time, however anyone who finishes it deserves just as much recognition.

Points of Interest

Buxton
Buxton is a fantastic place to be a cyclist, there's virtually unlimited high quality cycling within a 30 mile radius. There's also the L'Eroica, a cycling festival just down the road in Bakewell with numerous rides, camping and festivities. Why not head out for a quick ride into the Peak District countryside after watching the depart, when you get back scout out one of the number of excellent coffee shops for a quick tea and scone and then sit back and watch the finish of the race.

The peloton will roll out from the shadow of the Buxton crescent.

Holme Moss
Some might see this climb as little more than an hors d'oeuvres to the desperately difficult finish of the race. But this is the highest point on the course and arguably the most famous climb in Britain, it's also a climb that's been used in the Tour de France, albeit from the opposite side, so there's also a chance to follow in the footsteps of pro riders. From the top you can see almost to the finish in Heptonstall. Ride up in the morning and take your place among the growing crowds to see the first splits take place. Anyone who is dropped before the top will have almost no chance of getting back on.

Midgely Road
You don't get this very often, a chance to watch a bike race three times without moving from your seat, but this is what you get from the top of Midgely Hill. Scout Road is situated across the valley and so, with the help of a pair of binoculars, you can watch it there firstly. Then around 30 minutes later you can watch the riders haul themselves up out of the valley via the steep and straight Midgely Road, expect to see the peloton well spread out by this point. Finally, another 30 minutes later you can simply turnaround and watch, the now severely depleted peloton, power along the flat Heights Road as the enter the last 20km of the race. Once you've watched the race, hop on your bike, or walk, to one of a number of pubs in the vicinity, The Hare and Hounds in Pecket Well, along Heights Road, is a particular favourite.

Heptonstall
The climb to Heptonstall is steep and scenic, curving as it does through thick forests and, when you enter Heptonstall, Victorian style houses. Although steep the climb is not so steep that it will discourage attacks and the road is wide enough to facilitate numerous attacks. Equally with the difficulties previously it's hard to believe that there will be anymore than a small group contesting the finish which means you will be able to see a procession of riders haul themselves up at various, slow, speeds.
If you're with a non-cycling fan then an afternoon trip to Heptonstall Church to see Sylvia Plaith's grave is a must. Maybe follow that up with a quick half at one of a number of pubs in the area to fully placate your partner before you take them back down the hill to watch the epic racing.

The shark tooth profile of the route

The profiles are created using plotaroute.com