Sportives to go mainstream?

Increasing numbers of sportives cropping up around the country are leading industry commentators to predict that they could have a huge impact on the cycling trade.

Specialized sponsors its own sportif at Silverstone, Northampton. Specialized MD Richard Hemington said: “Sportives are increasingly popular and we wanted to give riders a great landmark for a new endurance challenge.”

Martin Harrison of holiday company Trail Break is helping put together the Great Western Sportive in Swindon this June.

He told BikeBiz: “Sportives are the best shot that cycling has had in giving itself an equivalent appeal since the MTB boom of the ‘90s failed to keep going. We think there is a great risk of sportives settling into an elitist form and the cycle industry will find itself looking back on a big missed opportunity. The challenge sportives face is to present that much more accessible appeal without losing their ‘big challenge’ inspirational value.”

For more on the Sportive phenomenon, click here.