Coronavirus Update
Current Status: All events going ahead
Click to Read More (Updated Friday 25th Sept)
We are currently proceeding with all events in line with the exception from the rule of six for properly organised outdoor sports events. Our assessment is that our events are a safe activity at present for the following reasons:
- They are not 'static gatherings'. They spread participants over wide, remote areas and varied time periods by design.
- Off-road cycling is a naturally socially distancing activity.
- We have risk assessed every aspect of the events and introduced new safety procedures wherever necessary.
We will continue to follow official advice and best practice in running our events, and to monitor changes in advice.
For details of the precautions we are taking to keep events safe, see our full coronavirus information update here.
Nov
7
2020
Start Time
8:30am – 9:30am
Finish Time
Event Centre closes 4:00pm
Change of Venue
2020 keeps creating problems, but we’re not going to let it stop us! Our usual Marlborough venue is not available due to ‘current circumstances’, so for this year, the Iron Duke is moving to Woodcote in the Chiltern Hills. We know this area like the backs of our hands, and we’re putting together a completely new circuit for this unique 2020 edition of the ride!
The Kinesis UK Iron Duke Gravelcross: A fantastic Autumn Gravel Ride!
The Iron Duke moves to Woodcote (home of the Wildwood) for 2020! Join us for a completely new Chiltern Hill circuit, mixing up miles of dirt and gravel with winding back lanes, sweet, sweeping singletrack, sinew stretching climbs and fast, flowing descents!
With three routes to choose from, full route marking, feed and support on the course, on site catering and live rider timing, this is a great autumn gravel ride!
Woodcote Village Hall
Start Location
Woodcote Village Hall,
Reading Road,
Woodcote,
RG8 0QY
Book Your Place Now
Bringing the kids?
Enter Junior riders here:
Route Stats
The lowdown on this ride in numbers, profiles and maps; where the route goes, where it hills are, how demanding it is and which bike to use.
%
Physical severity
%
Technical severity
Short Route
kilometres
Mid Route
kilometres
Full Route
kilometres
(Final route stats and details may vary)
Bike Suitability
Which bike will be best or this ride? The Wildwood is open to any bike and any rider – but here’s our guide to which type of bike suits this course best.
- Gravel / Adventure Bike 90%
- CX (race style cyclocross) 75%
- MTB 80%
- MTB (29er) 85%
- Hybrid* 65%
- Road* 45%
Warning: This ride contains off road sections and rough surfaces. Only use road bikes that are capable of some off road. DO NOT use any bike you do not want to expose to dirt and the risk scratches or some damage. Only use a bike with strong wheels and off road capable tyres. Remove mudguards prior to the ride.
Riding the Iron Duke
The Kinesis UK Iron Duke takes you through the heart of a landscape that spans the ages! From the historical town of Marlborough, ride up into hills littered with historic sites, including the Iron Age hill fort at Barbury Castle, and through the ancient Savernake Forest, owned and managed by the same family since the Norman Conquest and home to trees up to and over 1,000 years in age.
From St Johns College on the edge of town, you will ride into Savernake to explore the maze of Forest trails, before tracking the beautiful Kennet Valley to cross the river and ride up into Marlborough Downs, and onto the magnificent Ridgeway. After your excursion into the hills, there’s a long flowing descent back down to the valley, and a last blast through the West Wood before you return to the finish.
This a ride with an epic feel – broad, open countryside with sweeping views and long, rolling trails to enjoy. The combination of open hill, riverside and forest trails adds variety to the ride and showcases the beauty of this corner of the country! Every mile of hte Iron Duke is well worth the effort!
75km Full Route
The full Gravelcross challenge, taking on the best and toughest riding in the area!- 2+ Fully route marked by the event team
- Route map for all riders
- GPS files sent to pre entered riders (enter in advance to receive these)
- Rider timing by transponder tag. Results posted to these web pages.
- Mid ride Feed/Support Station.
- Finishers medals
- Hot food and drink available at event base.
- Emergency contact numbers for our team made available for you to carry with you.
- Additional late booking charges apply from 1 week before the event: +£2 in last week of booking, +£4 on the day entry.
57km Mid Route
A great day of riding, including the pick of the riding on the full route.- Fully route marked by the event team
- Route map for all riders
- GPS files sent to pre entered riders (enter in advance to receive these)
- Rider timing by transponder tag. Results posted to these web pages.
- Mid ride Feed/Support Station.
- Finishers medals
- Hot food and drink available at event base.
- Emergency contact numbers for our team made available for you to carry with you.
- Additional late booking charges apply from 1 week before the event: +£2 in last week of booking, +£4 on the day entry.
39km Short Route
Shorter, sharp and fun, a terrific ride that avoids the hardest sections of the longer routes.- Fully route marked by the event team
- Route map for all riders
- GPS files sent to pre entered riders (enter in advance to receive these)
- Rider timing by transponder tag. Results posted to these web pages.
- Mid ride Feed/Support Station.
- Finishers medals
- Hot food and drink available at event base.
- Emergency contact numbers for our team made available for you to carry with you.
- Additional late booking charges apply from 1 week before the event: +£2 in last week of booking, +£4 on the day entry.
Book Your Place Now
Bringing the kids?
Enter Junior riders here:
Event Logistics
On the Ride
Once you’re ready to start, report to the start / finish area with your timing chap strapped to your ankle. Listen to the short briefing and ride across the timing mat as directed. As you go around the route, you will find bright orange signs and ribbons to follow. At route divide points, you will find yellow signs showing you which way to go to follow the Full, Mid or Short routes. These should guide you around the whole route, but use your map if you think you have strayed off course or have a problem with the route navigation. There are also emergency contact numbers on the edge of your map. Ride safely at all times, and remember that you are on public rights of way and roads. This is not a race, so please ride appropriately, and be friendly and polite to other trail users you meet. At the end of the ride, pass over the timing mat once again, and hand in your timing chip. For those interested in there ride time, these will be available on the computer screen at the finish.
Entry on the Day
You can enter the event on the day, although there is a small surcharge of £3 (so pre entering is recommended). Just arrive before the end of the registration period and pay at the desk.
Registration
Go to the registration desk on your arrival. If you’ve pre-entered via the internet or posted your entry, you’ll have a timing chip on an ankle strap to collect at the desk. If you haven’t pre-entered, pay at the desk and a chip will be allocated to you. Collect your colour A4 map at registration also. Next, get yourself ready to ride.
Following the Route
Follow the orange signs and orange ribbons (you will shown samples of these at the ride briefing) regardless of which route distance you are riding. Everybody follows orange. At route divide points, you will see a set of yellow signs, with “Full Route”, “Mid Route” or “Short Route” written on them, pointing in different directions. At this point, follow the right sign for the route you are riding. Once you get beyond the route divide point, you will start following orange signs and ribbons again.
(Please note, in spite of our best efforts, signs can go missing or be tampered with during the course of the day. Make sure you pick up a copy of the route map at event registration, and carry it with you for use if needed. We also send out GPS files to all pre entries prior to the event, so if oyu want ot have the route on your phone or GPS device, sign up online now!)
Food and Drink
There will be food, water and energy mix at a feed station on the course to help you stay fuelled during the ride. Hot and cold food & drink and snacks will be available to purchase from the event centre before and after the ride. (Including our ever popular home made chilli!)
Rider Timings & Medals
Riders are electronically timed, with rider times displayed on a screen at the finish line. Gold, silver and bronze time bands are set as an optional ride incentive, and finishers medals are presented to reflect the time band you achieve.
PLEASE NOTE: rider timings are provided for personal interest only and time bands are an optional target that you can choose to ignore. This event is not a race. No winner is declared, and no status or prizes are awarded for ‘beating’ other riders. The ride time and completed distance for any individual rider is taken on trust and cannot be definitively verified by the organisers.
Virtual ‘Social Distancing Event’ Times
Having had to postpone the full event due to Coronavirus restrictions, we made the course available to ride solo as a social distancing event. If you rode this before the full Stay At Home lockdown came into force, you can send us your ride data and we’ll post your times up here. Please only ride in accordance with current lockdown permissions.
| Name | Category | Course | Avg Pace | Ride Time | Time Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalziel Blake | 40-49 | Full | 14.40 km/h | 05:12:28 | |
| Reuben Cooper | 18-39 | Full | 18.64 km/h | 04:01:25 | Silver |
| Colin Deady | 18-39 | Full | 15.70 km/h | 04:46:40 | Bronze |
| Ricardo Lopes | 18-39 | Full | 19.70 km/h | 03:48:23 | Silver |
| Paul Sheppard | 40-49 | Full | 14.08 km/h | 05:19:36 |
| Name | Category | Course | Avg Pace | Ride Time | Time Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gavin Hubbard | M50+ | Mid | 12.62 km/h | 04:30:54 | Bronze |
| Robbie Trower | M40-49 | Mid | 15.84 km/h | 03:35:49 | Silver |
| Name | Category | Course | Avg Pace | Ride Time | Time Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicky Haverson | 40-49 | Short | 11.44 km/h | 03:24:16 | Silver |
Band 1 (Male 18-39)
| Full Route | Mid Route | Short Route | |
| Gold=22.13km/h (13.75mph) | 3h 23m | 2h 42m | 1h 59m |
| Silver=18.51km/h (11.5mph) | 4h 03m | 3h 14m | 2h 22m |
| Bronze=15.29km/h (9.5mph) | 4h 54m | 3h 55m | 2h 52m |
Band 2 (Female 18-39, Male 40-49, Male U18)
| Full Route | Mid Route | Short Route | |
| Gold=21.02km/h (13.06mph) | 3h 33m | 2h 50m | 2h 05m |
| Silver=17.58km/h (10.93mph) | 4h 15m | 3h 24m | 2h 29m |
| Bronze=14.52km/h (9.03mph) | 5h 09m | 4h 07m | 3h 01m |
Band 3 (Female 40-49, Female U18, Male 50+)
| Full Route | Mid Route | Short Route | |
| Gold=19.92km/h (12.38mph) | 3h 43m | 2h 58m | 2h 11m |
| Silver=16.66km/h (10.35mph) | 4h 27m | 3h 33m | 2h 36m |
| Bronze=13.76km/h (8.55mph) | 5h 23m | 4h 19m | 3h 09m |
Band 4 (Female 50+, Male 60+)
| Full Route | Mid Route | Short Route | |
| Gold=18.81km/h (11.69mph) | 3h 53m | 3h 07m | 2h 17m |
| Silver=15.73km/h (9.78mph) | 4h 39m | 3h 43m | 2h 44m |
| Bronze=13.00km/h (8.08mph) | 5h 38m | 4h 30m | 3h 18m |