This year, the tenth Race Harborough Festival of Cycling event was held from Kibworth Mead Academy, using Illston Village Hall as the halfway feed station for all routes.
Not only did we have a change of location for the event, but this year also saw a shorter distance off-road route added to the routes available. Cyclists could choose between a 50k or 100k road route, or a 40k or 70k off-road route for the first time.
Over 200 cyclists signed up to take part this year, and we’ve been thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive feedback. Our finish line pizza party was a hit once again, and the feed station on route proved popular with most riders topping up energy levels mid-ride.
A special shoutout goes to our youngest rider, 9-year-old Arlo, who tackled the 40k off-road route alongside his parents — a huge achievement and definitely worthy of a post-ride slice (or two) of pizza!
Looking ahead, a quick reminder: we need to finalise medal numbers three weeks before the event, so the earlier you’re able to sign up, the better it is for our planning — and it helps us ensure we can welcome everyone who wants to ride.
🗓️ Provisional date for next year’s Festival of Cycling:
Sunday, 27th September 2026 — pop it in your calendar now!