GRAVEL: 50 miles/81 km, 34 miles/54 km, 15 miles/24 km

Haldon Heroic

April 14, 2024
from 8:00 am
Register for a race

Which race? See below..

Overview

The Haldon Heroic is a Gravel Ride / CX sportive showcasing the best gravel trails in the Haldon Forest Area.

There will be a professional photographer out on the course, taking action photos as a memento of your day with us. There will also be a professional Sports Massage Therapist available at the HQ (optional service – not included as part of your entry fee) and a Bike Wash Bay (free to use – included with entry fee).

All finishers will receive our unique Haldon Heroic Medal. For 2024 we are fully marking the Micro route (which is also the start & finish of the longer routes). However the Mega & Medio routes are predominantly self nav. We provide accurate, downloadable GPX Files compatible with most devices.

Or you can follow the route on your mobile phone using Komoot. Free Komoot navigation. is included with your entry.  And the Komoot app for Garmin makes it super-easy to get the routes onto your device. We’ll also offer full technical support in advance of the event to ensure you have the correct route loaded.

The event is featured in 2024 Best of the Year on offroad.cc & Red Bull’s Best Cyclocross & Gravel Events. It was also reviewed by Cycling Weekly

What you get

  • Chip timing
  • Finishers medals for all
  • Quality event tee shirt
  • Professional event photographs*
  • GPX files & detailed route descriptions
  • Free turn by turn navigation with our partner Komoot.
  • Event HQ (toilets, free parking, food)
  • Feed stations
  • Public liability insurance
  • Professional First Aid
  • Bike & rider recovery service
  • Post ride massage service
  • Camping available near the start (book separately)
  • Bike wash facilities

* photos free with Sportiva Events logo at social media resolution. Hi-res downloads with no watermark & prints are available for an additional charge

RACE STATS

HALDON MEGA ROUTE

SUN 16th April
1 lap of 50 miles / 81 K
Total Ascent: 3800 ft / 1,160 M
AGE 15+
Start Time: from 8.00 am

HALDON MEDIO ROUTE

SUN 16th April
1 lap of 34 miles / 54 K
Total Ascent: 2660 ft / 811 M
AGE 12+
Start Time: from 8.10 am

HALDON MICRO ROUTE

SUN 16th April
1 lap of 15 miles / 24 K
Total Ascent: 1085 ft / 330 M
AGE 10+
Start Time: from 8.20 am

EVENT INFORMATION

Parking

There’s plenty of free parking at the Racecourse included with your entry.

Directions

By Car: Exeter Racecourse is situated just 5 miles on from the end of the M5 southbound, along the A38 (Exeter to Plymouth). The racecourse is situated at the top of Haldon Hill and is clearly signposted from all directions. Once you have arrived, you will find ample free parking just a short walk from the main entrance. (Use EX6 7XS as the sat nav friendly postcode with which to find us.)

Navigation

The Micro route is fully marked with arrows. The two longer routes are largely self-nav.

Read our article Read our Navigating with GPX article for more information.

The GPX files can be downloaded below. However these routes will change slightly before event day. There is also a section early on through Whiteway Woods that is not open to the public except on event day.
Download the GPX files here

For the full list of Cycling Events we organise see sportivaevents.co.uk/cycling-events.

FAQs

How environmentally friendly are you?

We're doing our best to minimise our environmental impact. Here are a few of our initiatives. Trees Not Tees For all the events where we include a t-shirt, we're now offering the option to plant a tree instead. We've partnered with Treesnottees.com to make this happen. Avoiding Single Use Plastics We use paper cups designed to be fully recycled back into high grade paper. Medals now optional We know quite a lot of competitors are not interested in finishers medals so they are now optional. We make a £2 charity donation for every medal not selected. Swim hats on request We still supply swim hats for our open water swim events as they help the water safety teams keep track of swimmers. However for all our pool events, swim hats are now on request to reduce wastage. Zip Ties & waste We only use reusable zip ties. We minimise single use plastics & sort rubbish for recycling after our events. Food is not wasted For events, such as our cycling sportives, where we're know for our excellent feed stations, all left over food goes to the local foodbank. Reducing Car use In Devon where most of our events take place this is easier said than done. However at our Burrator 10K running race we offer a £5 discount to anyone who commits to walking or cycling to the event. We'll be looking to add this to other events in the future. To read more about our sustainability policies read our article

Do you allow ebikes in your gravel events?

Yes we do. Electric gravel bikes & electric MTBs are both welcome. We can't guarantee charging around the course though so make sure your battery life is sufficient for the distance you've chosen.

Are your gravel events fully marked?

The Haldon Heroic is fully marked. The Devon Grit is self nav. See our article on why the Devon Grit is self-nav.

Do I need a gravel bike for your gravel events?

Definitely not. A mountain bike or a CX (cyclo-cross) bike will be almost as quick. The only thing we stipulate is that you use tyres that are at least 33mm wide & we recommend 38-40mm. ebikes are also welcome.

Will there be timing chips?

Yes, timing chips are mounted on the back of your race numbers. These need to be attached, using the zip ties we provide, to the front of your bike. Please ensure, as far as you can, that the number is not covered up by cables, bags or anything else.

Are there any age restrictions on your sportives?

Yes there are. You need to be 15 or over to take part in any of the sportives unaccompanied. Age guidelines for the various events & distances are on the individual event pages.

Do I need to be a member of a club to enter?

No, all our events are open to all whether you're a member of a club or not.

ROUTE MAPS

DOWNLOADS & LINKS

Race Manual
Route map
Start List

LOCATION

Exeter Race Course, Kennford, Exeter EX6 7XS

Event Gallery

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What a fantastic event, brilliant organisation and superb challenging course, had a bit everything. We will be back next year
Jake Goddard

Results

View results here
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