Charity cyclists had no easy ride in a challenge in honour of a Tour de France legend.
More than 300 people from as places as far away as Kent, the Isle of Man and Scotland felt how tough Huddersfield’s hills really are when they took part in the ninth annual Brian Robinson Challenge Ride.
The gruelling 70-mile sportive route led them from Huddersfield New College at Salendine Nook on an undulating route around Buckstones, Standedge and Meltham before hitting the notorious 524m Holme Moss climb.
As if that wasn’t enough, the riders had to face ever changing weather conditions, which included wind, rain and even snow.
Andy Cunningham, of Shipley Cycling Club, was the first cyclist back in a time of just three hours and 38 minutes.
Organiser Clr Martyn Bolt said: “It was a great event with a great mix of weather! There was even snow up on Holme Moss.
“Some people had to drop out at the halfway stage because they had not brought enough clothing.
“The event is not a race but we had people taking from three to seven hours to finish.
“A young rider from Huddersfield Star Wheelers called Tobias did really well, coming back with the first group of riders.
“This year we’ve raised around £9,000 for good causes, with our principal beneficiary being Marie Curie.
“It’s not one of the longest sportives but the many miles of climbing can definitely be felt by those who take part.”
He added: “We’d like to thank Huddersfield New College and our food sponsors for helping us put on the event and creating a great atmosphere.”
The ride is named in honour of Brian Robinson, the first Briton to win a stage of the Tour de France in 1958.
Now 85, Brian is still a keen cyclist and waved the riders off at the start.
