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Fred Whitton Challenge 2011 Below Honister 2Two cyclists airlifted to hospital with serious injuries during 2014 Fred Whitton Challenge
Two cyclists were airlifted to hospital during one of the country’s most challenging sportives in the Lake District this weekend.
Two men fell off their bikes while taking part in the 112 mile Fred Whitton Challenge today.
A 55 year old man from Portsmouth fell on a steep descent at Honister Pass, and the Great North Air Ambulance was called at 10.30am. After assessing his back and hip injuries the team flew him to Royal Preston Hospital where his injuries were severe, but his condition described as stable.
The air ambulance returned to the course at 2pm to the aid of another man in his fifties who had fallen off on the Wrynose Pass. According to the North West Evening Mail, the Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team was assisting the casualty at the scene.
The cyclist had severe head and hip injuries and was again flown to Royal Preston Hospital where he too was said to be in a stable condition.
Finishers of the ride tweeted that the conditions were difficult, with rain at times.
The Fred Whitton Challenge is on public roads and can be ridden at any time of the year, with the loan of a timing chip.
When our man Dave Atkinson took on the tough Fred Whitton Challenge a couple of years back, he wrote:
“The descent off Wrynose is an exercise in not falling into a ditch, mostly. Steep and lumpy and tight and twisty.”
Read his full report here.
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44 comments
keep your brakes on right from the top and make sure they are 100% maintaned I ve done it 3times with good brakes and once with shit brakes I thought they would be ok but were n't, fortunately i survived
We drove back from a damp weekend in Langdale yesterday. The FW route would be tough at the best of times and the weather was atrocious so I doff the proverbial cap to all those taking part.
It's not a F'ing race!
Plebs
Touching.... especially as I strongly suspect you know sod all about the circumstances.
That's the problem with these idiots who ride sportives half can't ride a bike next thing you know cycling down steep hills will be band cos two many of these clowns fall off!!
Don't know if you've noticed but even the pros fall off occasionally. With any mass participation event there are going to be accidents, shit happens.
And you're an experienced cyclist and should therefore be the only person who's allowed to ride on the roads I presume? No, you're a snob. We'll done.
Take a look at the route. Check what all one has to ride to get to the descent of Wrynose. Also have a look at the weather in Lakes today.
One needs to be a bit crazy to be riding the Fred, but I'd never call anyone reaching the descent of wrynose, an idiot or a clown.
To the editor: please, FW is NOT a race!
Shame on you...
Get over yourself.
both of those descents are very technical and if you misjudge a corner – especially on Wrynose – you can end up in pretty serious trouble very quickly. i wouldn't suggest anyone's an idiot for misjudging a corner when tired, i've done that many times and i'd consider myself a reasonably competent rider.
I look forward to reading more of your comments on cycling when your mam and dad take your stabilisers off.
If only illiterates could be banned from commenting.
I rode the Fred today. Sorry to hear about the accidents, but the roads were damp and the descents very steep - I hope they are OK. Brilliant event though, very well organised and supported, and certainly a tough one. Lots of very tired people at the end.
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