Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross facts for kids
The Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross is a super tough bike race that happens every year. It's a cyclo-cross event, which means it's a mix of road cycling and off-road riding. Riders have to cycle over three big mountains in Yorkshire, England. These mountains are called Ingleborough, Whernside, and Pen-y-ghent. The Bradford Racing Cycling Club organizes this exciting race. It usually takes place on the last weekend of September.
Contents
About the Race Course
The Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross race course has changed over the years. When it first started, the course was 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) long. In 1980, it got a bit longer, reaching 47 kilometers.
Course Length Changes
The course kept getting longer in the 1980s. In 1982, it became 50 kilometers. Then, in 1983, it stretched to 57 kilometers. The biggest change happened in 1994, making the course 61 kilometers (about 38 miles) long.
Where the Race Starts
Today, the race begins at a place called Helwith Bridge. This is about 3 kilometers south of Horton in Ribblesdale. From there, cyclists take on the challenge of Ingleborough, Whernside, and Pen-y-ghent. It's important to know that you can't cycle the whole course any other time of year. This is because some parts of the race are on private land.
Bikes and Riders
For most of its history, only special cyclo-cross bicycles have been allowed. These bikes have drop handlebars, like road bikes, but are built for rough terrain. For a short time in the 1980s and early 1990s, mountain bikes were also allowed. However, now only cyclo-cross bikes can be used.
It took a while for women to join this challenging race. The first female competitors took part in 1979.
Race Cancellations
Sometimes, the race has to be cancelled for important reasons. For example, there were no races in 2001 or 2007. This was due to foot and mouth disease affecting the area. The race was also cancelled in 2020 and 2021. These cancellations happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Awards and Prizes
The Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross offers a total prize money of over £5,000. This is a lot for a bike race!
Certificates for Finishers
Riders who complete the course also get special certificates. These certificates depend on how fast they finish the race.
- Elite: If you finish in under 3 hours and 30 minutes, you get an Elite certificate.
- 1st class: Finishing in under 4 hours earns you a 1st class certificate.
- 2nd class: If you complete the race in under 5 hours, you receive a 2nd class certificate.
- Merit: All other riders who finish the race get a Merit certificate.
List of Overall Winners
| Year | Male Winner | Female Winner | Winning Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 |  John Rawnsley (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1962 | Harry Bond (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1963 | Ian Craig (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1964 | Harry Bond (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1965 | John Bell (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1966 | Harry Bond (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1967 | Harry Bond (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1968 | Tom McDonald (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1969 | John Atkins (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1970 | John Atkins (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1971 | Eric Stone (GBR) |
- | Keighley St. Christopher C.C.C. |
| 1972 | Chris Wilkinson (GBR) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1973 | Barry Davies (GBR) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1974 | Barry Davies (GBR) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1975 | Barry Davies (GBR) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1976 | John Atkins (GBR) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1977 | Eric Stone (GBR) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1978 | Eric Stone (GBR) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1979 | Eric Stone (GBR) |
Brenda Atkinson (GBR) |
Ron Kitching/Sun Tour |
| 1980 | John North (GBR) |
Susan Hoare (GBR) |
Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1981 |  Arthur Manz (SUI) |
- | Bronte Wheelers/McManus & Poole |
| 1982 | Eric Stone (GBR) |
Susan Hoare (GBR) |
Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1983 | Richard Bates (GBR) |
- | Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1984 | Tim Gould (GBR) |
- | Norton Wheelers |
| 1985 | Tim Gould (GBR) |
Christine Walker (GBR) |
Chesterfield Coureurs/Ness |
| 1986 | Tim Gould (GBR) |
Janet Sanger (GBR) |
Chesterfield Coureurs/Ness |
| 1987 | Tim Gould (GBR) |
- | Ace R.T./Peugeot |
| 1988 | Tim Gould (GBR) |
Emma Wood (GBR) |
Ace R.T./Peugeot |
| 1989 | Tim Gould (GBR) |
Melanie Grivell (GBR) |
Bradford Racing Cycling Club |
| 1990 | Fred Salmon (GBR) |
Melanie Grivell (GBR) |
Ace R.T./Peugeot |
| 1991 | Nick Craig (GBR) |
Isla Rowntree (GBR) |
Helwith Bridge Alers |
| 1992 | Fred Salmon (GBR) |
- | Helwith Bridge Alers or Bradford Olympic R.C./Paul Milnes/Lusso |
| 1993 | Fred Salmon (GBR) |
Alison Garside (GBR) |
Helwith Bridge Alers or Bradford Olympic R.C./Paul Milnes/Lusso |
| 1994 | Chris Young (GBR) |
Alison Garside (GBR) |
Ace R.T./Peugeot or Helwith Bridge Alers |
| 1995 | Andy Peace (GBR) |
Jacqui Foster (GBR) |
Helwith Bridge Alers or Bradford Olympic R.C./Paul Milnes/Lusso |
| 1996 | Andy Peace (GBR) |
Ruth Gamwell (GBR) |
Helwith Bridge Alers |
| 1997 | Chris Young (GBR) |
Mari Todd (GBR) |
Pace Racing/Pace Satellite TV |
| 1998 | Chris Young (GBR) |
Sue Thomas (GBR) |
Team Marie Curie/Pace Satellite TV |
| 1999 | Ian Cuthbertson (GBR) |
Kali Exley (GBR) |
Team Marie Curie/Pace Satellite TV |
| 2000 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Sue Thomas (GBR) |
Helly Hansen - Giant - MBI |
| 2001 | No race - foot & mouth disease in the area | ||
| 2002 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Louise Robinson (GBR) |
Science in Sport.com |
| 2003 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Louise Robinson (GBR) |
Wheelbase/Ron Hill |
| 2004 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Louise Robinson (GBR) |
Wheelbase/Ron Hill |
| 2005 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Louise Robinson (GBR) |
Wheelbase/Ron Hill |
| 2006 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Isla Rowntree (GBR) |
Scott UK |
| 2007 | No race - foot & mouth disease in the area | ||
| 2008 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Heather Dawe (GBR) |
Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear |
| 2009 | Nick Craig (GBR) |
Renee Saxton (GBR) |
Wheelbase/Cannondale/Gorebikewear |
| 2010 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Renee Saxton (GBR) |
Wheelbase/Cannondale/Gorebikewear |
| 2011 | Nick Craig (GBR) |
Louise Robinson (GBR) |
Crosstrax |
| 2012 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Victoria Wilkinson (GBR) |
Team Hope Factory Racing |
| 2013 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Delia Beddis (GBR) |
Jedi Cycle Sport |
| 2014 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Verity Appleyard (GBR) |
Jedi Cycle Sport |
| 2015 | Paul Oldham (GBR) |
Jules Toone (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
| 2016 | Paul Oldham (GBR) |
Delia Beddis (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
| 2017 | Paul Oldham (GBR) |
Christina Wiejak (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
| 2018 | Paul Oldham (GBR) |
Christina Wiejak (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
| 2019 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Kerry MacPhee (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
| 2020 to 2021 | No races due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2022 | Rob Jebb (GBR) |
Victoria Peel (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
| 2023 | Giles Drake (GBR) |
Bryony Halcrow (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
| 2024 | Giles Drake (GBR) |
Bryony Halcrow (GBR) |
Hope Factory Racing |
(source: "Results and Roll of Honour", 3 Peaks Cyclo-cross official website)
