Sunday 4 April will see the twentieth running of the legendary Hell of the North Cotswolds Reliability Trial over a 100km (or 50km for the sensible people) course starting from Winchcombe in the Cotswolds and comprising a mixture of Tarmac, rutted tracks and singletrack, a combination that’s probably most effectively tackled with three different bikes. But we digress.

The 2003 event attracted 950 riders, and there’s a limit of 1,000 entries so get in quick. As it’s the twentieth year there’ll be a commemorative finisher’s medal for everyone who, self-explanatorily, finishes.

And there’s an added incentive for younger riders. If you’re under 18, pre-enter the event and finish in one piece, you’ll go into the hat (not literally, it’d have to be a monster titfer) for a brand spanking new Marin B17 hardtail. Definitely worth showing up for…

Entry fees are a very reasonable £8 up front or a tenner on the day (a fiver or seven quid for the under-18s). Entry forms are available on the websites of the joint organising clubs, Cheltenham & County CC and Winchcombe CC. For further details email [email protected] or call either Brain Hayward (01242 603418) or Pat Alexander (01242 528815).