The Tour of the Cornfields will reach its third year when the cyclo-cross sportive goes ahead on 6 September. Not strictly a MTB event but it kind of bridges the gap between enduro and road sportive, which is good enough reason for us to give it some space on BM.

The route is designed to be ideal for cyclo-cross bikes but has been completed by riders on MTBs and even a couple of hardy riders on road bikes. The route uses narrow lanes, farm tracks, byways and wide off-road paths, with over 50% of the 58 mile distance being off-road. The terrain is flat or gently rolling with just a few short climbs.

This year’s edition will feature all the favourite sections from the previous two years, including the Brick Road, Ashwell Street, Cracknow Hill and Buck End. The organisers are hoping to include the infamous Porters Way this year which was off-limits last year due to repair work and flooded the year before.

There’s a limit of 190 starters due to parking availability. Enter online at www.riderhq.com. Closing date for entry is 24 August.