First conceived on the snowy roads of Kent in Southern England, the Rapha Festive 500 started out as a personal battle against the elements. But in the 12 years since, it has grown to become a… ‘riding rite of passage for cyclists around the world.’
Last year, over 65,000 went the distance and Rapha hopes that even more will try this year.
The Festive 500 is hosted on Strava. The challenge runs for eight days, from 24-31 December, in which time participants ride 500km. Qualifying activities on Strava include: handcycle, ride and virtual ride.
For those who manage to go the full distance, the Festive 500 finisher’s digital roundel will be added to a participant’s Strava trophy cabinet for posterity.
From photo albums to poems, hand-drawn maps to freshly baked pastries, riders have commemorated their experiences of the #RaphaFestive500 since its inception. Rapha selects the most inventive entries and rewards their creators with prizes from Wahoo, POC and Whoop. Entries open on 24th December. This year, all finishers can also enter a draw to win a Cannondale bike.
