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Mass participation: ‘The Glastonbury of cycling’

As the next Dulux Trade London Revolution approaches, 2,500 amateur cyclists are fine tuning their bikes and getting ready to carb load. Race director, Julian Mack of Threshold, talks to Sports Management about the multi-stage events and the cycling boom

by Kath Hudson | Published in Sports Management 16 May 2016 issue 120
Julian Mack launched Threshold with James Cracknell. Their first event was a nine-day cycle around Britain, from John O’Groats to Land’s End
Julian Mack launched Threshold with James Cracknell. Their first event was a nine-day cycle around Britain, from John O’Groats to Land’s End

“I started Threshold because I wanted to create events which would provide a canvas for other people to have experiences which challenge them to do something which they believe is beyond their capability,” explains founder Julian Mack.

“‘More Is In You’ is our founding principle and what we offer is breathless sightseeing: getting people’s heart rate up, but doing it in beautiful surroundings to take their mind off it.”

Mack launched Threshold, in partnership with Olympic rower, James Cracknell, in 2010, to offer supported multi-stage ultra marathons and sportives. Despite the fact the events are pitched at a high level, Mack says they want to appeal to people who don’t think they can do it: “We aim to give people the confidence to tackle challenges which they might be scared to do, but will give them more self pride and self esteem, and hopefully spark a bit of fundraising as well.”

In a crowded market, Mack says Threshold’s USP is the camaraderie and community the events foster by their overnight stays. “When you share endeavour you build friendships and the overnight stays are very much part of the DNA of the events,” says Mack “It’s like the Glastonbury of cycling. We build base camps in greenfield sites every day, with food, catering, showers, yoga and massage.”

Added to this, Threshold aims to take the worry out of the events, by catering for all the participants’ needs from luggage transfer, massage therapists and medical and mechanical support: “We have mechanics at base camps, we partner with Have Bikes who will send a wizard to people in trouble and if they can’t fix it will lend them a bike. We also have chaperones, Road Angels, to encourage group riding, and help along those who are at the back.”

Threshold’s first event was the Deloitte Ride Across Britain in 2010, which initially began as a fundraiser for Paralympic sport, but has become part of Deloitte’s employee wellbeing programme. The nine-day cycle from Land’s End to John ‘O’ Groats, is now an annual event, attracting around 800 people and has so far raised more than £3m for charity.

Using the experience gained from running this event, the team launched the Dulux Trade London Revolution in the run up to the London Olympics, to celebrate London and the surrounding countryside. Starting at Lee Valley, it makes a 185-mile loop, through the North Downs and Chilterns, with an overnight stop at Ascot racecourse.

One of the challenges for Threshold, as well as other sportive organisers, is to drive up female participation. While women have embraced running events, including ultras, attendance on cycling sportives only tends to be around 20 per cent. Mack believes this is partly because of time constraints for training and a lack of confidence in mechanical knowledge, plus some of the kit, such as the clip-in pedals.

“Our ultra marathon, Dixons Carphone Run to the Stones, has a 50/50 split, but the cycling events are still male dominated,” says Mack. “We want to encourage more women as they really add to the atmosphere – they are collegiate and caring.”

Encouraging women to be more confident with cycling is something sports clubs could do by running bikeability sessions, women-only bike rides or training programmes focussed on a local sportive, or even a bigger challenge.

So far all of Threshold’s events have been in the UK, but they are about to dip their toe into Europe, organising a 30-day cycle across Italy for Virgin Strive, in aid of the Big Change charity.

“We are always seeking more becalmed scenic roads in beautiful places and would like to do more overseas, but we have to be sure we could sell the events,” says Mack. “We realise we can’t be complacent and we need to keep creating events which have a magnetic pull.”

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