ASO will partner with Human Race to bring Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by le Tour de France to the UK on Sunday 5th June. As one of the most iconic sportives in the UK, Dragon Ride has been selected by ASO as the perfect representation of the world’s most famous cycle event, and will offer the same inspiring le Tour de France riding experience to UK cyclists. A limited number of additional places into this year’s event will be released on Thursday 11 February.

The South Wales sportive event’s challenging climbs and stunning landscapes have a lot in common with le Tour de France and made it the clear choice as partner. Human Race will collaborate with ASO to make Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales even more impressive by offering additional Tour de France experiences which will be announced in the coming months. This is the second partnership between the two companies, following the sell-out success of L’Etape London by le Tour de France which launched in 2015, and celebrates the legacy of the 2014 professional event. Both events will take place this year, giving the UK two unmissable le Tour de France sportives.

The Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by le Tour de France route features epic climbs synonymous with the professional race including Devil’s Elbow, Rhigos and Devil’s Staircase. The latter being a 5km climb with the last 1km featuring a leg busting 20% gradient up the summit at 481m. This iconic sportive isn’t just known for its tough climbs as the course runs through some of the most stunning scenery Wales has to offer, making this one of the world’s most famous and iconic cycling sportives.

With a selection of four distances to choose from including 100km, 152km, 230km and the iconic 305km Devil, Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by le Tour de France invites cyclists to take on this incredible course and experience le Tour de France in the UK.

Nick Rusling, CEO of Human Race Events, said: “After the success of teaming up with ASO on L’Etape London by le Tour de France we are delighted to be working together again on this very special event. We pride ourselves on delivering the very best experiences, and we have some exciting ideas about how we can build on the excellent reputation of the Dragon Ride.”

Christian Prudhomme, General Director of le Tour de France, said “Après l’extraordinaire accueil qu’ont reçu les coureurs du Tour de France au Royaume Uni ces dernières années, c’est un véritable honneur que de venir porter l’esprit du Tour jusqu’au Pays de Galles. Cet esprit c’est bien sûr la passion pour le cyclisme et pour le Tour mais c’est aussi celui d’un parcours propice à de véritables efforts dans un formidable décor. Un parcours digne d’une belle étape du Tour de France.”

(“Following the extraordinary reception Le Tour de France riders enjoyed in the United Kingdom over the last few years, it is a true honour to bring Le Tour de France’s spirit to Wales. This spirit of course remains in the passion for cycling and Le Tour de France itself but it is also linked to an ideal sportive course and Wales’ incredible nature and landscapes. The Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by Le Tour de France has a route reminiscent of one of Le Tour de France’s most magnificent stages.”)

The already exceptional three day Dragon Tour reflects the same multistage stamina test that riders undertake at le Tour de France. The Dragon Tour takes place across the weekend and sees cyclists take on a sportive each day, culminating with the Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by le Tour de France itself on day three. This three day tour invites keen cyclists to experience the challenges of the Welsh terrain and aim to be King of the Mountains.

Over 4,000 people are already registered to take part, with limited places for the 2016 Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by le Tour de France available from Thursday 11 February. Riders should head to www.dragonride.co.uk to find out more details and secure their place.