As the sun sets over the Solway it is time to reflect on the 2026 season of the Allerdale Bike Challenge. Another bumper year for entries, often topping 60 riders. We hope that you have all enjoyed your rides this year. We tried to add a bit of variety with some flat, and some hilly. Oh those hills! We even slipped in a new format to keep you on your toes. It seems that the small area format didn't confuse you too much, but it would be lovely to get some feedback before we start thinking about next year.

A new venue, a venue that nearly didn't happen, a brand new area and many old favourites hopefully kept your interest.

Our reputation for good weather was nearly lost early in the series but I feel we redeemed ourselves at the end!

Results.

As always the full results can be viewed on the bmbo website below but well done to the champions for 2026.

Overall Champions Tom Gibbs and Isabel Berry

M21 Alex Relby

M40 Simon Farrell

M50 Tom Gibbs

M60 Andy Walkingshaw

M70 Peter Nelson

W21 Caitlin Pearson

W40 Isabel Berry

W50 Kate Charles

W60 Ann Cummings

W70 Sue Edlington

W80 Karen Blackburn

Mixed Roger & Margaret Jackson

Generation James & Jessica Moore

U20 Ruth Walker

E Bikes Ray Wren & Christine Kiddier

Special Categories

Recumbent Cathy Colam

Tandem Martyn and Jane Hodgson

As the series started with threatening rain clouds we thought embroidered towels were an appropriate addition to your cycle kit to supplement the prize vouchers which were received by the lucky winners. Many thanks to Mike Lee of Palace Cycles for generously providing us with vouchers once again. I hope that you get chance to pop in and cash them in for some more cycling goodies.

Well that's it for another year. We will go away and review the series to see how we can improve things and set new challenges for you all. We certainly have a few things to consider. The standard of the roads, especially around parts of the Solway plain and the Bassenthwaite area, is causing concern and our list of unusable roads is forever growing. Rampant vegetation narrowing the roads and maniacal tractor drivers are a bit harder to deal with. The rate of change between recce and event is quite astounding at times.

Thank you for taking part this year and we look forward to getting your feedback, either by email or via our Facebook page on the link above, but above all we look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Have a good summer

Tony & Angela