White Rose Classic
Ilkley Rugby Club, Ilkley, United Kingdom
The White Rose Classic is one of Yorkshire's best-known sportives, run by Ilkley Cycling Club from Ilkley Rugby Club up the Wharfe Valley and into the Yorkshire Dales. Four routes run from the 59.5 km Discovery to the 202 km Epic, which crosses Kidstones Pass, Buttertubs and the Coal Road on roads used by the 2014 Tour de France, before every route returns over Burnsall Fell and Langbar to a post-ride village in Ilkley.
- Date
- 30 May 2027
- Start
- Ilkley Rugby Club, Ilkley
- Race type
- Road
- Course
- 202 km, 3371 m climbing
The White Rose Classic is one of Yorkshire's best-known sportives, run by Ilkley Cycling Club from Ilkley Rugby Club up the Wharfe Valley and into the Yorkshire Dales. Four routes run from the 59.5 km Discovery to the 202 km Epic, which crosses Kidstones Pass, Buttertubs and the Coal Road on roads used by the 2014 Tour de France, before every route returns over Burnsall Fell and Langbar to a post-ride village in Ilkley.
Hosted cycling trips
Not around this race, but each one built around the sport.
Going to White Rose Classic?
We build the whole trip around the race: a stay near the start, the days before it and the ones after. An expert replies on WhatsApp or by email.
Hotels near White Rose Classic
5 stays near the start, checked for cycling · 28-31 May, 2 adults. Pick a base and we build the whole trip around it.
All 5 hotels near White Rose Classic
Where to stay for White Rose Classic
Stay in Ilkley or Skipton for the White Rose Classic on 30 May 2027. Every route starts and finishes at Ilkley Rugby Club on Denton Road, with sign-on from 6:30am, so a bed in Ilkley or Ben Rhydding puts you a couple of kilometres from the start, while Skipton, about 12 km away, is the gateway to the Dales.
Ilkley is the base for race morning: the start and finish are at Ilkley Rugby Club on Denton Road, riders sign on from 6:30am and the last are away by 9am. The Cow and Calf sits on Ilkley Moor about 2.5 km from the start, above the famous rocks, and Ben Rhydding, on the east side of town about 2 km away, is a quieter alternative.
Skipton, around 12 km to the west, is a market town at the edge of the Dales with more places to eat and a castle to explore the day after the ride. Keighley, about 8 km south, is a practical option if you are driving in.
Free parking is on the West Holmes field, about five minutes' walk from the rugby club, and campervans can park the night before. By train, Ilkley has direct services from Leeds and Bradford, but check Sunday timetables before relying on them.
When to book
Entries for 2027 are already open, and the ride falls on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, when the Dales are at their busiest. Rooms in Ilkley itself are limited and go first, so book one with free cancellation as soon as you have your place, and make Saturday 29 May the night you secure first.
White Rose Classic: questions
What to know before you book a stay for White Rose Classic.
Ilkley puts you closest: the Cow and Calf and Ben Rhydding are around 2 km from the start at Ilkley Rugby Club. Skipton, about 12 km away, suits a longer weekend in the Dales, and Keighley is about 8 km south.
Entries are open and the ride falls on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, so book a room with free cancellation once you have your place. Saturday 29 May is the night to secure first.
There are four: the Discovery at 59.5 km, the Classic at 114 km, the Challenge at 159 km and the Epic at 202 km with 3,371 m of climbing, all starting and finishing in Ilkley.
The Epic crosses Kidstones Pass, Buttertubs, the Coal Road and Dent Head, the Challenge takes in Fleet Moss, and every route comes home over Burnsall Fell and Langbar.
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