Starting this week, on Wednesday at 6pm BST (1pm EST / 9pm GST), 'The Autobus Ride' weekly social spin is born, so join us for an all-new, weekly ride on the free indoor cycling platform, MyWhoosh.
Otherwise known as a grupetto, an Autobus is defined as a group of cyclists formed at the back of a race. Named simply after the French autobus as a 'self-propelled vehicle' in the early 1900s, the long-used cycling term describes riders with a collective goal of working together to finish the race. It is a great way to conserve energy and find companionship along the way.
It's the perfect description for the new Cyclingnews Autobus Ride, which has the tag line of 'ride easy, talk plenty.'
The Autobus Ride will last approximately 60 minutes, and will be a relaxed affair at an average of around 2-3w/kg. The chat function will be open for all to ask questions, discuss the recent goings-on in the world of cycling, and enjoy the company of your peers. There'll also be appearances from the Cyclingnews team and special guests along the way.
From the sandy segments of the Alula map to the enchanted forest of the MyWhoosh World, riders will get to explore a new course each week. Some will be flat, others will be hilly, but each time the group will stick together and roll as one.
Ride at your pace, and the rubber band will keep us all together.
This week's ride details
(Image credit: MyWhoosh)
Where better to start off than in Belgium? The home of the Spring Classics and, many would argue, cycling as a whole. We'll ride one lap of Kluisbergen, a 24km loop with 138m of elevation gain.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The route packs all the climbing into the opening half. It starts nice and flat for around four kilometres, before we turn onto the infamous Oude Kwaremont climb, a key feature in the Tour of Flanders each year.
After this, it's downhill for two kilometres, then flat for four more, before a final small climb takes us past the halfway mark. From this point onwards, it's downhill to the 16km mark, and flat for the final 8km to the finish.
To join the ride, simply head into your MyWhoosh app on mobile or desktop, head to Events, and scroll down until you see The Cyclingnews Autobus and the CN logo.
Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.
