Overview
The 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross 2026 returns to the Yorkshire Dales for one of the most unique challenges in British cycling, taking riders over Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent. Combining road racing, technical off-road riding, hike-a-bike climbs and fast descents, it's a race that demands far more than cycling fitness alone. Ahead of this year's event, VOOM riders John Teacher, Tom Cullen and Anna Dawson share how they've trained, their race-day nutrition and hydration plans, the sections they're looking forward to – and why the sheer ridiculousness of the 3 Peaks keeps riders coming back.
This Sunday, 27 September, hundreds of riders will line up at Helwith Bridge for one of the most distinctive and demanding races in British cycling: the 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross 2026.
Now in its 62nd edition, the legendary Yorkshire Dales race is unlike almost anything else on two wheels. Part cyclo-cross race, part fell race and part test of endurance, riders must tackle Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent over a 61km course containing approximately 1,524m of climbing.
And simply being strong on a bike isn’t enough.
Around 33km of the 61km route is unsurfaced, while an estimated 6–8km can be unrideable depending on conditions and rider ability. Competitors need the endurance to race for several hours, the bike-handling skills to negotiate difficult descents and the strength to carry a cyclo-cross bike up some seriously steep Yorkshire terrain.
Ahead of the 2026 race, we caught up with VOOM riders John Treacher, Tom Cullen and Anna Dawson to find out how they’re preparing, what they’re expecting and how they plan to fuel one of Britain’s toughest cycling events.
3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross 2026: Route, Distance and Key Details
The 2026 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross takes place on Sunday 27 September, with riders starting from Helwith Bridge at 9:30am.
The opening 5.5km is neutralised before the race heads towards the first major challenge of the day: Ingleborough.
From there, competitors tackle Whernside before eventually reaching Pen-y-Ghent, with road sections connecting some of the toughest off-road terrain in the Yorkshire Dales.
3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross 2026 key facts
Date: Sunday 27 September 2026
Start time: 9:30am
Start and finish: Helwith Bridge, Yorkshire Dales
Distance: 61km / 38 miles
Total climbing: Approximately 1,524m / 5,000ft
Road: 28km
Unsurfaced: 33km
Potentially unrideable: 6–8km
Peaks: Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent
The course has another unusual feature: riders can’t simply head out and recce the entire route whenever they like. Some sections cross footpaths and private land where permission to cycle is granted specifically for race day.
For first-time competitor Anna Dawson, that’s part of what makes the event so exciting.
“It’s legendary, isn’t it?! The fact you can’t even train on the routes makes it so much more mysterious and exciting. I’ve been there supporting my husband a few times and there’s such a buzz at the start and finish, more than any other event I’ve been to.”
What makes the 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross so difficult?
Calling the 3 Peaks a cyclo-cross race doesn’t quite tell the whole story.
There’s road racing, technical descending, off-road riding, fell running and long periods of carrying or pushing a bike. Add the potential for punctures, mechanical problems and unpredictable Yorkshire weather and simply reaching the finish can be an achievement.
John Treacher perhaps sums it up best.
“The 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross race is different in so many ways. It’s a totally absurd event. It’s almost closer to an adventure race than a bike race. In fact, last year I did a gravel race across the Canary Islands and somehow it seems more bonkers than that.”
Tom Cullen normally competes at the opposite end of the cycling spectrum.
“3 Peaks is bonkers! The walking is savage and the descents are more suited to a downhill MTB! As a sprinter on the road I specialise in flat circuit races, so this race is very different from every other event I do all year.”
It’s that combination that makes the 3 Peaks so difficult to prepare for. Being the strongest rider on the road doesn’t necessarily make you the quickest person over the mountains.
Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent
The three peaks give the race its identity, and each presents riders with a very different challenge.
John is most looking forward to reaching the final climb of Pen-y-Ghent, although there’s a slight problem.
“I am most looking forward to Pen-y-Ghent as it’s the last one! I am also LEAST looking forward to Pen-y-Ghent, as I will be in a world of pain by then and it’s a fair old lump.”
Tom is also looking forward to Pen-y-Ghent, describing it as the easiest of the three climbs. It’s Whernside that’s occupying his thoughts.
“Whernside the least, I think. Legs already dead from Ingleborough, you have to walk up a very long steps section before going down the sketchiest descent of the day, which you spend desperately trying to avoid crashing and puncturing.”
Anna has picked Ingleborough for both.
“I can’t decide if I’m going to love it or hate it, or maybe it’ll be a combination of the two and everything in between.”
Jenson Young returns after his 3 Peaks course record
At the sharp end of the race, attention will be on Jenson Young following an exceptional performance in 2025.
Young won last year’s 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross in 2:49:17, setting a new course record in the process.
He returns in 2026 as defending champion, but there will once again be serious competition around him.
Lachlan Morton returns to the 3 Peaks
Among the biggest names returning to the Yorkshire Dales is Lachlan Morton, who finished second in 2025.
Morton first raced the 3 Peaks in 2019, finishing fourth, before returning six years later and recording the third-fastest time in the history of the event on his way to the runner-up spot.
He’ll return again in 2026 for another attempt at a race that demands a very different set of skills from most conventional road or gravel events.
Bryony Halcrow targets a fourth 3 Peaks title
There’s also an intriguing race ahead in the women’s field, where Bryony Halcrow returns as defending champion.
Halcrow will be looking to claim a fourth 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross title and heads a field featuring senior, U23 and junior competitors.
But the nature of the course means previous results only tell part of the story. Mechanical problems, punctures, weather and conditions underfoot can all have a major influence on how the race unfolds.
How do you train for the 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross?
Preparing for the 3 Peaks requires more than conventional cycling training.
Riders need a strong aerobic base, climbing strength, technical bike-handling skills and, unusually for a cycling race, the ability to move efficiently uphill with a bike on their shoulder.
John has combined all of them in his preparation.
“My training has involved a lot of Zone 2 to build aerobic endurance. Combined with high-intensity sessions on my local bridleways for bike handling and gym sessions for strength.”
Then there’s the more specific preparation.
“All combined with a load of trudging up steep muddy hills with my bike on my shoulder while well-meaning passers-by asked me if I needed help.”
Tom has also put a big emphasis on hike-a-bike training.
“Lots of hike-a-bike days out in the Dales and lots of tyre testing on local descents. This year I’ve upped the hiking and done many reps of the Otley Chevin.”
For Anna, preparation has meant squeezing training into a busy schedule.
“I’ve upped my game these last few months and have spent a fair few late nights on the turbo trainer, once the kids have gone to sleep and I’ve got a little pocket of time. It’s been tiring to fit it in but will hopefully mean I make it round in one piece.”
Cyclo-Cross Bike and Equipment Choices
Equipment presents another balancing act at the 3 Peaks.
Riders need a bike capable of surviving rough, rocky terrain while still being quick enough for the significant road sections.
For 2026, race regulations permit tyres up to 40-622, equivalent to 700 x 38C under the event’s guidance, while suspension is prohibited. Riders must compete on cyclo-cross bikes with drop handlebars.
Tyre pressure and tyre choice become particularly important. Go too aggressive and riders sacrifice speed on the road. Go too light and the risk of punctures on the rough descents increases.
As Tom’s preparation shows, tyre testing on terrain similar to the Yorkshire Dales can be just as important as putting in another hard training session.
How do you fuel the 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross?
Then there’s another challenge: how do you eat and drink during the 3 Peaks?
With the quickest competitors racing for around three hours and many riders spending considerably longer on the course, carbohydrate and hydration can play an important role.
The difficult part is finding an opportunity to actually fuel.
John’s race-day nutrition begins with a cup of tea, a large black coffee and rice pudding on toast before moving onto VOOM Fusion Fuel.
“Once the race is underway I’ll be drinking more Fusion Fuel and scoffing POWR bars. By the time I reach Pen-y-Ghent I’ll be chewing caffeine gum and desperately longing for the jelly babies!”
Tom has set himself a target of approximately 80g of carbohydrate per hour.
His friend Will Foster will be waiting in the pits with additional water and Fusion Fuel, while a Pocket Rocket Caffeine Kick is being saved for the final climb.
Anna’s approach highlights one of the biggest practical problems with nutrition during the 3 Peaks.
“I reckon it’s going to be really difficult to eat on the move. I’m hoping to be able to fuel a bit on the road sections, and maybe the walks uphill. It’d be devastating to try and eat on a bumpy bit and drop a bar.”
She’s also arranged for a friend to have some bonus snacks waiting at the pit stops – potentially as useful for the psychological boost as the physical one.
The lesson is that fuelling for the 3 Peaks isn’t only about deciding what to consume. Riders also need to think about where on the course they’ll realistically be able to eat and drink.
Advice for your first 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross
Despite the training, equipment choices, fuelling strategies and talk of brutal climbs, all three riders come back to something much simpler: enjoy it.
John’s advice is particularly appropriate.
“Just remember to enjoy it. Which is really difficult as it’s a brutal, painful bike ride from hell, but then somehow by Sunday evening you’ll be wanting to enter again next year.”
Tom agrees.
“Soak it in! It’s an incredible event and the atmosphere around it is addictive. Always keep riding. It’s a race where experience plays a big part, so always think about future years if it all goes wrong because you will be back.”
For Anna, that advice has become her own pre-race pep talk.
As a first-timer, she’s treating her debut as a recce rather than worrying about setting a particular time.
“I’ve been training to increase the chances of making it round but I’m not after a fast time, so I’m hoping to be able to take a few minutes to look around and really take in the ridiculousness of the event.”
And perhaps her description sums up the 3 Peaks better than any collection of distances, elevation figures or course records could:
“Hundreds of grown-ups carrying their bikes up steep hills that they could go and walk up without a bike if they wanted, then enjoying the childlike freedom of flying fast downhill.”
One of Britain’s Great Endurance Races
The 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross doesn’t fit neatly into a category – and that’s exactly what makes it special.
It’s a cycling race where competitors spend significant periods with their bike on their shoulder. It’s a mountain race where road speed can make a decisive difference. It’s a cyclo-cross race covering 61 kilometres and three of Yorkshire’s most recognisable peaks.
On Sunday morning, hundreds of riders will leave Helwith Bridge to discover just how difficult that combination can be.
For John, Tom and Anna, months of cycling, hiking, turbo sessions, strength work, tyre testing and fuelling practice all lead to this weekend.
Ingleborough. Whernside. Pen-y-Ghent.
Good luck to the VOOM riders and everyone else taking on the 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross 2026.
Enjoy the ridiculousness.
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Frequently asked questions
The 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross is a unique endurance cycling race in the Yorkshire Dales that takes riders over Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent. It combines road cycling, off-road riding, steep hike-a-bike sections and technical descents.
The 2026 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross takes place on Sunday 27 September 2026, with riders tackling the famous three-peak course through the Yorkshire Dales.
The 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross covers approximately 61km (38 miles) and includes around 1,524m (5,000ft) of climbing, with a mixture of road and challenging off-road terrain.
Riders tackle three of the Yorkshire Dales' best-known peaks: Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent.
Training typically combines cycling endurance, high-intensity efforts, strength work, technical bike handling and hike-a-bike practice. Riders need to be comfortable carrying their bike up steep terrain as well as riding challenging descents.
Fuelling needs vary between riders, but carbohydrates and hydration are particularly important during such a demanding endurance event. Riders may use carbohydrate drinks, energy bars and other easily consumed fuel, while making the most of road sections and less technical terrain to eat and drink.
No. Parts of the race cross land where cycling access is granted specifically for the event, so riders cannot simply ride the entire race route beforehand. This adds to the challenge for first-time competitors.
The combination of steep climbs, carrying the bike, technical terrain, demanding descents, road sections and unpredictable Yorkshire weather makes the 3 Peaks unlike a conventional cyclo-cross or road race. Riders need endurance, strength, bike-handling skills and good race management to complete it.
