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Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly
Sport
Simon Richardson

Get your riding off to a flying start with our January challenges

Two cyclists riding together in the winter wearing winter kit.

Each month we set our riders two smaller challenges to keep them motivated over the coming weeks. So whether the annual total seems too big, or too far away, these smaller tasks will keep you riding, and hopefully keep it fun.

Throughout the year we set a variety of challenges, from simple distance challenges to reach, to ones focused on consistency. There are also climbing challenges and ones that will encourage you to go out and explore, like our popular ride bingo in Spring and Autumn. There's also a bonus challenge each month from our sponsor MyWhoosh, the free to use virtual riding platform.

You can sign up to the Big Ride Challenge for free via our website and you can follow the Big Ride Challenge via the private Facebook group and on Strava and WhatsApp.

All challenges this month can be completed out on the open road, or on a virtual training platform.

Indoor riding is an integral part of the Big Ride Challenge for many (Image credit: Future)

2026 January challenges

The Mini
1. Ride with a friend
2. Exercise ten times this month (any form of exercise counts)

The Midi
1. Log a 30 mile week
2. Ride at least once every weekend this month

The Maxi
1. Ride at least once every weekend this month
2. Do an FTP or other fitness test

CW5000
1. Complete a 40 mile ride
2. Do an FTP or other fitness test

MyWhoosh bonus challenge
Explore a new world in MyWhoosh

MyWhoosh has an easy to follow FTP test on it's free-to-use platform while all other online training and riding platforms will have their own version. You can also create your own fitness test by riding up a climb, along a stretch of road, or around a circuit and timing yourself to set a benchmark. Take the utmost care if doing this on the open road.

>>> This is what we challenged our riders to do in 2025

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