New Forest National Park Authority warned it could not legally cap sportives to 1,000 riders

Following a proposed charter to limit the number of attendees in any event to 1,000 people, legal advice suggests otherwise

The New Forest National Park Authority (NFNPA) has been warned that it could not legally force sportive organisers to cap rider numbers at 1,000.

The NFNPA proposed in June its Cycling Charter that all said sportives that go through the National Park should not exceed more than 1,000 riders and all participants should wear rear ID numbers.

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Chris Marshall-Bell

A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and feature writing across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013.


Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in a number of places, but mostly in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.


He lives in Valencia, Spain.