The Yorkshire Festival of Cycling
Story posted June 18
Press release
All roads point to Yorkshire in the cycling world from the 20th June to the 1st July, for the fourth edition of the Yorkshire Festival of Cycling. Now very much a key feature of Britain’s cycling calendar, the Festival once again showcases some of the very best cycling action in a range of top class events. It also continues its links to grass roots activity with a range of events for all levels.
Championship Start
The show kicks off on Wednesday the 20th with the annual Otley Town Centre Races (Read More) an event that’s developed something of a cult status. Watched each year by over 4000 spectators the event is thought to bring in more revenue to local “hostelries” than New Year’s Eve can achieve.
This is circuit racing at its very best, viewed close up on a fast and technically demanding course. For the second time the event has been awarded the honour of hosting the Elite race as The National Circuit Race Championships; adding further to the excitement levels and to the crowd numbers. With a start time of 7.00pm spectators and competitors are advised to arrive early to beat the road closure.
Ryedale Challenges
The first weekend of the Festival the 23/24th June features the Ryedale Cycling Weekend (Read More), with events based at Duncombe Park Helmsley, North Yorkshire. Here the weekend starts with The Ryedale Rumble Sportive on the Saturday with three demanding route options taking riders through the North York Moors and Howardian Hills.
Moving on to Sunday, the programme starts with the Ryedale Grand Prix (Peter Longbottom Memorial), British Cycling Premier Calendar Road Race over 185km. That’s supported by the Ryedale Ride for Cancer Research UK and the Ryedale Youth Challenge, an Omnium of Skills and racing for Go-ride based clubs. The weekend will once again be sponsored under by Grass Concrete Limited with their Grasscrete brand on display.
More Town Centre action at Brighouse
Tuesday, the 26th, sees a brand new event take to the calendar; The Brighouse Circuit Races (Read More). Enthusiastic supporters of the Otley Races; the VS Cycles team are launching their own town centre event on a new fast circuit. An exciting event is in prospect from a team that’s keen to do well. Racing starts at 7.00pm and further details can be found by visiting www.brighousecircuitracing.co.uk.
All roads lead to Beverley
The second weekend is all about East Yorkshire and in particular Beverley (Read More); National Championship weekend. Starting the show again at 7.30pm on the Friday evening the 29th June will be the Beverley Town Centre Races, a counting event in the British Cycling Elite Circuit Race Series. A town circuit this with cobbles a great atmosphere and spectator numbers swelled by the coming events of the weekend. Last year the pace was furious with no concession to the hills to follow later on in the weekend.
Then on Saturday, Beverley welcomes the return of the British Cycling Women’s Elite and Under 23 Road Race Championships but this time to new circuit. The Etton Course of last year has given way to the Newbald Course that offers a challenging climb. It’s not hard to look for a favourite but this is a course that could cause a few upsets.
Sunday sees the British Cycling National Elite Mens Road Race Championships with perhaps the best field assembled for many years. The course remains as last year using the long standing East Yorkshire Classic as its blueprint. Always hard to judge an outcome, it can be blown apart or a bunch finish, recent years have seen these contrasts.
What will it be this year. It certainly won’t be lacking for action with David Millar hell bent on starting the Tour de France in London wearing the red white and blue of the British Champion, fireworks are guaranteed. Further information about the Beverley weekend can be found at www.eastyorkshireclassic.c.uk.
Looking to the future
As successful as the Yorkshire Festival is it could be under threat for 2008. The British Cycling Yorkshire Board and a small number of enthusiasts are the driving force behind the Festival, even organising a fair proportion of the individual events. It’s a great buzz but it’s tiring and as Festival Chairman Bob Howden admits “Yes we are all getting a little older and need some new blood to help keep the Festival going. Without this we will have to scale back from the current level. That would be a shame as we are right where we want to be”
RELATED LINKS
www.bcyorkshire.com
www.grasscrete.com
