Tough Series Set to Challenge Leading Road & Circuit Riders in 2008

 

News Posted: 25 Jan 2008 

 

Great Britain's leading male road riders face an impressive combination of established and new events in 2008.

The Premier Calendar sets the pace early with three tough races in March, all based in the beautiful but uncompromising landscapes of the provinces and northern England: the Bikeline 2-Day in North Wales, the Girvan Stage Race in South West Scotland and the Tour of the Reservoir in County Durham. Each has a history of testing weather conditions and hard roads that should give an early indication of season form and fitness.

Two of the oldest and best loved races in the Calendar - the Archer GP and Lincoln GP - then bracket the first of two races new to the series, the Chas Messenger 2-Day, in the rolling countryside of Buckinghamshire. This race along with the other newcomer of the series, the Tour of Wessex, mark a welcome return to a broader geographical spread for the Premier Calendar which had a distinctly northern bias in recent seasons.

The Tour of Wessex is an exciting experience, a unique combination of three days of high class racing and mass participation events. Based in Somerset, the start of each stage of the event will be shortly followed by a mass participation ride. With plans to make it onto the international calendar in the near future, this is an event attracting a lot of interest.

The Beaumont Trophy in June will see riders heading to the quiet roads of the North East while the Blackpool Grand Prix in July takes place in the flatlands of the Fylde coast with the breeze off the Irish Sea never far away. Both are the centrepieces of big weekends of cycling events for all abilities.

The season wraps up with three more northern races: the East Yorkshire Classic, based in the beautiful town of Beverley with its remarkable Minster; the Tour of Pendle, which digs deep into the tough hill country of East Lancashire; and the Richmond GP, which concludes the action on the rolling roads of North Yorkshire.

Whilst the Premier Calendar will test the fitness, endurance and tactical ability of the best riders over long, punishing courses the Elite Circuit Series will bring out the bike handling, quick wits and agility of our best criterium riders.

With all but the opening event (Hillingdon) taking place in town and city centres, this series really brings the best racing to the biggest crowds. With two trips to the Capital for the Smithfield Circuit Races, new to the series, and the London GP which ties into the Tour of Britain, the series has the potential to reach a big audience of bike fans.

With the early races predominantly in the south and east of the country, the emphasis then moves to the north with a new race, the Brighouse GP, in West Yorkshire. Another newcomer, the Stone Criterium, takes the series briefly into the Midlands, before a return to Yorkshire and the well established Otley town centre race. Rochdale, Colne and Blackpool then host the next three Lancashire races, each with their own distinctive characters. After the London GP, the series winds up in Warwick, where historic architecture will provide the backdrop to quality racing and series settling results.

British Cycling's Cycle Sport and Membership Director, Jonny Clay is pleased with the way the series is developing: "Because the quality of the events now pitching to be part of the Premier Calendar, we've already been able to raise the Grand Prix of Wales and East Midlands International CiCLE Classic to the status of stand-alone internationals, allowing us to create space in the series for new and upcoming events. With the continuation of our funding of Cycling.tv coverage of the series, both on-line and on Eurosport, we are seeing more sponsors becoming interested in supporting teams.

With the Elite Circuit Series, we're seeing increasing pressure from organisers and venues wanting to be part of the series. It all adds up to a stronger, more sustainable and inspirational calendar to test our best domestic riders."

 

2007 - Premier Calendar Road Race Series Coverage

 

2007 - Elite Circuit Series Coverage 

Premier Calendar Road Race Series

Points will be awarded for the first 20 places in each single day road race and for the top 20 overall in stage races as follows: 100, 85, 75, 66, 58, 51, 45, 39, 34, 29, 25, 21, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2.

In each Stage (including prologues) the top 15 placed riders will be awarded National Series Points as follows: 30, 25, 21, 17, 14, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
The highest placed U23 rider in the final overall standings will be declared the U23 Road Race Series Champion.

The overall competition will be won by the rider who gains the highest number of points (A maximum of 10 Single Day and Stage Road Races to count).

08/09 March - Bikeline 2 Day Hope, Flintshire
22/24 March - Girvan Stage Race Girvan, Scotland
30 March - Tour of The Reservoir Edmundbyers, Co. Durham
20 April - Archer Grand Prix High Wycombe, Bucks
3/4 May - Chas Messenger 2 Day Long Crendon, Bucks
11 May - Lincoln Grand Prix Lincoln
24/26 May - Tour of Wessex Bruton, Somerset
15 June - Beaumont Trophy Ponteland, Northumberland
20 July - Tour of Blackpool Grand Prix Road Race Blackpool
03 August - East Yorkshire Classic Beverley, E.Yorks
10 August - Tour of Pendle Barnoldswick, Lancs
21 September - Richmond Grand Prix Richmond, N. Yorks

National Elite Circuit Race Series

Points will be awarded for the first 20 places in each single day circuit race as follows: 60, 52, 45, 40, 35, 31, 27, 23, 20, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1.

Points will be awarded for the first 4 across the line on two pre-designated sprint laps in each closed road circuit race round: 5, 3, 2, 1

The overall competition will be won by the rider who gains the highest number of points (A maximum of 10 Races to count).

The highest placed U23 rider in the final overall standings will be declared the U23 Circuit Race Series Champion.

17 May - Hillingdon Grand Prix Hillingdon, W. London
18 May - Crawley Town Centre Circuit Races Crawley, West Sussex
07 June - Smithfield Circuit Races Smithfield, London
08 June - Brentwood Criteriums Brentwood, Essex
10 June - Brighouse Criteriums Brighouse, Yorks
18 June - Stone Criteriums Stone, Staffs
26 June - Otley Criteriums Otley, W. Yorks
02 July - Rochdale GP Rochdale, Lancs
16 July - Colne GP Colne, Lancs
18 July - Tour of Blackpool Grand Prix Circuit Race Blackpool
07 September - London Grand Prix London
14 September - Travelwise Warwick Town Centre Circuit Races Warwick