Enter Now! - The World's First Ever 24hr Road Race
The Shimano 24 Hour Road Race
12th - 13th July, Sennybridge, Wales
Unique 24-hour event for teams of 5 riders
Images: Joolze Dymond
The word from the organisers of the world's first 24-hour Road Race is that there are still plenty of entries available for this ground-breaking event, scheduled for 12-13 July in Wales and using an awesome 8.7 mile road circuit, which is closed to the public.
In its inaugural year the race will be limited to 170 teams of five riders so we strongly recommend that you submit your entry applications as soon as possible. The cost of entering the race is £210 per team (that's just £42 per rider). A full set of rules and information on how teams will be grouped is available here: http://www.shimano24.com/teaminfo/index.html 
Organiser Pat Adams, of Provelo, has a great reputation in mountain bike circles for organising some of the most imaginative and iconic off-road events, but he also has a strong background in Road Racing as he explains:
"I've always been passionate about Road Racing but I guess that I've become more associated with Mountain Biking in recent years. I've actually worked extensively in Road Racing, including the Tour of Britain and the Kelloggs Tour and as a soigneur for the Zero Team and Martin Earley."
Interestingly, the event has already attracted a broad spectrum of riders, from hard-core Roadies through to Sportive riders, mountain bikers familiar with Pat's other events and people who just want to make history and be there on day one of somethng special.
Pat is always one of the most approachable of organisers and he's had a number of calls form riders worried that the course might be boring or flat and with 24 hours to look forward to on it, you can understand their fears. However, as the photos accompanying this article show, it's actually both challenging and picturesque. Pat has also been able to calm other concerns:
"it's a closed circuit, so there are no worries about traffic and it's deceptively wide, so there's plenty of room for passing etc! We've even re-profiled one of the corners, which was a little off-camber, just to make it safer and flow better. And on the subject of safety, we've got paramedics on bikes and ambulances booked, including a couple of ferry ambulances, because the nearest hospital is some distance away."
The event is being run with the financial backing of Madison, the official UK Shimano distributor, and they and Provelo have spent over 3 years looking for a venue to turn this dream into reality. Pat says,
"10 years ago Madison and I worked hard to create the UK's first 24 hour MTB event - Mayhem - and now once again it is only right that we are working together to create this new watershed for enduro road racing."
With Shimano the title sponsor for this event, Pat and Provelo have pulled out all the stops to make is something special. So, where will all the action take place? The answer is, the Brecon Beacons, on the Sennybridge army training area. It's a stunning setting with a combination of dramatic descents, lovely scenery, lung busting climbs befitting of an event to remember and a chance to make road-racing history. 
Note the "mock" German village on the skyline
It's worth noting that the event would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Army and in particular Major Eddie Mahony who had the following to say:
"It has all the makings of being a fantastic event, and we are only too happy to offer our training area to hold this 24 hr Road Race. It is an outstanding location which will give all riders different challenges, and yes we're entering a team in what we think will be a top class road race. Our sincere thanks also goes to Miles Preece from M&D Cycles in Abergavenny who helped Provelo in finding this truly stunning location."
And finally, don't be fooled into thinking this is a road version of Mountain Mayhem. This is pure road racing at its best, requiring all the tactics and skills and more importantly team work that you would expect to find in any professional race, with the added element of the 24 hour duration. No-one is quite sure how the top teams will tackle it from a strategy angle, with a range of possibilities, including having more than one rider on the road at a time. Close scrutiny of the rules - http://www.shimano24.com/teaminfo/index.html - throws up some intriguing possibilities.
The race is open to all Categories - Elite / 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th - with a handsome prize purse and fabulous prizes provided by Shimano and other sponsors. In year one, only 170 teams will be able to enter this unique event. If you and your team mates think you have what it takes, then enter now by using the www.shimano24.com website.
