2009 Premier Calendar and Circuit Series

Story posted December 4, 2008

British Cycling's Road Race Calendar

Above: Rider of the year (for British based male road riders) in most people's minds, Russell Downing was the winner of the 2008 Premier Calendar series and fourth in the Elite Circuit series. The Pinarello racer went on to finish the World Road Race Championship race and had some stunning rides in UCI events as well such as the Welsh GP, the Tour of Ireland and other European events.

British Cycling has today announced the dates for the country’s two leading men's road race series’ for 2009 - the Premier Calendar Road Race Series and the Elite Men’s Circuit Race Series. As they have over the years, these events will test the UK’s best male cyclists to the limits and will provide a range of great racing for fans to watch across the country.

Road racing in the UK has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years and although it has been a big blow to lose a number of long standing classics, the standard of racing now is the highest it has been for 20 years. As well as the determination by organisers to put on events to attract the best riders to their area of the country, teams too are determined to be ultra  competitive in the two series. The 2009 season looks like being even better than those that have gone before if the team press releases of late are anything to go by whereby managers are constantly looking to strengthen their line-ups. 

The 2008 Premier Calendar series got under way with the Bikeline 2-Day and whilst Ian Wilkinson was the stage winner, first Premier Calendar race winner for this year was Dean Downing. His brother Russell went on to win the series and Dean was second.

The Premier Calendar Road Race Series comprises 11 events, beginning with the Bikeline 2-Day race in North Wales on the 14th and 15th of March and then carries on around the country taking in many very long running classics like the Lincoln GP which has already celebrated it's 50th edition. The punishing courses of the Premier Calendar Road Race Series events test the fitness, endurance and tactical ability of Britain’s top riders, including Russell and Dean Downing – the brothers who topped the 2008 standings – along with the likes of Olympians Chris Newton and Rob Hayles (British Road Race Champion). 

Relive the events in 2008 by going to the  Premier Calendar Home Page

By contrast, the 11 races in the Elite Men’s Circuit Race Series bring out the bike handling skills, quick wits and agility of the best criterium riders. So, whilst the Premier Calendar events are a real test of endurance, the circuit races are a major test of recovery as the riders sprint in and out of corners with their tyres on the limit of adhesion and there is no hiding place for any pretenders to the winner's throne.

Above: Bike racing goes to the people -- Malcolm Elliott wins a round of the Elite Circuit race series in front of a huge crowd

The dramatic, high-speed action of the city and town-centre circuit races draw out great crowds for events which are contested by the UK’s biggest teams and top names. Last year we saw Olympic champions like Ed Clancy and Geraint Thomas take part as well as continental professionals such as Jeremy Hunt in races but overall, the British team of Rapha-Condor took the top three placings in 2008.

Whilst Graham Briggs was the winner in 2008, over the years the series has been won by major stars like New Zealander Gordon McCauley who has also won the Premier Calendar series and twice by a rider who made in his name in Europe in the big classics, Malcolm Elliott who is as competitive as ever well into his 40s! Other winners include current riders such as Circuit Race Champion Dean Downing and Simon Gaywood.

In 2009, the Elite Circuit series begins at the purpose built Hillingdon Cycle Circuit in West London in May and then travels around the county come rain, hail or shine (hopefully the latter!). British Cycling’s cycle sport and membership director Jonny Clay said: “The 2009 Premier Calendar and Elite Circuit Race series’ will provide us with a fantastic year’s road racing. There are some great courses and venues on both calendars and with the hard-work and commitment of our organisers, both the 2009 Premier Calendar and Elite Circuit Race series’ look set to be fantastic events.”

2008 Elite Circuit Series Home Page

With Lincoln Castle in the background, the 2008 edition of this long running classic, the Lincoln GP, sees Russell Downing win the event as organiser Ian Emmerson OBE looks on.

The full racing calendar for both series’ is as follows:

Premier Calendar Road Race series

14/15 March   Bikeline 2 Day                 Hope, Flintshire
29 March        Tour Of The Reservoir     Co. Durham
11/13 April     Girvan Stage Race           Girvan, Scotland
3 May             Chas Messenger              Buckinghamshire
10 May           Lincoln Grand Prix            Lincoln
7 June           Ryedale Grand Prix           Helmsley, North Yorkshire
14 June         Beaumont Trophy             Ponteland, Northumberland
5 July            Tour of Blackpool GP RR     Blackpool
26 July          East Yorkshire Classic       Beverley, E.Yorks
9 August       Tour of Pendle                  Barnoldswick, Lancs
23 August     Richmond Grand Prix         Richmond, North Yorkshire

National Elite Circuit Race Series

17 May     Hillingdon Grand Prix      Hillingdon, W. London
24 June    Otley Criteriums             Otley, W. Yorks
1 July        Rochdale Grand Prix       Rochdale, Lancs
3 July        Tour of Blackpool GP       Blackpool
7 July        Brighouse Criteriums      Brighouse, Yorks
14 July      Colne Grand Prix            Colne, Lancs
22 July      Blackburn Grand Prix      Blackburn, Lancs
5 Sept      Newport Nocturne          Newport, Shropshire
6 Sept      Travelwise Warwick       Warwick
20 Sept    Preston City Centre GP  Preston, Lancs.

RELATED LINKS

Premier Calendar Series Winners

Notes:

• British Cycling is the national governing body for cycle sport in the UK
• British Cycling helps everyday cyclists enjoy riding more through the Everyday Cycling scheme
• British Cycling works throughout the sport – from delivering Olympic medals to encouraging people to get on a bike for the first time
• British Cycling is the fastest growing cycling organisation in the UK, with 24,000 members
• British Cycling was involved with 2,500 affiliated events in 2007
• British Cycling encourages and develops children’s cycling talents: the Go Ride scheme is expected to coach 90,000 children in 2008/09
• British Cycling is funded by membership, UK Sport and Sport England

For more information on British Cycling, please browse this website