British Cycling today announced that Birmingham will host the 2016 British Cycling National Circuit Race Championships on Thursday 28 July.

The championships will see the men’s and women’s titles decided during an exciting evening of bike racing in the city.

As one of the highlights of the elite road racing calendar in Britain, the championships will be fiercely contested by the country’s top riders and teams as they fight for the honour of wearing the iconic red, white and blue national champions’ jerseys for the next year.

Past winners of the event include current road world champion Lizzie Armitstead, Mark Cavendish and Olympic gold medallists Ed Clancy, Joanna Rowsell Shand and Dani King.

The race will take place on a 1.1 km city centre circuit, starting and finishing on Broad Street and taking in Granville Street, Holliday Street and Bridge Street.

British Cycling’s cycle sport and membership director, Jonny Clay, commented: “We are delighted to be taking the 2016 National Circuit Race Championships to Birmingham. We know that there is a huge appetite for cycling in the region, and all previous events we have hosted in the city have been met with real enthusiasm.

“These championships will give the people of the Midlands a chance to watch some of the country’s best riders in action, and we look forward to welcoming another passionate crowd to the event.”

Councillor Ian Ward, deputy leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Birmingham has a proud track record of hosting a wide range of prestigious sporting events so I am absolutely delighted that we will be welcoming riders and fans alike to this year’s British Cycling National Circuit Race Championships.

“This promises to be a truly fantastic event for Birmingham and one which I hope will also inspire people across the city to take up cycling.”