Dame Sarah Storey and her husband Barney Storey have given their seal of approval to Monmouthshire’s British Cycling National Road Championships course for 2014.
The Storeys were visiting the course ahead of Monmouthshire hosting the championships being held between 26-29 June.
The championships will bring the creme de la creme of cycling talent to the county with male riders expected to include Tour de France winners Chris Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins; defending national road race champion Mark Cavendish; defending national time-trial champion Alex Dowsett and Wales’ own Geraint Thomas.
Female riders are expected include defending national road race champion Lizzie Armitstead; London 2012 Olympic champion on the track and defending time-trial champion Joanna Rowsell; and former double junior road world champion Lucy Garner.
Mere mortals can also get involved in the championships by taking on the Championship Sportive, which has four different course difficulties ranging from a leisure route suitable for beginners to a high octane route which takes on the infamous Tumble Mountain.
There is also the opportunity for female riders to take on a women’s only course; a championship first.
Dame Sarah Storey, one of Britain’s heroines at London 2012, visited Monmouthshire to try out the time- trial course as well as the road race course. Her husband, Barney Storey also visited the course to see how things are shaping up ahead of the championships.
Dame Sarah Storey won four gold medals across the road and track at the London 2012 Paralympics and her husband Barney Storey, who rides as a sighted pilot for blind or partially sighted cyclists, won a gold and silver on the track.
It’s the second time in five years that Monmouthshire has hosted the championships after the event visited Abergavenny in 2009.
Dame Sarah Storey said: “The course looks great and it was exhilarating to ride. The British Cycling National Road Championships is a wonderful event and I’m sure cycling fans from across the UK are excited about making the trip to Wales to watch some fantastic cycling.”
Bill Owen, race organiser and Abergavenny Cycling Festival organiser said: “We are really excited to host the British Cycling National Road Championships in Monmouthshire and it’s been great to see the Storeys down here, testing out the course.
"It will be great to see the best of cycling talent taking on the course whilst those non-competitive cyclists that feel fit enough will also be able to get involved by taking on the Sportive.”
Sarah Powell, chief executive of Sport Wales, said: “With the news this week that increasing numbers of us are heading out on our bikes in Wales, I am sure the riders will get a tremendous welcome in Monmouthshire.
"This prestigious event - which has seen Welsh riders Geraint Thomas and Nicole Cooke enjoy success in the past - will surely serve as further inspiration to take up cycling.”
