Olympic and world track champion Elinor Barker will be among those to take to the start line as the men’s and women’s HSBC UK | National Road Series get underway with the East Cleveland Klondike this weekend.
This will be the third year in a row in which the event – which starts and finishes in Guisborough and takes in miles of Teesside’s impressive coastline – has been staged, but this year will be the first in which a men’s and women’s race has taken place on the same day
The women’s race will begin at 9am, with Barker (riding for Drops) likely to be among the ones to watch. She will be joined on the start line by – amongst others - her sister and Drops team-mate, Megan Barker; current national circuit race champion Anna Henderson (Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm); Nicola Juniper (Team Echelon); and Emily Nelson (RST/Cycle Division Racing Team).
Also competing is Britain’s most successful Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, who will be leading a three-strong Storey Racing team, Molly Weaver (Orbea Racing Team) who is returning to racing in 2019 after a serious training crash, and Mary Wilkinson (Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Velo).
Emily Wadsworth, who will race for Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm, says of the race:
“The race is likely to be very attritional, with a select group coming into the finish for the finale. As it’s the first race of the series, I think there will be a lot of people out to put their name out there and test themselves, so the racing is going to be pretty aggressive with plenty of attacks.
“As a newly-formed team we are looking to put our mark on this first race and show everyone what we are capable of for the rest of the year. It’s hard to pinpoint specific riders because you never know how everyone’s training has been going, however the HSBC UK | National Road Series is a big goal of ours so we really want to establish ourselves in the overall standings.”
The men’s race – which gets underway at 1:30pm – will see 2017 winner Chris Latham line-up in the colours of Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK, alongside team-mates including Graham Briggs, Scott Thwaites and three-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy.
Also well represented on the start line will be Madison Genesis, who boast current national road race champion Connor Swift in their ranks. The likes of Jonny McEvoy, Ian Bibby, Jon Mould and Erick Rowsell will be lining up alongside Swift.
After his impressive winter on the track, John Archibald will take to the road representing Ribble Pro Cycling, while Gabz Cullaigh (Team Wiggins Le Col); Andy Tennant and Rory Townsend (both Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes); and Dan Bigham (Ribble Pro Cycling) will also be targeting a positive start to the series.
Following this race, both series move on to the Chestnut Homes Lincoln Grand Prix, which takes place on May 12.
