Welsh Cycling has today welcomed another major event to the UK’s professional race and sportive calendar, with Velothon Wales 2015 expected to be an exciting event for both spectators and participants in the Welsh capital.
Velothon Wales will start and finish in Cardiff on 14 June 2015, and promises to deliver a weekend of cycling that will attract elite cyclists from around the world alongside thousands of cycling fans who will have the opportunity to ride the same routes as their professional counterparts.
Welsh Cycling members have priority access when entries open for the mass participation event. Members will receive a 20% discount during a priority booking window on a first come first served basis.
Anne Adams-King, Chief Executive Officer at Welsh Cycling said: “We are proud to have attracted another high profile event for Wales in 2015. This year already we have seen the Pearl Izumi Tour Series and the British National Road and Time Trial Championships on Welsh roads, with two stages of the Friends Life Tour of Britain still to come in September. Velothon Wales will bring an exciting event to the Welsh capital, and will inspire the people of Wales to join the thousands of participants and spectators in embracing the sport of cycling.”
Velothon Wales will combine a closed road sportive with a capacity of up to 10,000 riders alongside a UCI sanctioned professional race that is likely to attract many of the world’s top riders and teams.
Starting and finishing in the heart of Cardiff city centre, the completely closed road sportive will take riders on a 120km route through the breathtaking Welsh countryside. With over 1400m of climbing including Caerphilly Mountain and a King of the Mountain's Challenge on The Tumble climb in the Brecon Beacons – as featured on stage three of the 2014 Friends Life Tour of Britain – riders can expect a challenging day in the saddle. For less experienced riders, there is the option of entering a shorter 50km route which also boasts the safety of completely closed roads.
Upon completing the sportive, riders will have the unique opportunity to join thousands of spectators in witnessing the conclusion of the UCI sanctioned professional race. The exact UCI grading of the Velothon Wales professional race will be announced on the release of the UCI calendar in late September, however event organisers have indicated that the course will be identical to that of the 120km sportive, but with multiple loops of the Tumble climb and Caerphilly Mountain.
Velothon Wales is the latest event in the UCI Velothon Majors, a global series of cycling events organised by Lagardere Unlimited Events. Other events in the series include Velothon Berlin, Velothon Vienna and Velothon Philadelphia. Since its inception in 2009, Velothon Berlin has grown to be one of the world’s biggest and most iconic cycling events, welcoming over 14,000 riders and the world’s top pro’s including the likes of 2012 winner Andre Greipel, 2013 winner Marcel Kittel and 2014 winner Raymond Kreder.
Speaking of the event, Velothon Wales’ Race Director Roland Hofer said: “Having worked as Race Director for Velothon Berlin since 2009, I am hugely excited to be part of the team that will be delivering Velothon Wales. Each year Velothon Berlin attracts a stellar elite field which, combined with thousands of participants taking on the exact same route, creates a truly memorable day of cycling. We are looking forward to Velothon Wales emulating its success in every respect.”
Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart, said: “Velothon Wales is an exciting new event and, as one of four Velothon events in the world, puts Cardiff and the surrounding area on a stage with cities like Berlin, Vienna and Philadelphia. It is another of the major sporting events we are bringing to Wales which all serve to build our reputation as a nation with an excellent pedigree in delivering major events that attract both locals and visitors alike.”
Jonny Clay, Cycle Sport and Membership Director for British Cycling, said: “We have been working closely with the organisers of Velothon Wales for over a year now and we are very excited with how the project has developed. Bringing together elite level road racing with mass participation events has proved to be a very exciting and successful method for staging major events in recent years and I’m confident that we will have thousands of people eager to take part, either as participants or spectators. When you add in the natural landscape of Wales and the vibrancy of the city of Cardiff, there is no doubt that Velothon Wales will be memorable event, not only for 2015, but for many years to come.”
Welsh Cycling Members will be able to enter first during an exclusive priority booking period in mid- September. Discounted places (20% off) will be available to Members and these will be issued on a first come first served basis. Upon these discounted entries selling out Members will still be able to enter the event during the priority booking window at the normal price of £55 and £40 for the 120km and 50km race respectively.
For more information about how to get into cycling visit www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership
