With around 3,500 races across nearly 900 events for all abilities, new circuits, our ‘Keep Cycle Racing on the Roads' campaign and the continued success of the GB Team, British Cycling is continually working to support the road racing community.
Events and Rankings
The growth and success of elite events such as the British Cycling Premier Calendar Series, British Cycling Elite Circuit Series and National Championships underline our commitment to elite road racing in Britain. Hundreds of other Road races from grassroots level upwards and for everyone from youth to adult mean there is a great choice of events to enjoy, with a continued commitment to delivering more races highlighted by the new Twining Pro-Am Tour which combines a round of the British Cycling Premier Calendar Series with a Sportive in one weekend.
Our online Event Calendar provides in-depth details for events including entry information and allows members to plan their season and in many cases enter the event directly using British Cycling's new Online Entry System.
In addition Regional Event Officers are focused on increasing the quality and quantity of participation opportunities in Road cycling and work closely with event organisers, volunteers and officials and clubs. British Cycling helps to train and support dedicated volunteers who help to ensure races run smoothly including event organisers, commissaires, marshals, administrators, first aiders, scoring/timing officials and many, many more.
British Cycling also administrates the National Road Rankings system, which allows riders and clubs to monitor their progress and rise through the categories as they earn points in a system that is available to both adults and youths.
New Circuits
British Cycling funding has helped to create and re-develop a number of road racing circuits to ensure as may people as possible have access to facilities which will allow them to participate in cycling. A superb circuit in Blackpool was another example of British Cycling funding at work.
London 2012 Paralympic hopeful Tel Byrne was on hand to help open Blackpool's new circuit
Opening in July 2011, it debuted with the Tour of Blackpool event, including rounds of the National Youth Circuit Race Series, the National Women's Criterium series and a Men's Criterium. In addition, British Cycling has fought hard for the establishment of a proper road course on the Olympic Park.
‘Keep Cycle Racing on the Roads' Campaign
British Cycling is in continuous dialogue with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Department for Transport and the Home Office to improve conditions which will allow road racing to continue to flourish and has developed its relationships with key government officials involved in the relevant legislation. Nearly 10,000 people have joined British Cycling's Facebook campaign ‘Keep Racing on the Roads'.
Top level races has suffered from high and very variable policing costs, which have increased significantly in recent years with extremely wide variations between areas and from year to year. British Cycling worked to ensure this changed, with cycling the only sport invited to meet officials responsible for the re-drafting of ACPO's guidance on police charging. Having helped draft the relevant sections, the new guidance has proved very beneficial for organisers who have in the past suffered high levels of cost recovery for police presence at their events.
Previously marshals at road races had no authority to slow down or stop traffic which would help ensure racers' safety during a race. A successful pilot scheme allowing marshals to stop and slow traffic has been run in Wales and Essex but for this to be implemented nationwide it must overcome the current complication of requiring marshals to be employed which would be an additional administrative burden and is at odds with the traditional voluntary nature of marshalling. However, the Sport & Olympics Minister has made representations to the Home Office in support of a relaxation of these rules. An alternative sign-based approach is also being piloted and we will give updates on this in due course.
In addition British Cycling created a new role of ACPO Liaison to British Cycling with the aim of safeguarding the future of road racing in the UK and addressing any local level issues between race organisers and police authorities.
Safety
British Cycling is working hard to address the issue of safety on the road and improve the wellbeing of cyclists. We're currently undertaking a survey with our members to find out what they regard to be the most important road safety issues and we'll be taking that information to engage with the government to seek the necessary changes in legislation.
British Cycling recently issued a statement declaring: "There have been too many of these incidents recently and our members expect us to be taking a lead in improving the safety of cyclists on the road. The government is keen to see more cyclists on the road and we have been extremely successful in achieving that, but we also have a responsibility to make sure that the roads are as safe as they can be."
Coaching
Coaching is at the heart of cycling performance at every level from teaching basic bike handling skills in a school or club through to training athletes for the Olympic Games or Tour de France.
British Cycling offers a number of awards including the Road and Time Trial Coaching Award which educates on how to plan, deliver and evaluate a series of safe, ethical and effective road and time trial coaching sessions. The award also teaches the knowledge and information needed to progress riders from their first road and time trial session to their first competition.
Great Britain Cycling Team
Through the Olympic Podium Programme, Olympic Academy Programme, Olympic Development Programme, Olympic Talent Team and Paralympic Team, British Cycling has delivered a world-class cycling team which has performed well at all age levels at international level.
In Beijing, the Great Britain Cycling Team produced its best ever performance, winning 14 medals, eight of which were gold. This included Gold for Nicole Cooke in the Women's Road Race and Silver for Emma Pooley in the Women's Road Time Trial.
