New date announced for Welsh Men's Road Race Championships

New date announced for Welsh Men's Road Race Championships

Navigation:
Home

Welsh Cycling has today unveiled a date and venue for the 2013 Welsh Men’s Road Race Championships.

The Radnorshire Road Race will take place on Sunday, 28 July in Llandrindod Wells, an open event, but incorporating both the Welsh Senior and Junior Men’s Road Race Championships and featuring a new circuit.

Entries for the event will open on the British Cycling online calendar, early next week.

A decision has been made to postpone the event to avoid clashes with the Welsh Mountain Bike Cross Country Championships, taking place tomorrow (19 May) at Margam Park.

Welsh Cycling Directors hope the move will give more members and volunteers an opportunity to ride and support the race. A range of clubs are being invited to help assist the event, which is being organised by Welsh Cycling and Cadence Cycle Racing.

Welsh Cycling's Chair of the Competition and Event Safety Commission and a lead race organiser, Liz Slater, said: “It is important that riders from all over Wales are given the opportunity to compete for their regional title.

“As no promoter has come forwards this year, Welsh Cycling has offered to stage the Championships as part of its commitment to supporting road racing, with support from Cadence Cycle Racing and members of its Board and Commission.”

Assembling at the Llandrindod Wells Youth Club and Scout Group car park, the race will take place over a new 20 mile circuit, comprising four laps for seniors and three for juniors in the rolling Radnorshire countryside between Llandrindod Wells and Rhayader.

There will be a prime on each lap and overall prize money to sixth place in each open category.

Riders eligible to compete for a Welsh championship title will also have the opportunity to compete for Welsh Championship medals and jerseys.

Race headquarters – at Llandrindod Wells Leisure Centre – includes car parking and changing facilities. Racing will be fully supported with NEWG escort, neutral service, CSAS marshals, broom wagon and first aid.

Plans are underway to introduce a bid process for all major Welsh Championships for 2014, including road, circuit, track, mountain bike, and downhill championships.

The process aims to encourage organisers to consider holding a Championship event for the benefit of all members in Wales.

Hannah Pole, Events Officer for Welsh Cycling, said: “The future of the sport is in need of organisers who can help to stage a Championship event. It should be regarded as a credit to any club or promoter to be offered the chance to do so on behalf of their sport, but it requires a range of clubs and organisers to come forward and support one another, otherwise the sport hinges on the same few who step up year on year.

"A bid process will help to provide organisers with a step-by-step approach to planning an event, whilst at the same time offering a fair and transparent selection process. Welsh Cycling can offer a range of benefits to those organisers who help to hold an event, including one-to-one guidance and support.

"If we are to increase the quality of competition in Wales and raise standards of support for organisers, we must take steps to achieving an organised calendar with Championship events scheduled in plenty of advance, but we will need the support of our members and clubs to achieve this. 

"Plans are already underway to open a window for clubs and organisers to submit 2014 dates across the summer, with deadlines set to help organisers secure dates and plan events early. This will only benefit organisers and riders looking to maximise competition and racing, and ensure that Welsh Cycling can provide trained officials and ongoing support for event organisers. 

"Communication will be sent to clubs as early as June, and a bid process for Welsh Championships will be embedded within this."  

Pre-entry for the event will be via the British Cycling online system, and will be confirmed only once entries have closed on Sunday, 14 July. 

Those wishing to compete for a Welsh Championship title must pre-enter. Should the maximum field not be reached, entries will also be available on the line. Keep up to date at the Welsh Cycling website and Cadence Cycle Racing for information.

Should the maximum field of entry be exceeded, priority will be given to those riders eligible for the Welsh Championships and to clubs who have organised an event in Wales in the 2013 year.