A great new blog post on keeping your options open by our very own Heather Bamforth for The Racing Chance Foundation, excellent advice I felt we had to share it with CyclingShorts.cc readers.
Cycling Shorts unleashes Santa’s Little Helpers.
Yes the panic is setting in, so much to get organised and so little time, so we’ve all got together to give you a list of gift ideas that won’t disappoint the fussiest cyclist or cycling fan in your life.
We’ve split our choices into four perfect price packages, click on the images to be taken to the retailers website.
Wishing you a Merry Festivemas from all at CyclingShorts.cc!
The Tour de Yorkshire, one of the most spectacular and well received events in the British sporting calendar, returns for a second year with new routes and new challenges. The huge crowds will be entertained by Race Ambassadors and a Tour de Yorkshire Caravan which will visit key points on the route before the race starts.
The route will take the 18 teams of eight riders to all four corners of Yorkshire, linking together the county’s sporting, historic, industrial and literary greats.
Stage One begins in Beverley, home to one of England’s finest Minsters, before the peloton races to Tadcaster and on to Knaresborough which was the scene of some of the biggest crowds for the Tour de France in 2014. Taking in some of the Grand Depart 2014 route, a series of climbs takes the riders past Brimham Rocks before a finish in Settle.
On Stage Two, men and women will face exactly the same stage which starts in Otley, home of the current women’s road World Champion Lizzie Armitstead. From Otley riders travel south, on roads not raced on in the Tour de France or Tour de Yorkshire, towards Conisbrough Castle and on to Doncaster.
Stage Three will be familiar to those who raced in 2015, starting in Captain James Cook’s home town of Middlesbrough, then into Herriot Country before tackling the infamous Sutton Bank, the first of six King of the Mountain points in just one stage. Riders then head over the North York Moors and down towards Scarborough for what promises to be a thrilling finale and a race to the very end.
Riders joined host towns at a launch event in Otley, where Welcome to Yorkshire’s Sir Gary Verity and A.S.O.’s Christian Prudhomme unveiled the full route.
Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:
“For next year’s race we’ve selected routes which showcase Yorkshire’s stunning scenery and will also deliver an excellent sporting event. Our first race was phenomenally successful, bringing 1.5 million spectators to the roadside, generating over £50million for the regional economy and being broadcast around the world – not many races can say that. The stages we’ve revealed today are eagerly anticipated by fans, riders and teams and we have all the ingredients for another spectacular race which will bring the crowds back out.”
Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France, said:
“I am always happy to be back in Yorkshire and today marks an important milestone for the race. Feedback from teams and riders last year was excellent and this year we have three stages which together create a race right to the end; the final King of the Mountain points are barely six kilometres from the final finish line.”
In addition to the professional races, the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride will give amateur cyclists the chance to ride many of the roads ridden by the pros in a newly designed sportive route, which will start and finish in Scarborough on Sunday 1 May. The sportive route will follow parts of Stage 3 of the men’s race whilst also taking in several alternative roads to allow for all 6000 participants to finish in their own time.
A highlight of the sportive will see amateur riders finishing with a 1km sea-front sprint finish and crossing the very same finish line as the professional riders with the same support from the waiting crowds. There will be three distances for riders to choose from; 40km, 85km and 115km. The sportive sold out in a matter of hours in 2015 and those hoping to secure a place in the 2016 ride can register their interest and be first to hear when this year’s event opens at letouryorkshire.com/sportive
Returning sponsors for the men’s race have also been confirmed, with Yorkshire Bank sponsoring the Sprint Jersey; Dimension Data sponsoring the Digital Vote / Most Aggressive Rider Jersey; and Mavic returning as the Official Supplier. Yorkshire Bank also sponsor the Tour de France legacy project – the Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries – which have already helped over a thousand children in Yorkshire ride a bike for free.
So, here you have it, your full 2016 route for @letouryorkshire. It’s going to be epic. #TDYpic.twitter.com/y7sjftv5FO
Detailed stage profiles
Stage 1: Friday 29 April 2016: Beverley to Settle
Total stage length: 184km
2 x sprint points (Bubwith, Giggleswick)
1 x King of the Mountain (Greenhow Hill)
Total ascent: 1832m
The first stage will set off from Saturday Market in Beverley. The riders will parade around the town – which also played host to the race in 2015, then through North Bar before heading north west to the Official Start at Beverley Racecourse; Holme on the Wolds, Market Weighton (which also saw the race pass through in May 2015), and on westwards to a sprint point at Bubwith. From there, the peloton will race through North Duffield and west to Cawood – scene of Dick Turpin’s famous escape from York – and on to Tadcaster, famous for its breweries. After that, riders will visit Boston Spa, Wetherby, North Deighton and Knaresborough, home of the famous ‘spotty house’ from the Tour de France, decorated with the red spots of the King of the Mountains’ jersey. From there riders will travel to Ripley, home of the UK’s only Hotel du Ville rather than Town Hall, and on to Pateley Bridge where the first King of the Mountain will be won at Greenhow Hill. After that, it’s on to Grassington, then Threshfield and a return to some of the Tour de France roads, through Cracoe then Gargrave, the riders will then cross the finish line in Settle for the first time before a sprint at Giggleswick. They will complete a 12km loop back to the A65 and round to Settle town centre for an expected bunch finish in the town.
Stage 2: Saturday 30 April 2016: Otley to Doncaster
Total stage length: 135.5km
Same route for men and women
2 x sprint points (Scholes, Warmsworth)
3 x King/ Queen of the Mountain (Harewood Bank, East Rigton, Conisbrough Castle)
Total ascent: 1110m
Stage Two marks an important milestone for the Tour de Yorkshire, as the women’s race will be held on exactly the same route as the men’s race. The women’s race will start in the morning and the men’s race will begin in the early afternoon. Full details of the women’s race will be released in the following weeks.
The Women’s Tour de Yorkshire race will be a full stage race, on 30 April, using the same course as Stage 2 #TDYpic.twitter.com/MKmgVL7Dw4
The route begins in Otley, home town of current women’s road World Champion Lizzie Armitstead. The Official Start is at Pool-in-Wharfedale, before the riders face an early King/ Queen of the Mountain challenge at Harewood Bank, before heading south east towards another King/ Queen of the Mountain at East Rigton, then to Thorner and a sprint at Scholes, then to Barwick in Elmet crossing the A1 at Aberford. Riders then go past Lotherton Hall, into Sherburn in Elmet, down to South Milford and Monk Fryston before swinging south to Birkin and Beal. The route then heads through Kellingley and on to Knottingley, Pontefract (home of liquorice) and Wentbridge, before North and South Elmsall, and on to hidden gem Hooton Pagnell. There is a sprint point at Warmsworth before a lap of, and King/ Queen of the Mountain, at 11th century Conisbrough Castle. The peloton will then head towards Tickhill and Bawtry before racing along the perimeter of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, past Doncaster Racecourse and onto a sprint finish on South Parade.
Stage 3: Sunday 1 May 2016: Middlesbrough to Scarborough
Total stage length: 196km
2 x sprint points (Thirsk and Whitby Abbey)
6 x King of the Mountain (Sutton Bank, Blakey Ridge, Grosmont, Robin Hood’s Bay, Harwood Dale and Oliver’s Mount)
Total ascent: 2593m
If Stages One and Two are for the sprinters, Stage Three will certainly appeal to the climbers. With an elevation of 2593 meters and six King of the Mountain classifications, the route begins in Middlesbrough, birth place of Captain James Cook, and takes the riders on a challenging and technical route through much of the stunning North York Moors National Park. From the start line at Middlesbrough’s MIMA Gallery, they travel south over the Official Start on the outskirts of Nunthorpe on the A172, through Great Ayton, home of the Captain Cook School Room, and on to Stokesley, Hutton Rudby, Winton and down to Northallerton, the county town of North Yorkshire. From there, the riders head to Thirsk’s market square where there will be a sprint point, before the infamous Sutton Bank and a King of the Mountain. Onwards to Helmsley, winner of Britain’s Best Market Town, then to Kirkbymoorside and heading north to Hutton le Hole and a King of the Mountain at Blakey Ridge. The peloton will recognise Castleton and many of the villages towards Whitby as the route is similar to that for the 2015 race. There will be a King of the Mountain at Grosmont, where in 2015 riders were welcomed by a steam salute by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and riders will pass through Sleights and Ruswarp before dipping down to Whitby. There is a sprint point at Whitby Abbey, before the race makes a visit to Hawkser. Next up is a battle over a King of the Mountain at Robin Hood’s Bay, before another King of the Mountain at Harwood Dale. From there it’s full speed to East Ayton and Irton, before a final King of the Mountain at Oliver’s Mount and a sprint finish in Scarborough’s North Bay.
Tennant and Keisse take Team Pedalsure to the top in the first round of the Revolution Championship 2015/16 in Manchester.
Revolution 53
Andrew Tennant and Iljo Keisse consistently rode well in the five Race Events taking Team Pedalsure to the top of the Championship League after the first full round of the 2015-16 Winter Season.
There was thrilling four-way sprint across the line of the UCI Scratch Race for Tennant beating Wiggins, Wood and Viviani. Mark Stewart had set off early, but was soon caught by Elia Viviani. Approaching the final couple of corners Tennant, the Wiggins and Wood all took the longer path around the track, but it was Tennant that got there first. This provided the only victory for Team Pedalsure on the day. Keisse’s strong second place in the UCI Points Race and the teams second placement in the Revolution one-kilometre Madison Time Trial added valuable points to their tally.
Last years Champions Maloja Pushbikers pushed all the way, winning the 1km Madison Time Trial in the final heat, after Team Pedalsure set the initial 56.875 time that looked unbeatable on the night. Most of the other teams challenged with around the 58s time, but Maloja set the only sub 56s time with a 55.907, they are determined to beat Oli Wood and Ed Clancy’s record of 54.537 this season by all accounts.
HOY Future Star Events
The HOY future Star Championship got off to a great start for Rhys Britton and Jessica Roberts whom both lead into round three at the Lee Valley Velodrome in early November.
Rhys pulled the triple off, winning the Scratch, Points and Six-Lap Dash, giving him a clear lead over Fred Wright for the next round.
Roberts won both the Points and the Six-Lap Dash, winning the bunch sprint in the Scratch Race after a gutsy solo victory by Maddie Gammons (Maloja Pushbikers).
Elite Women’s Endurance Events
Matrix Fitness’s Laura Trott took a double win in the Elite Women’s UCI Events winning both the Points and Elimination Races.
Team USN’s Emily Nelson was the only rider to lap the field, to win the UCI Scratch Race.
Women’s Sprint Events
Belgium’s Nicky Degrendele proved too strong to beat in the Women’s UCI Sprint racing. Winning the initial 200m Flying Start Qualifying in the Sprint Competition, set a time of 11.477 against her closest rival, GB’s Sophie Capewell with a 11.786.
Degrendele went on the reach the finals against Capewell, with a convincing two heat victory.
Degrendele’s strenght also proved too powerful in both heats of the Keirin, winning easily against all her rivals.
Our talented sub editor Heather Bamforth; founder of the cycling charity Racing Chance Foundation has been interviewed by the Leading Ladies Company about living with epilepsy, cycling and inspiring women to achieve all their goals, gain confidence and new skills benefitting their work/life through her foundation.
Heather is an insolvency practitioner by day, and by night (and generally all her free time) a cyclist, mentor, cycling journalist and cycling charity trustee which has earned her a place in the BikeBiz top 100 ‘most influential women in cycling‘ list. Extremely impressive considering she isn’t even employed in the cycling sector!
Tour de Yorkshire organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and the Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) have selected six towns across Yorkshire to host a start or finish for the Tour de Yorkshire 2016.
Racing will begin and end in Beverley, Doncaster, Middlesbrough, Otley (Leeds), Scarborough and Settle.
The three day men’s race will be held between Friday 29 April and Sunday 1 May. The women’s race will be held on Saturday 30 April.
Welcome to Yorkshire received fourteen expressions of interest to host a Tour de Yorkshire start or finish in 2016 or 2017. A small number of 2017 start and finish locations have also been confirmed today, with Fox Valley (Sheffield), Halifax, Harrogate and Selby announced as hosts.
The inaugural Tour de Yorkshire was held in May this year and attracted one and a half million spectators and over six million global television viewers.
Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:
“From the first moments of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire, everyone who was there knew it was something special. I’m delighted that we are able to bring the 2016 race to all four corners of Yorkshire. It is testament to how much the county has taken the race to its heart that we have been oversubscribed for next year’s starts and finishes.
“The Tour de Yorkshire is an event in the cycling calendar that riders want to race in and we look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best riders back to Yorkshire next year.”
Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France at the ASO, said:
“Yorkshire is so perfectly suited to international racing and the landscapes create wonderful chances for riders to shine. Many of the teams and riders said that the Tour de Yorkshire reminds them of the Tour de France’s Grand Départ, with the routes, crowds and atmosphere once again combining to create a very special race”.
Next year’s Tour will be also see a return of the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride and a chance for Tour Makers to volunteer on the race route and help welcome spectators at the event.
Several of the host towns announced today are also home to Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries, a direct legacy of the Tour de France and Tour de Yorkshire, which aim to offer every child in Yorkshire access to a bike. So far nearly one thousand children have borrowed a Bike Library bike, through school visits, led rides and community activity.
The full 2016 race route will be announced in December 2015 – this announcement will include exact start and finish locations and the distance and profile of the race.
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