News

With the first  full field since Olympian Sharon Laws taught the majority of the field a lesson in 2008, the Tour of the Mining Valleys is back with a bang this year. This weekends race will be held once again on arguably the toughest road race course in Wales for 2/3/4 cat riders on a course south east of Aberystwyth, recently host to a round of the Halfords Tour Series.

Riders are required to wear helmets at all times....

The 60 mile route takes in some of the old silver, lead and zinc mines that were the staple economy in the area in the 19th century. This history dates back even further as Charles I commissioned a Royal Mint in Aberystwyth for a period in the 17th century, such was the output of precious metals at the time.

Many of the old mine workings are still visible today, not that the riders will have the time to take in the views along the Ystwyth valley as they tackle four one mile climbs and some fast descents. With a mix of previous winners in Gareth McGuiness (Clwb Egni) and current Welsh champion, and defending Mining Valleys champ Gruff Lewis (Team UK Youth) on the start line as well as a big contingent from the South West region, this promises to be a race that will be hard on the legs. The line up also includes 2007 national hill-climb champion James Dobbin and his Adeo Cadence team, plus Team Qoroz, Chippenham Wheelers and Mid Devon CC. The remaining Welsh challenge will come from Team Cyclemart with Presidents Road Race winner Justin Harcourt, Cwmcarn Paragon, with serial winner Richard Harris, Port Talbot Wheelers with in-form Hefin Price & Dan Pearson or we may see a surprise from the many entrants who come to Aberystwyth with an already overflowing palmares sheet.

The race begins at 10.30 this Sunday from the Renault Dealership in Penparcau, 1 mile south of Aberystwyth on the A487. 

The race route, not for sprinters!

Aberystwyth Town Council last week agreed to support a proposal from the newly formed Aberystwyth Cycling Partnership to bring televised cycle racing to the streets of the town this spring. The race will feature as the culmination of a full day of cycle related events and activities in the town centre to be featured on ITV4’s Halfords Tour Series cycle race program.

Olympians Ed Clancy, Andrew Tennant, Rob Hayles and Steven Burke will take their places on the start line on the promenade on the evening of May 26th as The Halfords Tour Series city centre criterium league makes its first ever appearance on Welsh soil.

The major coup for the town has come about thanks to a unique partnership between some of the main public organisations in the county, along with private companies including Cambrian Tyres and follows on from Ystwyth Cycling Club’s successful regional event in 2010.

Along with Aberystwyth Town Council, the Aberystwyth Cycling Partnership consists of Aberystwyth University, Ystwyth Cycling Club, Ceredigion County Council, and Tourism Partnership Mid Wales. These bodies have worked tirelessly over the last few months to negotiate the deal that will see Aberystwyth, rather than the bigger Welsh cities attract a major sporting event to its doorstep.

Now in its third year, The Halfords Tour Series is a team based competition consisting of the ten premier UK professional racing teams who score points by finishing as many of their five riders in the top ten at each round as possible. Other host venues include Durham, Peterborough, Stoke-on-Trent and Canary Wharf.

The hour-long race will take place on a one-kilometre circuit within the town (soon to be confirmed), but it is already known the course will include part of the promenade. The race will then be featured on TV ‘as live’ the following evening (Friday 27th May) at the prime time slot of 7pm on ITV4. The show will also feature landmarks, history and information about the town as each show is also geared to boosting tourism.

There will be added interest for local cycling fans as Gruff Lewis of Penrhyncoch is due to compete in the series this year. Gruff has recently signed to a new professional outfit headed by former Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backsteadt, namely Team UK Youth and the team was recently announced as one of the ten invited to take part, meaning locals will be able to cheer on one of their own.

Other events planned by the Aberystwyth Cycling Partnership during the day include a full amateur race program of events from Ystwyth Cycling Club for locals and visitors, from Under 8’s up to over 40’s, along with a local trader challenge race and many stalls and stands from various organisations along the north promenade.

The promenade will be transformed to recreate the spirit of the Tour de France that is famed for its publicity caravan, which precedes the cycle racing. Stalls and exhibitors will ensure a festival atmosphere, including the True Taste Kitchen who will offer sample produce from local Welsh companies as will Hybu Cig Cymru, who promote Welsh Lamb & Beef.

Commenting on the importance of the Aberystwyth Cycling Partnership to the regeneration of the town, Aberystwyth University Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Jones noted:

“A report produced by Ekosgen, of Glasgow, on the Economic Impact of the 2010 Halfords Tour series, has highlighted the significant economic benefits of this event. Overnight visitors for the 10 town events ranged from 900 (Portsmouth) to 5000 (Exeter), and day visitor numbers reached 12,000 for Exeter, 9,000 (Chester), and 5,000 (Durham). Net local expenditure for Aberystwyth is projected at over £200,000.00, Aberystwyth is the only town in Wales for 2011, and we have also secured a contract for 2012, which is the Olympic year. This event is, therefore, of considerable strategic importance to Aberystwyth and the locality”.

Private funding is being sought and organisers will soon provide details of a business breakfast event for local businesses to come and see how they can get involved and benefit from this major event.
For more details, please contact Aberystwyth Cycling Partnership c/o tourseries@ystwythcc.org or www.tourseries.co.uk

Another new incentive by our new Chairman, it has been agreed that a fair and equal way to reward active members of the club is to offer a 10% rebate on entry fees in 2011. The events included are pretty much anything, so all disciplines are included even non racing events like Sportives and Audax. Please see the details by downloading the claim form in the membership area. (ClaimForm.doc). There are stipulations such as you must wear an Ystwyth jersey in these events, and that there can only be one overall claim per year to save our treasurer from giving up her home life every week of the year, and there can only be a maximum claim of up to eight events.

This is a trial year for this scheme and we hope that it will grow and incentives as many of you as possible into trying some cycle events out in 2011.