THE eyes of the world will be on Barnsley once again when some of the biggest names in cycling come to town next month.
Preparations are well underway for the Barnsley Town Centre Races, known as #BarnsleyCrit, which is returning after a successful event last year, and is already attracting big names.
In the men’s HSBC UK National Criterium Series, the start line will include the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire stage one winner - Canyon Eisberg’s Harry Tanfield, as well as last year’s champion and now the junior World Time Trial champion and current National Circuit champion Tom Pidcock who now rides for Wiggins, and Barnsley-born multi Olympic champion Ed Clancy, riding with his JLT Condor team.
The Women’s HSBC UK National Road Race Series will see the inclusion of Dame Sarah Storey’s team, TeamStorey Racing, and the return of Nicola Juniper who won the National Criterium Championships in Barnsley back in 2015, with her team NJC Biemme.
The event on Friday July 20 will be an evening full of action packed racing, but before that at 4.30pm there will be opportunity for riders of all abilities to ride around the 1.1km course for up to 45 minutes. Last year saw many children and parents, as well as cycling fans, ride around the closed circuit course at their own pace - as long as they have a bike and a helmet.
The racing action will begin at 5.30pm with the under 12 boys and girls’ race, then the under 14 and 16s, the Regional A race and then at 7.40pm the women’s series, and at 8.45pm the men’s event.
The latter two will be screened on TV four days later on the Eurosport channel.
The race, jointly hosted by Barnsley Road Club and the council, is expected to attract a large crowd to the town centre.
Chris Lawrence, race organiser for Barnsley Road Club, said: “We’re set for a fantastic Friday night in Barnsley. The course is designed with descents, technical corners and a short climb which is the perfect recipe for town centre racing.
“We’ve made an event that suits everybody. Families can get involved with the community ride or junior races before watching the elites battle around the course.”
Coun Dave Leech, cycling champion for Barnsley, said: “The Tour de Yorkshire showed Barnsley in the fantastic light it deserves, anybody who came and enjoyed that should come along to this event. We’re attracting riders who rode in the tour, Olympic champions and future stars.
“Having the community ride is a brilliant event and helps us to develop the Tour de Yorkshire legacy. The community ride was so good last year that this year I’ve already signed up to ride it with my own grandchildren, we’re all looking forward to a great evening.”
The community ride is open for all and anybody can register for the race at letsride.co.uk/barnsley-community-ride
