Aberystwyth Cycle Festival gears up for fifth anniversary with the Pearl Izumi Tour Series returning to the Welsh seaside town
News – Aberystwyth Cycle Festival returns
Aberystwyth Cycle Festival returns for a fifth year this May Bank Holiday weekend, with four action packed days planned from May 22nd through to May 25th.
Last year’s additional events such as the Constitution Hill mountain bike downhill race, and the Welsh Wild West sportive road ride seem to have struck a chord with festival goers as over 12,000 spectators and competitors attended, with both events back for 2014.
What’s On
— Celebrating Roubaix: Gala evening with guest speaker Roger Hammond at the National Library of Wales.
— Pedal Power on the Prom: Criterium racing around the promenade, including a stage of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series
— Conquer the Cliff: Unique urban downhill mountain biking on Constitution Cliff, with it’s famous funicular railway uplift!
— Continental Welsh Wild West Sportive: Explore the challenging local terrain on one of three routes which provide something for everyone!
Subscriptions are already ahead of last year. Festival organisers are receiving enquiries from cyclists and spectators from all over the UK as the reputation of AberCycleFest has grown to become one of the most well regarded celebrations of cycling in the country.
It will be the National Library of Wales who will launch proceedings with a new AberCycleFest Gala evening on Thursday May 22nd. The Sportsbooker.com sponsored evening will take place in the Drwm auditorium with a collection of archive footage of the famous Milk Race as it visited the county through the 1960’2, 70’s & 80’s, as well as a short film about the legendary Paris-Roubaix ‘Hell of the North’ cycle race.
Podium finisher at Paris Roubaix and former World Cyclocross Champion Roger Hammond will also be in attendance to answer questions from the audience. The event is free to enter and bookings are being taken by the library box office.
Friday 23rd May is the main feature of the festival with the welcome return of ITV4’s Pearl Izumi Tour Series professional criterium race.
Sixty of the UK’s top professional road cyclists will battle it out around the streets of the town for one hour from 7pm to find out who has the strongest team as they aim to place their three top men as high in the placings as possible, to gain series points.
This year’s race will start & finish in Pier Street and follow a clockwise route through Upper Gt. Darkgate St, Seaview Place, Promenade and back onto Pier St.
Proceedings start from 2pm with the popular local schools races, followed by a Town vs Gown adult fun race and later the Aberystwyth Seafront Criteriums for serious amateur riders before the professionals take over.
Saturdays ‘Conquer the Cliff’ mountain bike downhill was the big surprise of the 2013 festival, with almost 2,000 supporters lining the route at Constitution Hill on a gloriously sunny day. 2013 World Champion bronze medallist Manon Carpenter is due to return with her Madison-Saracen team, along with over 150 top downhillers from Wales & further afield.
Sunday is the mass participation day with the Continental Welsh Wild West sportive taking place from Aberystwyth and incorporating three stunning routes through the Ceredigion countryside of 28, 68 or 103 miles depending on ability.
The ride is fully supported via Continental Tyres in terms of mechanical back up for anyone with problems out on the road, whilst Summit Cycles are offering a free cycle safety check in the weeks leading up to the event for any pre-entered cyclists. Full route details and online entry can be found at www.abercyclefest.com.
AberCycleFest is organised by volunteers from the town and is funded by Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion County Council, Aberystwyth Town Council & Cambrian Tyres Ltd
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Chris Lawless Joins Saint Piran Team
- Youth Result: Milton Keynes Youth Development Races
- TT Result: Southern Counties CU Sporting 21
- TT Result: Manchester & District TTA 10m TT
- TT Result: Northampton & District CA 10m TT
- TT Result: Knockhill Mountain Time Trial
- Youth Result: Lawford Youth Series
- TT Result: Bristol South CC Hardriders
- TT Result: Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club TT
- Paracycling Track Worlds Day 4
- Para CyclingWorlds Final Day
- Startlist: National Youth Circuit Series Rd 1
- TT Result: Orwell Velo 15m TT
- TT Result: Hull Thursday RC Hard Riders 2Up
- TT Result: VC Sevale 10m TT
- TT Result: Maldon & District CC Hilly 22m TT
- Youth Result: SCC Youth Races
- Youth Result: ERC Ben Forsyth CRY Youth Race Day
- Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic
- Track Result: Manchester Regional Track League
- Startlists: RCR Fat Creations Road Races
- Crit Result: Not the Portsmouth Easter Circuits
- Crit Result: March Hare Classic
- Crit Result: Haus RT – Darley Moor #3
- Crit Results: Spring MK Bowl Series #3
- Crit Result: No Nonsense Circuit Races 1
- Crit Result: Salt Ayre Spring Series #3
- RR Result: NCRA Handicap RR #3
- RR Result: Halesowen Academy Road Race
- RR Result: Primavera Pursuit Road Race
- Startlist: Capernwray Road Race (March 31)
- TT Result: VTTA Kent 8 mile TT
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team TT
- TT Result: Banbury Star CC 21m TT
- TT Result: Velo Club St Raphael 16.5 TT
- TT Result: Port Talbot Whs 13m TT
- TT Result: Cleveland Whs Sporting 21.7m TT
- TT Result: Velotik RT 15m TT
- TT Result: Border City Whs Hilly 20.2m TT
- TT Result: Hemel Hempstead CC 16m TT
Other News on VeloUK
- Chris Lawless Joins Saint Piran Team
- Paracycling Track Worlds Day 4
- Para CyclingWorlds Final Day
- Startlist: National Youth Circuit Series Rd 1
- Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic
- Startlists: RCR Fat Creations Road Races
- Startlist: Capernwray Road Race (March 31)
- Team Report: Fensham Howes MAS Design Junior Team
- Team Report: CiCLE Classic Junior Men
- RIDER REPORTS – Zoe Parker (Solihull CC)
- GB News: Two World Titles for GB at Para Worlds
- Team News: Alba Development Road Team
- News: British Road Champs Return to NE
- THIS WEEKEND: Peaks Two Day is Back!
- News: Laura Kenny Retires
- Team News: Lee Valley Youth Cycling Team
- 2024/25 CYCLO-CROSS CALENDAR
- Startlist: Cardiff Ajax CC 10 Mile TT
- Startlists: 16th Gifford Road Races (Scotland)
- News: Ellingworth is new Tour of Britain Director
- Startlist: Circuit of Ingleborough TT
- STARTLIST: Evesham Vale Road Race 2024
- Mammoth fields for Women’s/Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics
- Saturday: Fusion Media Women’s Series Rd 1
- Saint Piran’s Global Women’s Project
- Ribble Rebellion: The Riders
- Team News: Ribble Rebellion Team Launch
- British Classics – 64th Wally Gimber Trophy
- Startlist: 62nd Eddie Soens
- Startlist: 10th Junior Men’s CiCLE Classic (March 17)
- Startlist: 8th Women’s CiCLE Classic (March 17)
- Startlist: 40th Jock Wadley Memorial RR
- Riders: Azets Spring Classic (March 24)
- Bike News: DJ Spoony’s Special & unique Ribble Ultra SL R
- GB Team News: Helen Scott now Men’s Sprint Podium Potential Coach
- Startlist: Royal Navy Cup 2024
- News: Halesowen Academy 2024
- Report: Day 3 British Track Championships
- New Women’s Series in the Midlands
- News: RideLondon Classique