News: Beaumont Trophy Goes UCI

First run in 1952, the Beaumont Trophy in Northumberland goes UCI for 2014 after seven years as a Premier Calendar event

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The Beaumont Trophy was first run in 1952, the year after the Gosforth Road Club was formed. It was presented by Rex Beaumont, a cycle and motorcycle wholesaler based in Newcastle. The first edition of the race was won by Stan Blair riding for Viking Cycles and started and finished in Gosforth Park where the club had it’s headquarters.

Wiggins wins the stripes in the Beaumont Trophy Nationals

In the next 61 years, the race has been won by many famous riders including Bradley Wiggins, Chris Newton, Russell and Dean Downing, Malcolm Elliott and Don Sanderson to name but a few. The most prolific winner of the Trophy is Ray Wetherell who has won it five times. Bradley Wiggins has won it twice, once as National Champion in 2011.

The race has been a Premier Calendar event for the past seven years and has now gone up in status for 2014 as it becomes a UCI 1.2 event in 2014m one of only four UCI Road Races in the UK in 2014.

The race, won last year by Dean Downing, is centred around the village of Stamfordham and takes in the fearsome climb of the Ryals. Overseas riders will be invited to the event as it is a UCI event. Some of these Teams will be European Tour teams and may contain some famous Continental riders.

Race HQ will be Stamfordham Village Hall where there will be refreshments for spectators and toilet facilities. The two Pubs in Stamfordham and the Black Bull in Matfen will also be offering refreshments for spectators. There will be a Trade Village on the village green in Stamfordham offering lots of entertainment throughout the day.

Spectators will not be allowed to park in Stamfordham and will be directed to designated parking areas outside the village. More details will be given in the programme and parking areas will be signposted.

The race will be subject to a rolling road closure which will be under the control of the Central Police Escort Team and the National Escort Group. There will be delays and all spectators are urged not to attempt to drive around the course unnecessarily.

The race will start at 1.00pm and will be a combination of two circuits. The larger circuit is 22.3 miles and includes the climb of the Ryals which will be tackled four times by the riders. The smaller circuit is 13.9 mls and this will be tackled twice. The race will start with one lap of the smaller circuit before going on to complete 4 laps of the larger circuit and then finish with a final lap of the small circuit. Total distance 117mls (187km).

Memorable moment – Peter Kennaugh attacks, attacks, and attacks again to split the race on the Ryals.

The race will be open to the following:
UCI Professional Continental Teams registered in the UK
UCI Continental Teams
National Teams
Regional and club Teams

The maximum number of riders per team will be 8 and a team must start with a minimum of 5 (UCI 2.2.003)