Updated article by Gordon Wiseman on a round of the World Cup Cyclo-Cross coming to Milton Keynes in 2014
![]() |
by Gordon Wiseman
After rumours started circulating when a round of the cyclo-cross National Trophy Series was held in the city in December last year, representatives from the UCI, cycling’s world body, visited Milton Keynes last week to cast an eye over a potential venue at Campbell Park for a round of World Cup later this year.
A World Cup would certainly inspire many youngsters from getting involved in a fast growing sport.
If successful – and Simon Burney who has been working with the MK Council in putting the bid together rates the city’s chances as nearly 99% certain – it will be a major coup for the Council and the many thousands who compete regularly in cycling’s premier winter discipline.
As cycle sport continues to grow in its popularity in the UK, so does the number of major bike races that are visiting our shores. With the Giro d’Italia starting in Belfast in May and the Tour de France hosting its Grand Départ in Yorkshire in July, a round of the cyclo-cross World Cup will give British spectators another opportunity to see the world’s best riders on their doorstep.
Milton Keynes has a thriving bike racing background with racing for all age groups taking place weekly at the National Bowl in the summer and in the 80s and 90s hosted rounds of the prestigious Milk Race, then the country’s top road race.
Burney has spent most of his life involved in bike racing as both a rider and manager at the very top of the sport – he managed the Great Britain mountain bike teams at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and is a UCI technical delegate – and knows exactly what it takes to organise a top event and attract the best riders in the world.
Local Roy Chamberlain competing at the National Trophy in Milton Keynes
He explained how the MK Council bid came about: “There was an article on one of the cycling websites around August/September last year about there being a slot on the calendar for a round of this season’s World Cup and Richard Duffill who I’ve known for years – Richard is the Council’s Cycling Development Officer – “gave me a call and things pretty much went from there.”
“Campbell Park will make an ideal venue for a major cyclo-cross event. It’s naturally a hilly area and only a hundred yards or so from the city centre so is easily accessible for hotels, restaurants and shops. Most World Cup races take place away from a city centre so to have an event in the middle of a city as big as Milton Keynes will be something really different.”
Organiser and high flyer in the off road world, Simon Burney.
“And with easy access to Milton Keynes via the motorway network and major airports this will make it easy to get to for the teams, riders and spectators. And Campbell Park also will make a great backdrop for TV coverageâ€.
Richard Duffill gave some further background behind the decision to bid for a round of the cyclo cross World Cup in the context of Milton Keynes overall blueprint for increasing cycling in the city: “As part of our aspirations for all cycle sport in Milton Keynes, we aim to give new cyclists of all ages that image of the top professionals in their sport and there’s very few sports we actually do that in.”
“The cyclo cross World Cup would give junior riders the opportunity to see really elite cyclists.”
“For Milton Keynes it means that we then have to put together a programme of events and training events that the juniors in the city, no matter what their level of ability, will be able to come and have a go. We’ll roll that out in conjunction with British Cyclingâ€.
The crowd lining the barriers says it all when it comes to the popularity of top level cross. Here, a regular on the European Circuit in World Cups, Ian Field (Hargroves Cycles) wins the British championship and if the World Cup comes to Milton Keynes, he’ll be there in the British Champions colours.
And what is the attraction of this predominantly winter based sport? “Cyclo cross is a great sport to watch because it always happens within a very small circuit and there’s mud, there’s climbing, there’s riding and there’s the technical skill of the riders which is always incredibly high. And it all happens within easy view of everybodyâ€.
The UCI delegation included Beat Wabel, the Swiss rider who was both a Junior and Senior World champion at cyclo-cross. Burney said Wabel was very positive about the suggested course which will be between 2.5 and 2.7kms in length. “Beat said the course has great potential. He suggested that we move the pits area†– with mud being a major feature in cyclo-cross races, top riders regularly swap bikes during a race – “and made some other suggestions as well which we’ll take on boardâ€.
Britain hosted the World Championships in 1992 and in 2012 the European championships took place in Ipswich. Currently, Britain’s women are the number 1 team in the World rankings with Helen Wyman having won the European championships for the last two years.
European Champion Helen Wyman winning the Briutish title recently to add to the European one… hmmm, Â decisions, decisions; which jersey to wear!
“Our getting a round of the World Cup coming to Britain ten or so years ago would have been out of the question but now cycling is such a huge sport and our women are doing so well, holding the World Cup here would be massive and will hopefully encourage more and more youngsters take up the sportâ€.
In northern Europe’s heartlands of the sport it’s not only the skill of the riders that the many thousands of spectators flock to watch but also the provision of more basic needs that have to be satisfied. And Duffill confirmed that this is receiving their closest attention: “Providing enough frites and mayonnaise is at the top of our list of priorities. That and making sure there’s a big enough beer tent as well!â€
The proposed date for the race is Saturday 29 November with a round of the National Trophy Series possibly taking place on the next day making it a double-header racing weekend. A decision about the Milton Keynes bid will be made by the sport’s World Council next week in the Netherlands just before the 2014 World Championships.
A high flyer in the Women’s World Cup, Nikki Harris will be just one of many stars competing in Milton Keynes next November.
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Result: Sussex Cycle Racing League Circuits 1/14
- Result: Hillingdon Slipstreamers Spring Series Event 1
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #15
- RESULT: 2nd Portsdown Classic
- Track Result – Manchester Regional Track League
- News: John Barclay Academy Launch
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #14
- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with Zack Lowe (Prologue Race Team)
- NEWS: 2025 ELITE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
- Crit Result: Odd Down Winter Series Rd 1
- Crit Result: Chilly City Crits Rd 2
- CX Result: London/South East CX League 10
- Track Result: 2025 Manchester Regional Track League
- Another World Title for Zoe Backstedt
- TRAGIC NEWS: Aidan Loses His Life in Training Accident
- Tom Pidcock wins the AlUla Tour
- Q&A with Elliot Fraser (360cycling)
- GB Team Win World Title at CX Worlds
- Second stage win for Tom Pidcock in AlUla Tour
- 2025 West Midlands road race league
- NEWS: Ribble Cycles Bike Sponsor for Smurfit Westrock Team
- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with young talent Mark Ketteringham
- Startlist: RCR Portsdown Classic Road Race (February 9)
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #13
- Crit Result: Chilly City Crits Rd 1
- CX Result: Linlithgow Cross 2025
- QUIZ TIME!! REBECCA WOODVINE
- CX Result: London and South East CX League 9
- CX Results: Eastern Region CX League Rd 10
- CX Result: Wessex Cyclocross League Round 12
- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with Oscar Nisbett
- CX Result: NWCCA League Round 11
- Track Result: Manchester Regional Track League
- QUIZ TIME: Britain’s Joe Turnbull
- CYCLOCROSS: 2025-26 LLOYDS NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES CALENDAR
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #12
- QUIZ TIME! Dan Kemp (Prologue Junior Race Team)
- CX Result: Jersey Cyclocross League Jan 19
- CX Result: Army Cyclocross Champs 2025
- CX Result: Leicestershire Cyclocross League Rd 6
Other News on VeloUK
- News: John Barclay Academy Launch
- NEWS: 2025 ELITE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
- Another World Title for Zoe Backstedt
- TRAGIC NEWS: Aidan Loses His Life in Training Accident
- Tom Pidcock wins the AlUla Tour
- 2025 West Midlands road race league
- NEWS: Ribble Cycles Bike Sponsor for Smurfit Westrock Team
- Startlist: RCR Portsdown Classic Road Race (February 9)
- CYCLOCROSS: 2025-26 LLOYDS NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES CALENDAR
- 2025 British CycloCross Championships Day 2
- 2025 British CycloCross Championships Day 1
- TEAM NEWS: RAPTOR FACTORY RACING
- STARTLIST: 2025 British Cyclocross Championships
- Q&A: Louis Herring (Prologue Junior Race Team)
- BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS RIDER LIST
- NEXT WEEK: BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS – CYCLOPARK
- 2025 EVENTS: RTTC 10 mile TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
- THIS WEEKEND: NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES 2024/25 ROUND 5
- BMCR Newsletter January 2025
- TEAM NEWS: BCC Race Team 2025 Squad Announcement
- TEAM NEWS: 2025 Handsling Alba Development Road Team
- Q&A with Paul Opie & Tom Mead
- Team News: New Junior team for West Lothian Clarion
- 2025 Events: Plymouth Corinthian
- News: Junior/Youth National Series 2025
- Startlist: Round 4 National Trophy Cyclocross (Dec 7/8)
- ELITE ROAD AND CIRCUIT RACES CALENDAR
- Sad News: No Saint Piran team for 2025
- News: The Pedal Club Lunch (November)
- Team Update: Brother UK / Onform 2025
- 2025 NATIONAL TRACK CALENDAR ANNOUNCED
- CHS CICLISMO – Complimentary daily massage and spa!
- Team News: Fensham Howes – MAS Design 2025
- National Trophy Cyclocross: Round 3 (Torbay)
- Tofauti Everyone Active announces new partners and new name for 2025
- Rider News: Matt Thompson signs for French Team BMC Bezier
- News: Youth Tour of Scotland 2025
- FEATURE: Billy Ladle’s Stellar Season Recognised at British Cycling Awards
- 2025 Prologue Junior Race Team
- STARTLIST: BUCS Hill Climb Championships