News – Phil Corley Cycles Festival of Cycling

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Phil Corley Cycles will be opening the challenge to all during the first week of May to take part in their Festival Of Cycling

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News – Phil Corley Cycles Festival of Cycling

from Gordon Wiseman
Phil Corley Cycles will be opening the challenge to all during the first week of May to take part in their Festival Of Cycling when there will be an opportunity for riders and racers to participate in at least one of the full schedule of races and sportives planned.

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Stages of the 3 day:

— May 2nd, crit at the Bowl,

— May 3rd morning, road race around the triangle,

— May 3rd afternoon, TTT around the triangle,

— May 4th, road race around Astwood.

Over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, in conjunction with Alpha RC, the Milton Keynes based retailer will be sponsoring the Tour of Milton Keynes, a 3-day National B event for teams of five riders. And, as they have done in the past, HWS Accountants of Bletchley will again be providing further support to this and other events during the Festival.

2013 saw the race held as a two-day event although even back then, Paul Freeman – who’ll playing a major role in organising a number of the Festival’s races – had it in mind the extend the Tour of MK into a three day event.

The 300km stage race starts on Friday evening with an hour long crit.  “We’ve got about 70 riders so far” said Freeman, “so anyone wanting to enter should do so fast. As well as the Corley Cycles squad, local competition will be coming from Team Spirit and CC Luton but other confirmed entries so far include Pedal Heaven who we know will be sending a strong line-up as they fine tune their preparation for the Tour Series that starts soon after our Tour.

“We had great feedback from the inaugural race in 2013 which Ben Stockdale of Metaltek-KOO won by just 5 seconds. But the whole event featured some great team work being played out throughout the three stages. We hope this year’s race will be battled out just as keenly”.

On the May Bank Holiday Monday, starting from the Stacey Bushes home of Corley Cycles, there will be 160km and 80km Sportives  taking in the most challenging roads that Buckinghamshire and Northants. have to offer.

With full electronic timing for all riders, photographers along the route, Team Corley Cycles riders on hand to give support and encouragement and goodie bags – containing a T shirt, gels and a bottle – this promises to be memorable day out for all who register to take part.

Corley’s Katie Simcock said “A lot of the week will be taken up by racing events but the Sportives on Bank Holiday Monday will give the more leisurely oriented riders a chance to ride with large numbers of others. This will be an ideal occasion for other women cyclists to come and take part”.

During the middle of the week the MK Bowl will play host to its usual programme of racing for all ages. Tuesday night will see the LVRC members in competition, the always well supported Wednesday Youth races – remember Team Sky pro Ian Stannard started his career in similar Wednesday night races at the National Bowl – finishing off on Thursday night with the long standing King of the Bowl series.

The mid-week programme also includes on Wednesday 7 May the LVRC Region 7 Road Race championships around the ‘tricky triangle’ circuit.

Organised Paul Freeman said “Although we’re holding the Region 7 champs mid-week I’ve already received nearly 80 entries. Hopefully riders in the early race will remember the principle of helping out later in the day as, being a mid-week race, support from all LVRC members will be really appreciated”.

The week finishes off with the Alpha RC – Corley Cycles Andy Morrison Memorial Road Race, again at Cranfield’s ‘tricky triangle’ circuit. The 2/3/4 men’s 65km event will be supported by a 50km race for women.

“The Beds 3-day is only the week before so we know the women will have form” said Freeman who is also the long-time organiser of the Andy Morrison and was a fellow serving officer of Morrison before he died. “And the Johnsons Series starts soon after but so far I’ve only had 8 entries for the women’s event. We want to support all classes of racing so I hope there’s more entries through my letter box in the weeks to come”.

Phil Corley is looking forward to the whole week’s programme of events and at the prospect of seeing, over the whole Festival period, hundreds of different riders taking part in the various races and rides.

“This will hopefully be the first of the Corley’s Festival of Cycling because we’d like to repeat this in the years to come” said Phil Corley, the 1978 National Road Race champion. “We’ll be giving some riders the opportunity to ride in an organised event nearly every day of the week and that’s something that’ll really put the Festival on the map”.

 

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