News – Courses for British Road Championships

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VeloUK speaks to organiser Richard Williamson about the courses for the British road championships in 2016 (Stockton on Tees)

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News – Courses for British Road Championships

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Ian Wilkinson winning the Stockton GP in 2013

The 2016 British Road Championships will take place in Stockton-on-Tees from 23-26 June racing on the roads used not only for the Stockton GP but also the Stockton circuit race in the town centre.

Thursday will see the time trials, Friday some Youth crits in Stockton town centre, Saturday the Sportive and then Sunday the road races.

Road Race
The road races will take place on Sunday 26 June with current road world champion Lizzie Armitstead and Team Sky’s Pete Kennaugh among the stars expected to return to defend their British titles.

The race will based on a course used for four years already for the Stockton Grand Prix. Winners of that race have included Russell Downing, Ian Wilkinson, Graham Briggs and last year Chris Opie showing what a sprinters paradise it has been.

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Good section for blocking the road on the main circuit LoL!

When organiser Richard Williamson was asked, is the championship course much different to the Stockton GP, he replied “no, the only difference is the start/finish. This year is on the High street pretty much where the crit used to start and finish.”

“The race will start on the High street and head out on the long straight road past Tescos and climb up the dual carriageway and join the main circuit. They’ll stay on the big circuit (up and down but no major climbs) for a few more laps than they used too (12 for the men but six for the women). The circuit will take in the villages of Carlton, Thorpe Thewles and Redmarshall.

The riders will then return to Stockton town centre joining the finishing circuit at the same place as it has done before on a slightly revised course that will still head into the roads around the university area (not doing the out and back bit) before heading back along the riverside (further along it) before going into the town centre and through the finish area.

Three finishing circuit laps in the women’s race and six in the men’s.

The Men’s and Women’s races will be run separately on the day.

FINISHING CIRCUIT – ROAD RACE

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MAIN  CIRCUIT

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Women’s road race (timings approximate)
9am: Women’s road race starts
10.45am: Race joins finishing circuit
11.30am: Women’s road race finishes
11.45am: Women’s road race presentation

Men’s road race
1pm: Men’s road race start
5pm: Race joins finishing circuit
6pm: Men’s road race finishes
6.15pm: Men’s road race presentation
AlpsCyclesMidstory

Time Trial
Won in 2015 by Alex Dowsett (mens), Hayley Simmonds (women’s) and Scott Davies (under 23), this year’s time trial will see the riders complete a 7.6 mile course with the men completing four laps, while the women and U23 categories will each complete three. One surprise entrant may be Chris Froome who the organiser met at the airport this week.

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In summary, the organiser Richard Williamson says “it’s an interesting mix” adding the course is technical in places but also gives the riders time on a dual carriageway where they can get their head down.

“It starts and finishes in the High street, drops down to the riverside where they will do a little bit of the finishing circuit and then it climbs up over the A66 which is the only ‘hill’ and then it goes out on a straight dual carriageway section for about two and half miles in each direction with a roundabout separating the two bits”.

Schedule
1.01pm: Under-23 men’s time trial starts
2.45pm: Under-23 men’s time trial presentation
3.16pm: Elite women’s time trial starts
5.00pm Elite women’s presentation
5.31pm: Elite men’s time trial starts
7pm: Elite men’s time trial presentation

NRR-TT-OUT-OF-TOWN-COURSE

 

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