News: Women/Juniors CiCLE Classic

After the continuing success of the Rutland – Melton International CiCLE Classic just a few weeks ago, Sunday 9th June sees the 4th edition of the Women’s and 6th edition of the Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics.

News: Women/Juniors CiCLE Classic

And now for …..the Women’s CiCLE Classic, the hardest Women’s race… anywhere?

With current Olympic and World Champions having won the past two editions of the Women’s race, a battle royal is expected for the top honours in the race which many have after a relatively short period of time begun to regard as the highlight of their seasons.

The Women’s race in particular is unique in its atmosphere and make up but also is the only race on the British calendar to be sponsored by a single individual without any specific commercial interest to pursue or publicise.
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“When initially approached by Pete Stanton some four years ago and asked if I would stage a Women’s race similar to the successful Men’s race, I was unsure of what to expect”, said Race Director Colin Clews. “But, once I realised that Pete was sincere and that his love and passion to see Women’s racing develop in the UK was his driving force, the answer could only be yes. The result is as we now see a race that has created its own momentum and reputation”.

The Women’s CiCLE Classic will once again form the third round of the National Women’s Road race series for 2019 and is expected to see over 100 of Britain’s best Women road racing cyclists take to the roads of East Leicestershire on the afternoon of Sunday 9th June.

With a £1000 first prize, more than the prize for winning the National Championships for either Men or Women, and with prizes down to 20th place, the competitors will have everything to ride for. However, as is proved every April in the International CiCLE Classic race, now in its 15th year, in front of the competitors will be possibly the hardest course that a Women’s race anywhere in the World will encounter.

The Women’s CiCLE Classic has been designed to reflect the toughness and character of a Men’s race, something that has been lacking in the recent rush to provide racing opportunities for Women across the World. ”From the outset, we have aimed to make the Women’s CiCLE Classic a replica in quality and presentation of its International ‘big brother’, but also to do so without making the usual concessions that are made by promoters to the ‘fairer sex’.
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We wanted to provide British Women racers with an event that tests them to the extreme, and replicates the cut and thrust of continental racing, something that only the CiCLE Classic can offer,” said overall CiCLE Classics Race Director Colin Clews.

Following much of the hardest parts of the route of the longest established British International one day Men’s race, the Rutland – Melton CiCLE Classic held each April, the Women’s course will take in five passages of Owston village, the now established ‘heart’ of the CiCLE Classic, as well as two passages of the dreaded ‘Somerberg’ off road section near Somerby in addition to one ascent of Cold Overton Hill, which will be the first climb counting for the Queen of the Hills competition which will also take in Burrough and Cuckoo Hills to complete that competition.

The event which will start at 14.00 hrs from Sherrard Street and finish at the same point, will cover in between a 105 kms course. In the same way as the International CiCLE Classic now finishes, the Women will pass through the finish line in Melton’s Sherrard Street once before taking in a 15 kms finishing circuit involving Burton Road, Sawgate Lane, Stapleford Lane and Saxby Road before returning to Sherrard Street to finish properly at around 17.15 hrs.

The day will centre around the Women’s race, but in the morning the Junior Men will first take to similar roads to contest the 6th edition of the Junior Men’s CiCLE Classic. Whilst in previous recent editions of the Junior race their course has been exactly the same as the Women, on this occasion, an unfortunate clash of dates with the Stapleford Park miniature Railways open day has necessitated a change to the finish route taken into Melton Town centre.

The Junior Men’s route back to Melton will therefore not include a circuit this time, but a reverse passage of Sawgate special sector and a fast descent down burton Road before a technical last kilometre to enter the finish straight in the usual direction. The Junior men’s race will start at 09.30 hrs and take in a 98.1 kms course which will be enhanced by a further lap of the Owston- Burrough circuit to compensate for a loss of the finishing loop.