Event News: CiCLE Classic (Women & Junior Men)

Fast approaching are the Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics held during the Spring Classic period of the season in March in a race from Melton Mowbray into the rural lanes around the famous town

Event News: CiCLE Classic (Women & Junior Men)

Fast approaching are the Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics and Melton Mowbray can be proud that it has once again been chosen to host the UK’s first major British Cycling’s National series races of 2024.

It is just three weeks now remaining until the 8th ANEXO /CAMS Women’s and 10th Junior CiCLE Classics take to local roads. Over 120 riders are already entered for the Junior race and a similar number of competitors is fast approaching for the Women’s race proving the popularity of the races whose character is embedded in the philosophy of the ‘true’ Spring Classic races of Northern Europe.

Last year’s winner of the junior race, Ben Marsh (BCC) has since moved into the Under 23 ranks and will start in April’s International version of the race, assuring a new winner on this occasion. Recently entered however, is last year’s Women’s winner Jessica Finney riding for the renamed for 2024 Doltcini-O’Shea team, who will no doubt be looking to become the first woman to win the race twice.

Both events will start and finish in the centre of Melton Mowbray having taken in a gruelling 105 kms course involving the hardest rural roads and tracks that East Leicestershire has to offer although a number of small changes to the course from previous years have been necessitated owing to the ongoing development of the new Melton Mowbray Distributor Road.

THE 2024 RACE ROUTE

“Last year we held the two races for the first time at this earlier date, a few weeks in advance of the Men’s long established International race in April. Everyone last year seemed to love the result.”, said Race Director Colin Clews. He continued, “The conditions had the feel of a ‘real’ Spring Classic with riders appearance at the finish similar to that seen at the Northern European races that the events are meant to emulate.”

“So here we are again! Not without some issues however on this occasion as the new Distributor Road has meant the loss of the final off road section of Sawgate Lane after the first passage of Melton. We are therefore grateful to Stapleford Estate for allowing these earlier races to add in the longer off road section through the beautiful park land as the new final challenge for competitors in all our races this year.”

Once again the events will receive sponsorship from the ANEXO Group and CAMS, and will offer the biggest prize funds within the UK Women’s and Junior Men’s race calendars with £1000 and £200 first prizes respectively. Further support of the first prizes in both races is provided by Dame Laura Kenny, whose name will once again be carried on the winner’s trophies.

Additional sponsorship is provided by Melton BID, Schwalbe UK, and on this occasion MiSupplies who will sponsor the Queen and King of the Bergs (Climbers) competition within both races as well as at the Men’s International race on 28th April.

Following the cancellation of the Women’s National Tour in 2023 and also this year, the Women’s CiCLE Classic will be one of the countries major targets for domestic teams this year and the competition for the win is bound to be intense with several teams bringing along their non British riders to strengthen their challenge.

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BACKGROUND
The Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics are both British Cycling National Road Series races for their respective categories. In 2024, the Women’s race will have its 8th edition and the Junior Men their 10th edition. Both races are held over the same 110 kms course featuring many of the unique and best components of the International Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic which has been held since 2005.

The latter remains Britain’s ONLY Men’s single day international road race. The Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics will take place on a new date of Sunday 17th March, starting and finishing in Melton Mowbray. Start time for the Junior Men is 09.30 hrs and 14.00 for the Women. Both events are expected to take just over 2 and a half hours to complete.
The international race between Oakham, Rutland’s county town, and nearby Melton Mowbray, will then take place a month later on Sunday 28th April.