In just a few days time, THE best road cyclists in the World will be coming up north to race the 92nd World Championships. They will be held in Yorkshire. That’s the county ‘next door’ to us here in Lancashire.
So whether you are from the county next door, or further afield, here’s a quick guide to the week long festival, featuring the World’s best bike riders.
BIG Numbers
1400 athletes
90 Countries
Global TV Audience 250 million
6000 delegates, technicians and journalists
2000+ Volunteers
37 Years since the last Cycling World Championships in the UK
Classic Roads
The routes of the World Championships races are likely to provide a true test for the riders who have their eyes on the famous rainbow jerseys.
Elite Men’s Road Race
The Elite Men’s road race route is largely a re run of stage 1 of the 2014 Tour De France. With riders heading out for a 187k lap of the Yorkshire Dales, over the relatively gentle climbs of Kidstones, Buttertubs and Grinton before a fairly flat-ish run in to the 14k Harrogate finishing circuit. Seven laps of the tough finishing circuit make a total of 287 kilometres.
Tips for the Podium:
Peter Sagan, Julian Alaphilippe, Mathieu Van Der Poel, Philippe Gilbert, Michael Mathews, Greg Van Avermaet, Remco Evenpoel
Elite Women’s Road Race
The Elite women tackle a 150k loop from Bradford to the Harrogate finishing circuit. The selection of rolling climbs through Otley and Pateley Bridge as well as the tougher ascent of Lofthouse should set up a ‘grand finale’ following 3 laps of the challenging finishing circuit.
Tips for the Podium:
Anna Van Der Breggen, Marianne Vos, Lizzie Deignan, Anniemiek Van Vleuten
As well as the road races, there are time trials for all categories; U23, Junior, Para cycling and the all new Mixed Relay TTT event, there are plenty of opportunities to see the action.
Best Viewing?
Elite Men Road Race (29th) Kidstones / Buttertubs / Grinton / Harrogate
Elite Women Road Race (28th) Lofthouse / Harrogate
U23 Men Road Race (27th) Ripon / Greenhow / Harrogate
Junior Women Road Race (27th) West Park / Spofforth / Harrogate
Junior Men Road Race (26th) Kidstones / Blubberhouses / Harrogate
Elite Men TT (25th) Ripon / Grewelthorpe / Ripley / Harrogate
Elite Women TT (24th) Ripon / Harrogate
U23 Men TT (24t) Bedlam / Birstwith / Harrogate
Junior Men TT (23rd) West Park / Pine Woods / Harrogate
Junior Women TT (23rd) West Park / Pine Woods / Harrogate
Team Time Trial Mixed Relay(22nd) West Park / Harrogate
Para Cycling(21st) Harrogate / West Park
The challenging Harrogate finishing circuit features plenty of opportunities for last big efforts to capture the famous rainbow jerseys throughout the week.
Local Athletes
All eyes will be on local riders; Lizzie Deignan (road race passes through her home town, Otley) to see if she can win the rainbow bands on home roads. Tom Pidcock (U23 Road Race & TT) will hopefully be making his race return following on from a horror crash a few weeks ago in the Tour De L’Avenir. Word from Tom’s coach and friend of Merlin Cycles, Tom Barras, is that he is good to race.
Local Pride
I rode for the Knaresborough CC in the late 80’s / early 90’s, sponsored by local mattress manufacturers, Dunlopillo. I can’t help thinking what team / race organiser Keith Thompson would have thought, or my former team mate Beryl Burton (2X World Road Race Winner), or UK bike trade kingpin & mail order pioneer, Ron Kitching. With the successful TDF visit in 2014, regular visits from the Tour De Yorkshire, and now the 2019 World Championships, the Harrogate area’s rich cycling heritage has definitely flourished.
Check out the UCI World Championship Website for all the details here
