UK Tour Series

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Starts on the road today for 3 rounds and highlights available on ITV4 as usual. Dates and times in link.

https://www.tourseries.co.uk/about/television/

 

[mjr]

Is it shorter because covid or other reasons?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Would hazard a guess that covid is somewhere in the mix

 

[DCLane]

There's a couple of my son's ex-teammates in the women's races, along with other riders we know in both. His team didn't get a slot, so we'll watch the highlights.

 

[Hacienda71]

It is running later this year. Normally starts May, but with everything going on it got pushed back. They can't really overlap with the TOB as most of the pro conti teams will be riding in that and it has the same organiser for both races.

 

[Cathryn]

Literally yesterday I started wondering about these kind of town centre races round the country. How do I find out more info? What kind of racing is it called? Who are the big teams that I could follow on Instagram to learn more about it? I’d love to go and watch some local races!

 

[DCLane]

Literally yesterday I started wondering about these kind of town centre races round the country. How do I find out more info? What kind of racing is it called? Who are the big teams that I could follow on Instagram to learn more about it? I’d love to go and watch some local races!

@Cathryn - this is the tour series: https://www.tourseries.co.uk/venues/ This is criterium road racing as a temporary circuit is built, whereas road racing is out on open roads. My son was doing the latter yesterday in the Seacroft Wheelers road race. Criteriums mostly happen on closed circuits rather than a temporary course due to the running cost. Road racing usually uses open roads with rolling road blocks or lead/follow cars.

There's lots of other races going on. British Cycling will have a list of local events and if you do a search then click 'More Filters' to filter it by 'Road race' in the Type of Event you'll work out what's going on near you in the future. They'll also get promoted on a British Cycling regional Facebook / Twitter group and looking at your location it'll be the South: https://www.facebook.com/groups/637784002971311/ / https://twitter.com/BCSouthRegion .

There's not that much near you except for Behind the Bikeshed's weekly series at Thruxton: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/237400/Behind-The-Bikesheds-Summer-Circuits-19 with others a bit further afield using Odd Down near Bath, or Alexandra Park in Portsmouth. There's also a road race on 22nd August in Shaftesbury ( https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/237386/John-Holman-Memorial-Race ) and the Junior Tour of the Mendips this weekend 13-15th August: http://www.bristol-cycling.com/section.php/5/1/junior_tour_of_the_mendips - my son's team is taking part but he's racing in Northern Ireland in their Junior Series of Ireland this weekend. The other big event is the Tour of Britain in September, although this isn't near you: https://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/stages/

The level of race depends on the type of licence required to take part. New racers have a 4th cat licence, progressing to 3rd cat (mine) then 2nd cat (my son's), 1st cat and Elite. The fastest races will be E/1/2 level: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roadst_Road-Categories_Classifications but you'll see decent racing at all levels. Women's racing uses the same categories although a lady can race in a men's race one category lower.

Pretty much every team has Facebook and Instagram accounts; i.e. my son's team's Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/jrc_shutt_ridley/?hl=en
They're based in Cheshire but there will be local teams near you. British Cycling's Clubfinder lists clubs and teams (shown as Club Commercial): https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubfinder I think your closest is the NoPinz team: https://www.nopinz.com/2021/07/team-profile-nopinz-motip-race-team/

Hope that helps as a start. Racing's a minefield - even just road racing - without even stepping into the madness that's cyclocross Or track, with Bournemouth near you having a velodrome.

 

[Cathryn]

@Cathryn - this is the tour series: https://www.tourseries.co.uk/venues/ This is criterium road racing as a temporary circuit is built, whereas road racing is out on open roads. My son was doing the latter yesterday in the Seacroft Wheelers road race. Criteriums mostly happen on closed circuits rather than a temporary course due to the running cost. Road racing usually uses open roads with rolling road blocks or lead/follow cars.

There's lots of other races going on. British Cycling will have a list of local events and if you do a search then click 'More Filters' to filter it by 'Road race' in the Type of Event you'll work out what's going on near you in the future. They'll also get promoted on a British Cycling regional Facebook / Twitter group and looking at your location it'll be the South: https://www.facebook.com/groups/637784002971311/ / https://twitter.com/BCSouthRegion .

There's not that much near you except for Behind the Bikeshed's weekly series at Thruxton: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/237400/Behind-The-Bikesheds-Summer-Circuits-19 with others a bit further afield using Odd Down near Bath, or Alexandra Park in Portsmouth. There's also a road race on 22nd August in Shaftesbury ( https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/237386/John-Holman-Memorial-Race ) and the Junior Tour of the Mendips this weekend 13-15th August: http://www.bristol-cycling.com/section.php/5/1/junior_tour_of_the_mendips - my son's team is taking part but he's racing in Northern Ireland in their Junior Series of Ireland this weekend. The other big event is the Tour of Britain in September, although this isn't near you: https://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/stages/

The level of race depends on the type of licence required to take part. New racers have a 4th cat licence, progressing to 3rd cat (mine) then 2nd cat (my son's), 1st cat and Elite. The fastest races will be E/1/2 level: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roadst_Road-Categories_Classifications but you'll see decent racing at all levels. Women's racing uses the same categories although a lady can race in a men's race one category lower.

Pretty much every team has Facebook and Instagram accounts; i.e. my son's team's Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/jrc_shutt_ridley/?hl=en
They're based in Cheshire but there will be local teams near you. British Cycling's Clubfinder lists clubs and teams (shown as Club Commercial): https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubfinder I think your closest is the NoPinz team: https://www.nopinz.com/2021/07/team-profile-nopinz-motip-race-team/

Hope that helps as a start. Racing's a minefield - even just road racing - without even stepping into the madness that's cyclocross Or track, with Bournemouth near you having a velodrome.

Thank you SO much for such a long detailed reply! I really appreciate it! Off to investigate!

 

[GuyBoden]

And for the over 40's there's the British Masters, also known by other names.
https://bmcr.org.uk/

https://www.riderhq.com/events?q=&a=SEARCH&type=RACE_LVRC&distance=&postcode=

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Just noticed the series highlights are also on GCN+

 

[Norry1]

And for the over 40's there's the British Masters, also known by other names.
https://bmcr.org.uk/

https://www.riderhq.com/events?q=&a=SEARCH&type=RACE_LVRC&distance=&postcode=

I race in the British Masters.

Anyone else on here?

 

[Hacienda71]

I race in the British Masters.

Anyone else on here?

Did a couple of their races when they were the LVRC. Did more TLI though who used to put more on in the NW. Not raced for over 5 years now though.

 

[Norry1]

Did a couple of their races when they were the LVRC. Did more TLI though who used to put more on in the NW. Not raced for over 5 years now though.

I also raced some TLI last year, including the National Road Champs in Clitheroe - and will do some this year as well.

What stopped you racing?

 

[Hacienda71]

I also raced some TLI last year, including the National Road Champs in Clitheroe - and will do some this year as well.

What stopped you racing?

Initially a trapped nerve in my neck that mean't that when I got low on the hoods or drops my left hand started going numb and looking forward was difficult.
Post recovering from that I have had a catalogue of injuries broke my sternum on the MTB, then bust my neck when I fainted, lost my driving licence as a result of the faint and then last summer broke my pelvis and three ribs after hitting a pothole at speed on the drops and was flung into the oncoming traffic.
The last race I did was a Brian Rourke sponsored Road Race down in Staffs in 2016. I punctured four laps into a six lap race. On the fifth lap there was a massive high speed crash with a couple of hospital cases. Kind of made me reassess.
I think if I started racing again in my 50's with my history my better half might have a sense of humor failure.

 

[Norry1]

Initially a trapped nerve in my neck that mean't that when I got low on the hoods or drops my left hand started going numb and looking forward was difficult.
Post recovering from that I have had a catalogue of injuries broke my sternum on the MTB, then bust my neck when I fainted, lost my driving licence as a result of the faint and then last summer broke my pelvis and three ribs after hitting a pothole at speed on the drops and was flung into the oncoming traffic.
The last race I did was a Brian Rourke sponsored Road Race down in Staffs in 2016. I punctured four laps into a six lap race. On the fifth lap there was a massive high speed crash with a couple of hospital cases. Kind of made me reassess.
I think if I started racing again in my 50's with my history my better half might have a sense of humor failure.

Blimey - that's a string of bad luck.

I'm 61, so age is no barrier. Crashing badly regularly however may well be