British Cycling can today reveal the route details for this year’s British National Road Championships in Redcar and Cleveland, with the two road races set to be decided by a stunning climb to the finish up Saltburn Bank.
A total of 10 coveted national champion’s jerseys are up for grabs across the three days of racing from 21-25 June, with the time-trials starting and finishing in neighbouring North Yorkshire on Croft Motor Racing Circuit, the circuit races centered around the coastal streets of Redcar town centre, and the road races starting and finishing in Saltburn. Entries for all three events are now open will close on Sunday 28 May. You can enter the time-trial here, the circuit race here, and the road race here.
The time-trials will kick off the championships on Wednesday 21 June in neighbouring North Yorkshire, starting and finishing in the pit lane at Croft Circuit. Upon leaving the circuit the route will then take in the picturesque roads of Dalton-on-Tees on what is set to be a fast and flat course.
The under-23 women, under-23 men, and elite women will set a time over two laps of the course, totalling 27.4km, while the elite men will complete three laps and 41.1km. With less than 50 metres of climbing per lap, the riders will be looking to set lightning quick times on what will be one of the fastest courses the national championships has ever seen.
The circuit races will then take place on Friday 23 June on a tight and technical 1km circuit around the picturesque seaside town of Redcar, with riders starting on the seafront before heading down the high street. Both the men’s and women’s races will be contested over 55 minutes plus five laps.
The road races will conclude this year’s championships on Sunday 25 June, starting and finishing just after Saltburn Bank, which has a maximum gradient of more than 22%. The climb will separate the best from the rest with its tight hairpin bends, following soon after a fast descent.
Both the men and women will follow an 18.8km loop, with the women completing seven laps to cover 132km, and the men taking on 10 laps and 189km. Each lap will start by heading into the villages of East Cleveland, passing the historic Skelton Castle, before heading through the old mining sites in Kilton. Riders will then drop back down to the coast of Saltburn before firing up Saltburn Bank to the finish.
The women’s race features 2,826m of climbing over the challenging terrain, with a mix of longer drags and punchy hills, while the men will tackle 4,073m of climbing.
Great Britain Cycling Team rider Charlie Tanfield, who also rides for Saint Piran, said: “I’m so excited to be racing on home roads in Redcar and Cleveland. My first memories of riding on these roads were from when I was a young lad on the local club run, climbing up the local hills and trying to hang onto the older, quicker climbers in the group. I guess it hasn't changed too much since and it's a similar story in hilly races, I'm just the older rider now!
“Saltburn Bank is steep and it's over pretty quickly, but the drag out of Saltburn actually hurts me more. My first memory of climbing out of here was in the first Klondike road race in the National Road Series and I won the KOM prize!
“There’s a bit of a cycling culture around here, and there's great roads so it naturally attracts cyclists from across the country. Since the Tour de France then the Tour de Yorkshire, people have been able to see the Dales and what it has to offer. I truly believe in my slightly biased opinion that there aren’t any other regions in the UK that has as good roads and climbs to ride on!”
Fran Anderson, Assistant Director for Health and Communities at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said:
“Bringing the British National Road Championships to Redcar and Cleveland is a real coup for the area, and seeing the very best cyclists in the country racing hard on our roads will be a brilliant spectacle.
“The circuit race in Redcar will be fast and exhilarating to watch. The road race will take the cyclists through stunning countryside and beautiful coastline, providing both a technically and physically demanding circuit - only the very the strongest will cross the finish line with their arms raised and pull on the national champion’s jersey. The multi-lap race will also be great for spectators who will be able to see the riders come through numerous times.
“We hope both races encourage people to get on their bikes more and that the event inspires the next generation of future riders from the area, following in the footsteps of local riders such as Charlie Tanfield. The event will also provide a great boost to the local economy as the international cycling community descends up on our borough, and enjoys all that we have to offer. We are really excited for this great event and can’t wait to get going.”
Media accreditation for the British National Road Championships is also now open, and you can apply here.