Ilkley Cycle Races celebrate a decade on Friday

It’s now just a matter of days before The Ilkley Cycle Races will see hundreds of the best cyclists from Britain and beyond race through the streets of Ilkley on Friday the 28th, 10 years after the first races were held in the town.

There will be a carnival-like atmosphere along The Grove, which serves as the Start/Finish straight. The evening starts at 5.15pm when Isabel Ashman, Ilkley’s Town Crier, will address the town from the British Cycling Stage at The Grove.

The timetable for this evening is:

• 5:30 PM, the first race starts: the MAS Design Under 16s Race. This is for the youngest racers, both girls and boys.

• After the youth race, Ilkley Cycling Club’s ‘Pedal in the park’ competitors will head to The Grove to show off their skills.

• 6:40 p.m., the Men’s 93 Cycles Classic Race begins. What follows is more than 35 minutes of controlled chaos as category two, three and four racers torture themselves on the tight one-mile circuit with the tough climb up Riddings Road on each lap.

• 7.30pm, the light should be softening by the time the Ilkley Car Audio Women’s Grand Prix takes place. The woman to beat is Millie Couzens, who will defend her title after being crowned race winner last year.

• 8.30pm, the last race of the evening is the Lister Horsfall Grand Prix. It lasts 60 minutes and riders reach breathtaking speed as they complete a lap around the track approximately every two minutes. This year’s race includes a wildcard entry, Cole Davis. Originally from Sacramento, California, Cole now rides for Ribble Rebellion and is the most successful elite cyclist in the US this season with several wins at Speedweek and the Sea Otter Classic.

Once the race is over, attention turns to the British Cycling podium at The Grove, where the winners of each race will collect their trophies and winnings. The prize money on offer is over £5,000 and is the same for both men and women. Cycling is one of the few sports where equal pay for women is now the norm. Booths and Erica Berry Flowers have provided prizes for all race winners and each race also includes a sprint lap with prizes for this provided by other local companies.

In addition to popular restaurants and bars such as Martinez on The Grove, there are plenty of options for food and drinks throughout the evening. Lishman’s will once again be serving their popular sausages and burgers alongside Ilkley Brewery, who will be serving their favorite Mary Jane session ale with drinks from Bini Brew. Max & Enzo from La Stazione will be back selling prosecco from their tuk-tuk at the bandstand, along with Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream, who will be serving up a cool summer treat. Buzz Coffee provides hot drinks at the foot of Parish Ghyll Road.

A spokesperson for the races said: “Bringing high quality racing to Ilkley Town Center would not be possible without the hard work of the organizing committee, supported by Ilkley Cycling Club, who provide the small army of volunteers required for a successful evening entertainment and British Cycling. that provide the necessary infrastructure. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make the evening a success.”

In preparation for the event, The Grove will be closed at 3.45pm, with the rest of the circuit closed from 4.30pm. This should open again at 9:40 PM. followed by The Grove around 10:25 p.m.