While Chris Froome (above) is currently battling it out on this year’s Tour de France, back here in Blighty, we’re getting excited about when next year’s race comes to town.
This Friday sees the official countdown begin, exactly a year from when the world’s top cyclists will take to the roads of Yorkshire on the 2014 Grand Depart.
To celebrate, Your-hols.com has teamed up with VisitEngland to show off some of the country’s best adventures on two wheels.
Prudential RideLondon
August 3-4, 2013
The cycling events of last year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games were among the most exciting, and this year’s new Prudential RideLondon event will bring back that buzz to the capital. The two-day festival will feature a series of events for amateur, club and world elite cyclists, many of which retrace the steps (or should that be ‘revolutions’) of last year’s events. Some 200,000 people are expected to descend on the city for the event from outside of London.
Saturday will see 70,000 cyclists take part in the Freecycle, a family fun ride on an eight mile loop of closed roads around London’s iconic landmarks (free to enter, registration advised). The following day, 20,000 amateur, club and world class elite cyclists will cycle a 100 mile route from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, taking in much of the route of the London 2012 road race.
See www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk
Inspired Breaks, One Year On
Take inspiration from the Games and head for a family cycling break of your own. Just over half an hour from the centre of London, the Essex countryside offers tranquillity and charm, as well as excellent cycling routes. Start your day with a gentle stroll through Hadleigh Country Park, which hosted the Games’ mountain bike events. Teeming with wildlife, the 387 acres are a serene blend of hay meadows, marshland, pastures and woodland all bordered with fuzzy old hedgerows. Following one of the many winding paths will take you up to the 700-year-old Hadleigh Castle.
Set to become one of the greatest cycling facilities in the world, Lee Valley VeloPark will become one of the most iconic legacies of London 2012 when it reopens in early 2014. The venue will combine no fewer than four cycling disciplines in one venue, making it a fantastic asset for the whole country. It’s already been selected as the British bid for the 2016 Track Cycling World Championships – the most significant track cycling event before the Olympic Games in Rio.
The challenging London 2012 BMX track, which was the scene of some spectacular racing amongst the world’s greatest riders, will be adapted for public use, while 9km of mountain bike trails and a one mile road racing circuit will also be added to complete the finest cycling venue in the country. Cafes, cycle hire and workshop facilities will also be in the mix. Best of all, you don’t have to be a world class cyclist to make the most of this iconic venue. For more information, visit www.visitleevalley.org.uk
Outside of the capital, Manchester’s National Cycling Centre was Britain’s first indoor Olympic cycling track and, since it opened in 1994, it has become one of the world’s finest and fastest board tracks. The track is in constant use seven days a week and, thanks to the comprehensive programme of activities for all levels of ability, it is one of the busiest in the world. From elite athletes to novices and even celebs (prima ballerina Darcy Bussell and Lord Sebastian Coe have both cycled at Manchester Velodrome), the track offers sessions to anyone seeking to experience this exciting sport. Regular users of the track include members of the GB track cycling team, such as Sir Chris Hoy and Laura Trott.
For more information, visit www.nationalcyclingcentre.com
Trend Alert! Cycle Café Culture
As the number of bike enthusiasts, specialist shops and cafes are popping up all over the place aiming to make cycling sociable and create the perfect post-pedalling pit stop. These new hubs offer Wiggo-wannabes and their families a place to meet, repair and refuel. Look mum no hands! on Old Street in London combines a workshop (including onsite mechanics for those in need of a tune-up) with a trendy café bar, screening films and major cycling events. In Newcastle, The Cycle Hub, brought to you from the people behind Saddle Skedaddle Cycling Holidays, is a social enterprise that promotes and facilitates cycling, complete with bike hire facilities, cafe, bike shop and repair workshop. Whether you’re a mountain biker or passionate about BMX, a single speed aficionado or road purist, everyone is welcome here. It’s also an information centre for all cycling related things in and around Newcastle, from guided rides, cycle training, transfer services and local clubs. In the country, the Dales Bike Centre in Yorkshire is recognised for its excellent local food and quality coffee. From their infamous bacon sandwich to Bren’s scrumptious Brownie, the Yorkshire treats are perfect reward after a long ride.
England’s starring role in the 2014 Tour de France
July 5-7, 2014
The first two stages will take competitors through some of the country’s most historic and beautiful spots, including the Roman walled city of York, cosmopolitan Leeds, the cathedral city of Ripon and Sheffield – one of Europe’s great sporting cities. Stage three takes the peloton from the historic university town of Cambridge through the beautiful Epping Forest to London, travelling via the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to an spectacular finish on The Mall.
The atmosphere along the route is sure to be electric. Plan your holiday to coincide with The Tour and combine the sporting action with some cycling trips of your own. The Yorkshire Wolds (that inspired David Hockney’s marvellous landscapes), the North York Moors (setting for Wuthering Heights) make spectacular backdrops for a spot of cycling. The county is packed with historic pubs and excellent restaurants that make perfect pit stops. For more information, visit letour.yorkshire.com or www.visitengland.com.
