BEAUMONT TROPHY | SUNDAY 14TH JUNE 2009

A Premier Calendar Road Race,
established race of 57 years.

Beaumont Trophy | Event Information

The Beaumont Trophy is a long established event of 58yrs and has been won by many famous riders over the years. Details of its origin can be found in the history section of the main club website gosforthroadclub.com. The most prolific winner of the trophy is Ray Wetherell who won it 5 times in the 60’s when it was run over some very testing courses. The winners' names on the Trophy read as a whose who of cycle racing from the 1950's right the way through to 2008.

The event was won in 2008 by Rob Hayles of the Halfords Bikehut Team. also riding the event was Russell Downing who was third and went on to win the overall series. He was also the only GB rider to finish the World Road Race Championships in Varese, Italy.

In 2007 the event was awarded Premier Calendar status for the first time in it's history and was also the richest Premier Calendar event in the UK. The event will again be a Premier Calendar event in 2009 and is going to have an even higher profile than 2008. The number of spectators seen at the 2008 event were one of the highest in the UK for a Premier Calendar Road Race. Many were seen around the route and lined up on the Prime Hill of the Ryals and at the finish in Stamfordham.

The Premier Calendar events are used to select riders to represent Great Britain at International level. The race is run over 6 laps of a circuit based around Stamfordham, a picturesque village 13 miles NW of Newcastle and 5 miles from Newcastle airport.

The first two laps of 12.9 miles take the riders around a circuit which is undulating but not too hilly.

After the first two laps on the smaller circuit the riders switch onto the larger circuit of 22.3 miles. This circuit will be completed 3 times and includes the climb of the Ryals. This is a climb of 1.1 mls in length and has a maximum gradient of 33%. There is a prime on each lap and an overall KOM prize.

After the completion of the larger 3 laps the riders go back onto the smaller 12.9 mile circuit to complete the race.The chosen circuits provide a worthy winner and the race is one of attrition.

On each of the six laps the riders pass through the start/finish line in Stamfordham and there is an intermediate sprint. Points gained go towards a point's prize. The route for the whole event uses quiet roads which are ideal for racing with very little or no traffic. Any traffic on the circuit is safely dealt with by the National Motorcycle Escort Group.

Northumberland County Council as partners for the weekend ensure that the roads are in a safe and pot hole free condition. There is ample parking for spectators, close to the finish line in Stamfordham.

The race passes through the two villages of Stamfordham and Matfen, both of which have excellent pubs and serving a variety of refreshments. The climb of the Ryals gives panoramic views of the Northumberland countryside and is also an ideal place to spectate.

The race starts from Stamfordham Village Green at 11.30am and will finish at approximately 4.30pm. There is a prize presentation immediately after the finish from the podium truck which will be parked near the start/finish line. Spectators travelling by car are requested to park on the outskirts of the village and keep all roads clear.

Details of the event can be found on the relevant web pages. These include entry forms, a map of the route and local accommodation.