Northern Rock Cyclone | What is it?

A new era of cycling in the North East

Cycling is now at the forefront of all sports in the UK as a result of the success of the GB Team in the 2008 Olympics and at the World Road Race Championships. This has encouraged many people to take up cycling as a pastime or on a more serious level. Many more people are also now using bikes to commute and are realising that is a far better alternative to the car, especially in the urban environment.

The Northern Rock Cyclone has been at forefront of this resurgence in the North East for the past three years and is now firmly established as the Premier event in the Region and one of the biggest events in the UK. It was created to allow people of all abilities to take part, either as a spectator or competitor. The event started in June 2006 as a hugely successful evening of racing in Leazes Park, Newcastle. This was backed by Newcastle City Council and attracted a number of high profile sponsors. The highlight of the evening was a Criterium for Elite riders and which included Olympic and World champions.

June 2007 was the inaugural year for the three days of the festival and was hailed by all participants, the press and spectators as a resounding success. The event now has International recognition with the Saturday Sportive rides being part of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) calendar of events and the Beaumont Trophy as one of the best Premier Calendar Road Races attracting the very best riders in the Country.
Riders and competitors for all of the weekend’s events can use the on-line entry system and if e mail contact details are given participants will be kept up to date about all aspects of the weekend.

The main sponsor for this festival of cycling is Northern Rock. Technical sponsorship is provided by Madison, the Shimano Importer for the UK. With the backing and sponsorship of these two Companies plus invaluable sponsorship from Newcastle City Council, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, Jennings Ford and other sponsors listed on the pages.

The event is part of the NewcastleGateshead Culture10 Festivals and Events Programme.

Friday 12th June
Newcastle Leazes Criteriums
The weekend starts with a go-ride competition for children under 16yrs in Leazes Park. This will be a skills competition will be contested by teams from local schools. This event is scheduled to start at 12.30pm and finish about 2.30pm.
The Criterium racing in Leazes Park, Newcastle will start at 6.15pm. There will be races for all ages and abilities. The evening starts with races for youngsters under 14 &16. There then follows a race for those adults over 16 who have never raced before and wish to try their hand at the sport. The supporting senior event will precede the main event and is for riders who race regularly but are not full time riders. The finale for the evening will be a one hour race for the best riders in the Country. Many of these riders will have won medals and there even may be some current world and Olympic champions in their midst.

Saturday 13th June
Northern Rock Cyclone Challenge.
A series of 3 rides of differing distances and difficulty to test all those who compete. The rides start and finish at the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club, Kingston Park. There is ample parking within the grounds for all those who are travelling to the venue. The three rides leave from the Club between 8.00am and 10.30am and go directly out into the Northumbrian countryside on country roads, therefore avoiding the city traffic. Riders will be set off in Groups of 30 at 2 minute intervals. Those riders doing the 101ml ride are advised to leave between 8-9am. Those doing the 62ml ride should plan to leave between 9-10am and those doing the 33ml ride should leave between 9.30-10.30am. There are catering facilities open at the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club throughout the day so that a refreshing drink can be had upon completion of your ride.

These events are not races and no positions will be given on the website. Each rider will be given a finishing time along with split times calculated along the route. This will be done with the aid of electronic chips which will be given to each competitor and provided by Sport Ident, the leader in this type of electronic timing. All finishing and split times for those completing their own Challenge will appear on a results page within 48 hrs.

Each competitor will be given a T shirt and Goody Bag upon completion and will be able to download their own personalised certificate from the Marathon Photos website. There will be feeding/re-hydration stops on all of the routes with food and drink which also act as timing stations and medical control centres. There are also many cafes and pubs along all three of the routes and competitors can stop off and enjoy a well earned rest and sample the local cuisine.

The event will have full medical cover courtesy of St. John's Ambulance and comprehensive marshalling provided by The Air Cadets and Territorial Army. There will be Technical Service vehicles sweeping the routes for those who have major technical difficulties. All junctions will be signposted courtesy of Northumberland County Council.

Sunday 14th June
The Beaumont Trophy Premier Calendar Road Race.
The Beaumont Trophy is an established race of 58 years and has been won by many famous riders. In 2009 it will again be a Premier calendar event. This is one of the major national events that will be used by the selectors to pick future Teams to represent the Country. The event will use some of the roads that have been used on the Saturday for the sportive rides and will allow those who have competed the day before to come and watch the professionals at work. The event uses a circuit based on Stamfordham which is 13 miles NW of Newcastle and includes the climb of the Ryals. The riders will climb this hill 3 times before going onto the smaller finishing circuit of 3 laps. One each lap there will be a Hot Spot sprint in Stamfordham plus primes on each of 3 ascents of the Ryals.

The event was won in 2008 by Rob Hayles and the winner of the overall series, Russell Downing, represented GB in the 2008 World Road Race Championships and was the only GB rider to finish the event.

Details of all events can be found on the appropriate pages. This includes maps, on-line & standard entry forms plus regulations.

I hope many thousands of riders and spectators will once again come and enjoy the weekend and increase its status in the National Sporting Calendar.

Peter Harrison
Organiser