Jonny Brownlee to compete in the 5th Cycle Races

Ilkley Cycle Races © Nick Hodgson

The 5th annual Ilkley Cycle Races takes place on Wednesday, starting with the under 14s at 5:55 pm and a full programme of races concluding with the prize presentation at around 10 pm. The riders face a challenging circuit around The Grove with the tough climb of Riddings road on each lap.

Olympic silver medallist, Jonny Brownlee, will be switching disciplines from triathlon to circuit racing as he takes part in the Chevin Cycles Grand Prix at 7:45 pm. The 40-minute contest around the hilly town centre circuit will be a completely different challenge for him, and is akin to a top squash player switching to tennis!

Local World Tour rider Scott Thwaites (Team Dimension Data) who completed the Tour de France last season, is hoping to use the Lister Horsfall Grand Prix (8:40 pm) as his come-back race, subject to a final call on his fitness. He suffered career-threatening injuries in a crash in March and has undergone a series of operations and rehab. to repair the damage to his sternum, femur, neck and spine.

There is strength in depth in the peloton with challengers such as 2015 winner Pete Williams (One Pro Cycling) and that year’s runner up, Tom Moses (JLT Condor) along with last year’s winner, Tobyn Horton, who leads a trio of elite riders from team Madison Genesis.

Annie Simpson of Trek Drops UCI Team returns as the defending champion for the Ilkley Cinema women’s race, having also been on the podium in 2016 & 2015. She may be the favourite, but with the likes of Ellen McDermott & Hannah Larbalestier (Boompods EDCO NRG) and Sophie Thackray (PH-MAS/Paul Milnes Cycles) all also having ridden the Tour de Yorkshire, Annie certainly isn’t going to have it all her own way.

The weather forecast promises a fine mid-summer evening for the free sporting spectacle and food & drink will be available from Lishman’s, Panache and the Ilkley Brewery.

Barriers will be set out around the circuit at 4pm with the roads closed at 5.40pm, the full timetable is:

4:00pm The Grove closed to traffic
5:40pm Circuit closed to traffic
5:55pm Dacre, Son & Hartley Under 14s race
20 minutes - 1st £20 / 2nd £15 / 3rd £15
6:25pm MAS Design Under 16s race
25 minutes - 1st £40 / 2nd £30 / 3rd £20
7:00pm Ilkley Cinema Women’s Race (E/1/2/3/4 Women)
45 minutes - 1st £200 / 2nd £120 / 3rd £80
7:45pm Chevin Cycles Grand Prix (3/4 Men)
35 minutes - 1st £100 / 2nd £80 / 3rd £70
8:40pm Lister Horsfall Grand Prix Men (E/1/2 Men)
60 minutes - 1st £400 / 2nd £300 / 3rd £240
9:50pm Circuit re-opens (except The Grove)
9:55pm Prize presentation
10:30pm The Grove re-opens

Full event details at www.ilkleycycleraces.co.uk

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