Archive - Thursday, 13 June 2002


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Cricklade all set for Festival road race

LOCAL cycling club Swindon RC are once again promoting the Cricklade Festival Road Race which is taking place this weekend. Headquarters is at Cricklade Leisure Centre in Stones Lane and Saturdays race is being officially started in the High Street by the Town Crier at 10am. The event, which was run for the first time last year, has support from the Cricklade Festival Committee, the Cricklade Town Council and North Wiltshire Leisure Ltd.

And the race convoy of vehicles, motorcycles and cyclists is to proceed to the Malmesbury Road roundabout on the B4040 where the race will be de-neutralised.

At this point, racing begins in earnest on a 5.5km circuit that takes in Common Hill and Chelworth Upper Green before returning to Cricklade on the B4553 Purton Road.

After 11 laps, the finish is on the B4040 just before the Cricklade Leisure Centre roundabout.

With lap times of around eight minutes per lap and total distance 60km, the race has an estimated finish time of approximately 11.30am.

With 50 competitors from the region, this gruelling test of man and machine should be fast, colourful and exciting to watch.

Best vantage places for spectators is the climb on Common Hill, Chelworth Upper Green and the finish area.

Local rider Darren Compton won last years race with a strong solo effort in the last few laps.

HIs efforts took him finish ten seconds ahead of the chasers, who finished in a bunch sprint for the remaining places.

Compton, who wears No 1 this time around, is looking for a repeat performance.

Nonetheless, there will be a strong presence of local riders with Swindon RC entering a five-man squad.

Their team includes 16-year-old Adam Thomson who has recently been selected for British Cyclings World Class Perform-ance Plan.

There will also be riders from Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester and the surrounding area, all looking to impress in front of an anticipated large crowd of spectators.

The prize list is supported by Swindon Cycles Superstore of Beechcroft Road, Swindon and Total Bike of Commercial Road, Swindon.

This event is being run under the Technical Regulations of British Cycling and the race organiser, Bryan Telford, can be contacted on 01793 726020 or at bryan@btelford.freeserve.co.uk