2024 marks ten years since The Ilkley Cycle Races first came to the town and British Cycling, the main national governing body for cycle sport in Great Britain, has announced that Ilkley will once again feature in their National Circuit Series.
This year’s event will be held on 28th June and a fantastic evening’s entertainment is anticipated as the top bike racers in the country return to Ilkley town centre to contest Round 2 of the National Circuit Race Series.
There is a great atmosphere at this free family event featuring 5 different high-energy races on the famously tough route through the town centre an action-packed evening of high-speed entertainment is guaranteed. There will be a carnival-like atmosphere along The Grove in Ilkley, which serves as the Start/Finish straight. In addition to popular restaurants and pubs on The Grove, there are food and drink stands where spectators can catch all the action. The race organisers invite everyone, even those who are sceptical of cycling or these types of events, to come out and experience the vibrancy of the Event.
This year’s event is also a first as Ilkley Cycle Club legend Mike Firth has passed the baton on to a new team to plan and deliver what has now become a firm favourite in the local social calendar. A spokesperson for new team said: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mike for all his hard work and dedication over the past decade. We would also like to thank Ilkley Cycle Club for their unwavering support, as well as all the local businesses who help make the event such a success each year."
Back in 2014 at the first edition of The Ilkley Cycle Races a young Tom Pidcock won the MAS Design Consultants under 16’s race when he hadn’t yet reached his 15th birthday. Two years later Tom finished 4th in the men’s elite race with Ilkley resident Scott Thwaites taking 1st place. These days Tom is better known for competing in the cyclo-cross, mountain bike and road bicycle racing disciplines of the sport for UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers with World Championship victories in all three disciplines. He’s even managed to add an MBE to his sporting titles! The wet conditions at last year’s town centre racing in Ilkley meant that Tom’s 2016 lap record of 1m 59s was never going to be under threat. Get yourself lined up along the route on the evening of June 28th this year though as who knows what can happen in a sport as fast paced as this.
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