September 15, 2021 8.53 am This story is over 30 months old

Route confirmed for British Cycling National Road Championships in Lincoln

What to expect
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

British Cycling has announced the route for the HSBC UK National Road Championships in Lincoln next month.

The time-trial, circuit race and road race championships will be hosted together in the city in the same week, for the first time from October 14 to 17.

Six coveted national champion’s jerseys will be awarded across the three days of racing, with the road and circuit races to be centred on the streets of Lincoln, and the time trials to be hosted in the village of Tealby in Lincolnshire.

The time-trials kick off the championships on Thursday, October 14, with the under-23 women, under-23 men and elite women setting a time over two laps of the route, totalling 29.4km, while the elite men will complete three laps, totalling 44.7km.

The challenging route includes 500ft of climbing in each lap in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

|Photo: Lincoln GP

The circuit races will take place on Friday, October 15, on a 1km route around the city’s historic 11th century castle.

Both the men’s and women’s races will be contested over one hour plus five laps, with the floodlit circuit passing through the cobbled Castle Square between Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle.

|Photo: Lincoln GP

The road races conclude this year’s championships on Sunday, October 17, and the route will come as no surprise to British racing fans, following the route of the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix.

Taking in the iconic, cobbled Michaelgate climb once every eight miles, the men’s race will be contested over 166km (13 laps) and the women’s race over 101km (8 laps). The finish line on Castle Square is the once which has been used for every Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix for more than three decades.

|Photo: Lincoln GP

British Cycling CEO, Brian Facer, said: “Lincoln’s roads have played host to some momentous bike races over the past five decades, and I know that the whole British cycling community is excited to return to the city this October to see national champions crowned once more.

“Bringing the three championships together into a single week is great news for fans of our sport and highlights our commitment to evolving our major events – ensuring that they are a fantastic gateway into our sport for fans and riders of all ages and demonstrate great value for our local partners, who we couldn’t deliver the events without.”

The Lincoln Festival of Cycling event organiser, Dan Ellmore, said: “After what has been an incredibly challenging period for road racing in this country, I can’t wait to join the crowds to watch history be made on one of British cycling’s most iconic backdrops.

“We are looking forward to the return of the HSBC UK | National Road Championships to Lincolnshire, and the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix circuit with the cobbled Michaelgate will provide a great challenge for the road racers.

“The circuit championship will also use the same finish line and the Bailgate section of the Grand Prix course and will be another tough race and a great spectacle for the crowd, and we have worked hard to provide a challenging time trial route taking in the Lincolnshire Wolds, a recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”

The city is also hosting the annual ITP Events Cycling Sportive on October 16. 

Click or tap there for more information, including spectator arrangements and road closures.