CHEPSTOW and Monmouth will play host to the British Elite Road Racing Series as part of the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling.

Featuring the likes of Olympic champion Ed Clancy, two different races will be held in the region, with the Chepstow Grand Prix and Grand Prix of Wales the penultimate and final events in the British Cycling run Elite Road Racing Series calendar.

Other confirmed entrants include the newly founded Team Wiggins, set-up by Britain’s first Tour de France winner and multiple Olympic gold medalist Sir Bradley Wiggins, top circuit rider Kristian House, and Welsh internationals Dale Appleby and Rhys Lloyd.

The Chepstow Grand Prix will be a one hour plus five laps circuit event, held in the town centre.

Riders will start at the castle car park, ride up Bridge Street and then turn left along Upper Church Street, followed by a right turn up towards Beaufort Square.

From there, the riders will turn left at the top of the climb, and left again, beginning the return to the start/finish line via Nelson Street, Church Road, Lower Church Street and St Ann Street.

The 113 mile Grand Prix of Wales will start in Abergavenny before heading out in a large loop to Raglan, Monmouth and Cross Ash, with riders completing two laps of the route.

Organiser Bill Owen said: “It is great to have Ed back again this year as he rode the Welsh Open Criterium with us previously and made a big impact.

“He is an Olympic champion and it is not too often that we see one of those on the streets of Monmouthshire – and not just once but twice this year in Chepstow and Abergavenny.

“The Elite Circuit Series always makes a big splash in our area and to have the final two races of the Series in our county, where the title is likely to be decided, is a great coup for everyone involved in this year’s Abergavenny Festival of Cycling.”

Joining the Grand Prix of Wales will be the Para Grand Prix of Wales.

Athletes on tandems, handcycles and trikes will be taking to the roads with some of the stars of the London Paralympics taking part.

Bill Owen said: “The Paralympic movement in this country has given us many heroes, particularly here in Wales, while we all saw how the public embraced the Paralympics in London in 2012.

“The Para Grand Prix of Wales is the biggest road race cycling event in Wales and we are delighted to be part of the future development of para-cycling not just here in Monmouthshire but throughout Wales and the UK.

“For this to be the sixth leg of a National Series also speaks volumes about how disability cycling has developed over recent years.”

Monmouthshire County Council’s Bob Greenland, Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Leisure, said: “We have seen great success in delivering cycling events over the past couple of years and Monmouthshire is committed to working to improve cycling opportunities across the region. 

The Chepstow race takes place today (5th August) while the Grand Prix of Wales will be held this Sunday (9th August).

cycling.co.uk