This year's Cyclone Challenge Rides take place in beautiful Northumberland on Saturday 30th June, and the 2018 edition has an added attraction in that it shares some of the route of the following day's National Road Race Championships, including the iconic Ryals climb.
The Cyclone Challenge is part of the Cyclone Festival of Cycling, a four-day feast of cycling events beginning with the national time trial championships on Thursday 28 June.
Friday sees the pros take a breather as the focus shifts to the Tyne 6 Bridges - a family-oriented leisure ride that aims to provide a welcoming environment for cyclists of all ages on two safe, traffic-free routes of 10 and 15 miles.
Starting at the Cycle Hub, Ouseburn, on the North bank of the Tyne, close to Newcastle city centre, the route takes participants upstream along the regenerated river front of Newcastle, and on past much of the Tyne's industrial heritage. Look out for famous landmarks such as Dunston Staiths and Vickers Armstrong Armaments Factory, which was originally built by Lord Armstrong (no relation to Lance) and at one time had a workforce of 30,000.
On Saturday, it's the main event for some: the Cyclone Challenge sportive! Starting at Newcastle Falcons rugby club, the Cyclone offers a choice of four routes - 34, 64, 90 and 106 miles - which lead riders into the picturesque landscapes of Northumberland: quiet roads along beautiful river valleys, over remote moorlands and through pretty villages.
Children and younger riders are especially welcomed on the Cyclone, which in past years has seen unusually high numbers of junior cyclists enjoy the day's cycling. Riders as young as six years old have completed the 34 mile route in the past, and the higher than usual numbers of family groups ensures a friendly atmosphere along the course.
Finally, bringing the festival to a close on Sunday the pro cyclists take centre stage again for the National Road Race Championships. The course for this year's championships takes in some of the route of the Cyclone Challenge, including the famous Ryals climb - making it a perfect opportunity to kick back and cheer from the roadside as the likes of Mark Cavendish and Katie Archibald battle to beat your Strava time...
"The fact that the championships is on the following day is already persuading lots of riders to ride the Challenge and stay over to spectate on the Sunday," says Peter Harrison, organiser of the Cyclone Festival of Cycling.
"We also expect a lot of the pros to be out inspecting their course as the sportive riders come through, so it's highly likely that sportive riders will be able to do a bit of star spotting during their own rides."
If you'd like to take part in the Cyclone and enjoy a weekend of top cycling action, entries are open now. Friday's Tyne 6 Bridges ride costs just £10 whilst entries to the Cyclone Challenge are £34 for adults and £17 for juniors. Pre-booking is essential for both events.
As for the national championships, if you want to enter those you might just have to get training... it's not too late!
For full details and to enter, visit www.cyclonecycling.com.
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