Golazo Cycling have announced that this year's edition of the Tour of Cambridgeshire will be the final one.
The closed-road event, which is the only British qualifier for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, has been running since 2015. The 2023 edition, set for 2-4 June, will be the seventh after two years were lost to the pandemic.
"Our aim, when we established the Tour of Cambridgeshire was to bring the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships to Britain and this year we have the honour of hosting that event as part of 2023 Cycling World Championships in Glasgow & Scotland," said Malcolm Smith of Golazo Cycling.
"With our primary goal accomplished we feel now is the right time to close the door on the Tour of Cambridgeshire. In the years since we began the event thousands of riders have enjoyed taking to the closed roads of the county, with many of them qualifying for and subsequently competing at the Gran Fondo Worlds where the Tour of Cambridgeshire has consistently provided the largest travelling participation. It has given us a huge sense of satisfaction to know that we had a hand in opening up this opportunity for amateur and age group racing cyclists from Britain."
The Tour of Cambridgeshire is also known for its closed road time trial which offered a spectacular indoor time trial start ramp with high production values and is something which Smith reflects on with some pride.
"We decided to showcase what time trialling could be like in the UK where we are known for our passion for solo speed. Despite initial reservations riders loved the whole experience, and as keen racing cyclists ourselves, what remains a very expensive element of the event to run has always been a project of passion for us."
This final edition of the Tour of Cambridgeshire will include the same rides as 2022. There'll be three Sportives, the Road Race and Gran Fondo, and of course the Time Trial. Riders finishing in the top 25% of their age group in the last three of these events will qualify for the World Championships.
As well as the rides the Tour of Cambridgeshire will have an Expo, Food Fair and all the other entertainment and activities visitors have grown used to.
"It must be said that since we began running the event in 2015 much has changed and each edition has thrown up considerable challenges for us to overcome. Co-founder Tom Caldwell has always been a source of grounded rationalism to temper my passion and vision," continued Smith.
"It has also been a joy for us to be on the finish line at the Tour of Cambridgeshire presenting medals and seeing the exhausted but delighted faces of those riders finishing their rides. We came to know the backstories of many of these people, many of whom had overcome their own challenges to participate and often found ourselves choked at what it meant to them to finish our event and in many cases raise significant funds for their chosen charities.
"Since we are at the end of this journey and having been part of bringing the Worlds to Britain, we would like to send heartfelt thanks to everyone who has come and ridden the Tour of Cambridgeshire and embraced what we have delivered. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Peterborough for one last time in June and then seeing those who qualify at the 'big one' in Scotland this August."
Entries for the final Tour of Cambridgeshire remain available at www.tourofcambridgeshire.com.
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