Stars wheeled out for city cycling bonanza

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), June 12, 2009

THE cream of British cycling pedals into the North East tonight as the three-day Northern Rock Cyclone professional event takes to the road.

The meeting kicks off at 6pm with a series of youth rides, for both novices and older racers, and an elite one-hour Criterium race in Leazes Park, Newcastle.

There is also a Celebrity Cyclone Challenge, which will see some of the region's famous sporting names taking part in a 1km time trial - all in the name of charity.

The night's events kick off three days of top-class cycling featuring top riders such as Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy and British national road race champion Rob Hayles, both of Team Halfords Bikehut, Russ Downing and Malcolm Elliott of Candi TV-Marshall's Pasta, and current Olympic medallist Chris Newton of Rapha Condor.

There is a mass participation race tomorrow, followed by the Beaumont Trophy Premier Calendar Road Race on Sunday..

Clancy will be riding in both the Leazes Criteriums and the Beaumont Trophy alongside team-mate Hayles, who scooped first place in last year's Beaumont Trophy Premier Calendar Race and is returning to re-stake his claim on the coveted prize.

Clancy, who won gold at the Beijing Olympics, is thrilled to be taking part in the Cyclone for the first time.

He said: "While it will be my first Northern Rock Cyclone experience, I know the rest of the team are really pleased to be returning to the North East.

"I heard great things following last year's successful event and I am more than happy to show my support for anything which promotes cycling as a sport for the wider community." Hayles is also pleased to be returning for his third Cyclone event.

He said: "The Northern Rock Cyclone is a great opportunity for participants to have fun, keep fit and see some of the country's leading sports people in action.

"Following my success last year I am keen to defend my reigning title as winner of the Beaumont Trophy Race, although I know the standard will be high as the race is renowned for bringing out the toughest competitors." Last year the festival attracted more than 1,900 cyclists and 4,000 spectators, as well as raising more than pounds 100,000 for North East charities including St Oswald's Hospice, NSPCC, Great North Air Ambulance, Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Macmillan Cancer Support..