Cycle ipswich September

EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES

Cycle Ipswich ● UCS Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix ● UCS Ipswich Coastal Giro d’Espresso ● Sky Ride comes to Ipswich

,SVZLFK

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Monday, September 2, 2013

CYCLE IPSWICH

Stage is set for thousands to

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yclists from across the UK will this week gather in Ipswich as the town is propelled into the world cycling spotlight.

Saturday and Sunday will see a cycling bonanza burst into town, with everyone from families through to world champions getting in the saddle.

Kicking off with the UCS Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix, fans of the sport will be able to enjoy the UCS Ipswich Coastal Giro d’Espresso sportive and the Sky Ride.

Councillor Bryony Rudkin, Ipswich Borough Council’s culture and leisure portfolio-holder, said: “This event shows Ipswich is fast becoming the place to be for UK riders and fans. Last year saw the start of the Tour of Britain take place on the Waterfront. And riders from Europe stormed to victory in the European Cyclo-Cross Championships in Chantry Park in the summer. And the continuing success of SkyRide helps thousands of people get involved in cycling for both fun and fitness.”

And councillor Geoff Holdcroft, Suffolk Coastal District Council’s cabinet member responsible for leisure and economic development, added: “We were keen to support this event and are looking forward to welcoming elite riders to our area.

“Not only will it be an exciting spectacle for residents and visitors but it also helps to promote cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle.

“I hope we can encourage many people to come out and cheer the riders along a course which includes some of the most beautiful parts of our county.”

Olympic gold medalist, Sir Chris Hoy gave his backing to the packed weekend.

He said: “Sky, British Cycling and the Borough Council are

Timetable of events Across the weekend, it’s a chance to ride a sportive, watch an elite race and ride the streets of Ipswich with the family. It’s a showcase for everything that’s great about cycling in Ipswich and beautiful Suffolk.

Sunday, September 8 10.45am ......... Elite riders set off from Ipswich Waterfront 11am to 3pm The Ipswich Sky Ride starts British Cycling Bike Café opens on the Cornhill Team Sky zone Alderman Road activities get underway for the youngsters 4pm ................. Podium ceremony and presentations, Ipswich Waterfront ■ Traffic restrictions will be in place from 8am to 4pm on Sunday, to allow for the Sky Ride.

again bringing Sky Ride to Ipswich on Sunday.

“This year will see an entire weekend of cycling events, including elite racing, a sportive, and the Ipswich Sky Ride on Sunday.

“There’s something for everybody this year on the Ipswich Sky Ride weekend, don’t miss out.”

And Sky Ride ambassador and radio One DJ, Edith Bowman added: “I’m delighted to be involved with Sky Ride this summer and be part of the action for another year.

“It’s great to see so many people of all ages and abilities on their bikes, riding through traffic free streets and having a fun day out! Sky Ride events are taking place up and down the country this year so go to www.goskyride.com to find a ride near you.”

Sky Ride Ipswich As soon as the Grand Prix rolls out of town, Sky Ride rolls in.

The streets of the town centre will remain closed to traffic as a 5km route is mapped out to give people of all ages the chance to follow in the tyre tracks of their heroes in a safe environment.

While the pros will be tearing through the Suffolk countryside as part of the Grand Prix, Team Sky and British Cycling will be atthe Cornhill.

Tour de France winning bikes will be on display, the public will be given the chance to take on the records of the pros on a Wattbike and learn more about the British Cycling/Team Sky and their athletes.

Stage 15 of the Vuelta Espana will be beamed live on to the Cornhill to allow people to enjoy the spectacle.

,SVZLFK Staff from British Cycling and Sky Ride leaders and Breeze Champions will also be on hand to chat about cycling opportunities in the town.

And Go Ride racing will be on hand for the kids at Alderman Road, giving youngsters the chance to enjoy a host of cycling attractions.

Then as the Grand Prix comes to a climax, with riders crossing the line in Ipswich, the Sky Ride will close to make way for the thrilling race end.

■ To find out more visit www.goskyride.com/ipswich

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Monday, September 2, 2013

CYCLE IPSWICH

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enjoy weekend spectacular UCS Ipswich Coastal Giro d’Espresso

There is still time to book your place and take part in the first UCS Ipswich Coastal Giro d’Espresso.

Combining a sportive with great coffee, the unique event gives cyclists the chance to take in some of the stunning Suffolk countryside while sampling some of the county’s finest produce.

Crossing the finishing line to enjoy a pint of Adnams and a Suffolk pie, riders can test their stamina on the timed course before rewarding themselves with a delicious banquet at Cult Cafe Bar. Riders can stay in town for the

Sunday, watch the first running of the UCS Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix elite men’s race, then ride with the family on the traffic-free streets for Ipswich’s Sky Ride.

And participants can enjoy watching the likes of Rapha Condor JLT, IG Sigma, Raleigh in the Grand Prix, then ride the streets, grab another coffee and watch Stage 15 of the Vuelta a España at the British Cycling Cafe.

The Salthouse Harbour Hotel is offering 20% off room rate for those taking part in the Giro d’Espresso.

To book call 01284 714014.

UCS gets on its bike Many students at University Campus Suffolk already cycle to their studies.

But the spectacular success of UK cyclists in the Olympics and the Tour de France has inspired hundreds of people to get on their bikes.

With high profile events like the UCS Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix and Sky Ride helping to make cycling more attractive and informal, cycling groups are now springing up, with increasing numbers of students and staff taking to their bikes for sport, fitness, fun and leisure.

Cycling now forms an important part of UCS’s travel plan, alongside car-sharing, public transport and walking.

As well as helping to reduce congestion and pollution, UCS cyclists benefit from lower daily travel costs and frequently find that journeys through town can be faster by bike than by other means, especially when the convenience of door-to-door travel is factored in.

While the exercise-related health benefits of cycling are fairly obvious, the psychological benefits are important too. After a hard day at the office, or sitting in lectures, many UCS cyclists find that their journey home provides a perfect opportunity to unwind.

To encourage cycling, UCS runs

a ‘cycle to uni challenge’ and secure cycle parking and showers are available. They also provide occasional cycle maintenance surgeries and are planning to introduce bikeability tuition along with a ‘bike buddy’ scheme to help new cyclists get in the saddle.

UCS also runs an employee cycle scheme, which reduces the costs of buying a bike, and is exploring options for a bike loan scheme for students.

Chris Filip, a Romanian student on the BA (Hons) Computer Games Design degree at UCS has embraced cycling in the UK. He said: “I learned to ride age eight, stopped at 12 and then started again when I was 17.

“Now I love riding a bike and am so pleased that I have gone from being too afraid to ride, to cycling 24km to Felixstowe. It is wonderful to see that there are a lot of cyclists in this country, and I certainly find it much easier to ride a bike here than at home. I love the idea of the National and Local Cycle Networks, and of segregated cycle paths, and although you do hear some negative stories about cyclists and motorists, I think this is still a minority.”

■ To hear more about Chris and other UCS students’ experiences visit the UCS Student Blog: www. ucs.ac.uk/studentblog

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Monday, September 2, 2013

CYCLE IPSWICH

Top teams set for Suffolk cycle extravaganza

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orld-class cyclists are preparing to get into the saddle and line up at the start of the UCS Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix, as final preparation for September’s Tour of Britain.

Rapha Condor JLT’s House, who was crowned King of the Mountains at last year’s Tour of Britain, will be joined on Sunday by two-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy and 2012 under 23 British road champion Michael Cuming.

Joe Perrett, who won the final round of the Premier Calendar Series, the Ryedale Grand Prix, and competed for Great Britain at the European Road Championships, has been named in Team IG-Sigma Sport’s line-up with further entries expected from Britain’s top road teams.

The 200-kilometre race comes just one week before the 2013 Tour of Britain, which starts on the September 15, and offers British professional teams a final opportunity to hone their form ahead of the eight stage event.

The challenging parcours will take riders south east of Ipswich racing through Kesgrave, Martlesham and heading out to Rendlesham Forest via Woodbridge to complete a number of loops of a circuit based around the villages of Sutton, Alderton and Hollesley before racing back into town for a technical finale on the Waterfront.

Speaking about the new event on the calendar, British Cycling Cycle Sport Marketing Manager Paul Rowlands said: “Ipswich is a great example of

the leadership shown by British Cycling in developing the domestic road calendar this year.

“This event has the potential to become a major event on the domestic calendar and its timing just before Tour of Britain positions it superbly as a final tune up race for the British teams as they prepare for our national tour.”

Professor Brendon Noble, Head of School, Science, Technology and Health at UCS, added: “We are very pleased to be involved with another exciting event for British Cycling and look forward to welcoming elite riders and the Sky Ride back to the UCS Ipswich campus in the heart of the Waterfront.

“There is no doubt that events of this calibre are fantastic for Ipswich and Suffolk, and particularly for our students, many of whom are just beginning to explore and analyse the high impact that science has on sporting success.”

■ Suffolk is set for a cycling spectacular with the arrival of the UCS Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix, Sky Ride and, in September, the return of the Tour of Britain.

Pictures: HOLLY CARD/ANDREW HANSLER/