With lockdowns slowly easing across Europe, more news is starting to bubble to the surface.
To make sure you don’t miss any of it, The British Continental has rounded up the best of what’s floating around the Internet…
Women’s Tour V-Series gets BBC coverage
Having launched the V-Series Women’s Tour – as reported in the last Communiqué – Women’s Tour organisers have announced the online challenge will be broadcast live on the BBC.
Starting from the first round, the series will be available to fans on the BBC Sport website and app as well as on BBC iPlayer with commentary from Olympic Champion Joanna Rowsell Shand and Tour regular Marty Macdonald.
The V-Series takes place between 17-19 June with the first stage taking in the final 38.4km of 2014’s stage to Bury St Edmonds, the second made up of the finishing circuit of 2019’s stage into Burton Dassett. The last stage consists of 35 laps of a 1km circuit in Canary Wharf.
Time trialling could resume in England from July…
Time trialling recently returned to the British Isles, on Guernsey, the first competitive road cycling event since the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed. Now it looks as though time trialling events may return to England in July.
Cycling Time Trials, the national governing body for time trials in England, Scotland and Wales, recently announced that if the Government guidelines are relaxed sufficiently so as to allow for time trials to take place, and if it is considered those guidelines can be fully adhered to regarding social distancing, then Type B ‘club’ events can be held from 6 July 2020 and Type A events from 18 July 2020.
… but UK cyclocross season in doubt
A return to time trialling on the mainland may be on the horizon, but the 2020-21 UK cyclocross season is looking diminished at the very least. Several leagues – such as the Yorkshire and the Central leagues – have announced cancellations. We hear others are waiting for British Cycling to announce their next guidance.
Meanwhile, the first round of the National Trophy, due to take place on the first weekend in October at Westmorland, hangs in the balance. Organiser Dave Haygarth says “there will come a point – probably in late August – when it will be make or break (or brake). Either full gas, or brakes on and withdraw from the 2020 event”. His excellent blog post explains the factors that will decide whether the event goes ahead or not.
USA Cycling sets blueprint for supporting a return to racing
On the other side of the Atlantic, USA Cycling has announced a set of measures to help support organisers run events as lockdown restrictions are eased, says VeloNews. As part of its roadmap for assisting clubs, teams and organisers returning to action, the governing body will provide financial assistance to events, including waiving all permit fees for the remainder of 2020 and decreasing insurance surcharges across all event types. It has also produced a ‘return to riding and racing’ toolkit.
Could this be a set of measure British Cycling could mimic to support British events?
This will be critical if racing is to resume. Organisers are volunteers, many will have been managing job insecurity, home schooling, family concerns and a myriad of other things. Organising a race takes a lot of time and is stressful; it won’t be high on the list of priorities.. https://t.co/l9jPuRasDn
— QR Massage Therapy (@QR_Massage) June 7, 2020
Rhodes conquers Everest – in England
More ‘Everesting’ news after last week’s round-up: Brit Hannah Rhodes-Patterson, who has more than 100 pages of Queen of the Mountains records on Strava, has claimed the women’s Everesting challenge world record from former pro Lauren De Crescenzo – beating the American’s time by 50 minutes.
Rhodes covered the 8,848m of climbing in 9 hours, 8 minutes and 31 seconds by completing 163km-worth of climbs up Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District, which has an average gradient of 11%. Her time also means she now holds the overall UK record. You can see her ride on Strava here.
She did the climb to raise money for the Staffordshire North and Stoke-on-Trent Citizens Advice Bureau, and you can donate to the cause here.
Cyclists join motorbikers for Manx fundraiser
Stars of the Isle of Man TT Motorcycle races and top cyclists from the Isle of Man will be joining forces to raise money for the Manx Solidarity Fund – which supports residents affected by COVID-19 on the island. The event, which will see the bikers paired with cyclists for a lap of the 37.8 mile circuit which makes up the TT, takes place on the day the Senior TT race should have been on – Friday 12 June.
Riders raising funds include Anna Christian (Drops) and her brother Mark (Canyon dhb p/b Soreen), Sam Brand (Team Novo Nordisk), Max Walker (TRINITY Racing) and former World Tour rider Peter Kennaugh. Rather than basing the challenge on which pair sets the fastest time round the course, the winners will be determined by who can raise the most money for the fund. You can watch the event – and donate to the cause – by going to the Manx Solidarity Fund website.
Ned Boulting hosts Just a Cycling Minute
Ned Boulting, familiar to all as host of ITV’s cycling coverage and writer of the invaluable Road Book, has taken up the hosting duties for a special cycling edition of the legendary BBC quiz show Just a Minute.
In aid of the NSPCC, Just a Cycling Minute features Boulting and guests including David Millar, Laura Winter, Matt Rendell and Orla Chennaoui, tackling a range of topics – ranging from jiffy bags to châteaux to Mark Cavendish – for 60 seconds without repetition, deviation and hesitation.
You can watch the 45-minute show and donate money here.
In case you missed it
Posts you may have missed since the last communiqué:
- Sponsorship in the time of coronavirus. What can teams and their sponsors do to maintain interest and engagement with the public? SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling rider Andy Turner pens his thoughts.
- Joe Laverick journal: a cyclist’s psychology – getting sick. Joe Laverick reflects on the fragile, often irrational, mind of a cyclist when they are ill.
- U23 rider to watch: Harrison wood interview. Introducing SEG Racing’s Harrison Wood, a Rayner Foundation rider and one of our under-23s to watch in 2020.
Oh, and you can still also buy one of our lovely Band of Climbers t-shirts. Stocks are running out fast, so be quick!
