British Cycling has today published the routes for the 2023 National Road Championships. Hosted by Redcar and Cleveland, there will be three days of racing from 21 to 25 June.
The time trials open proceedings on Wednesday 21 June on what looks set to be a fast and furious course. The circuit races follow on Friday 23 June on a picturesque but technical seaside course in Redcar. The championships culminate with the road races on Sunday 25 June on one of the most testing national road championship courses we’ve seen for years.
Let’s take a detailed look at the routes…
Individual time trials, Wednesday 21 June
As is customary now, the individual time trials open the National Road Championships in North Yorkshire. Four jerseys are up for grabs, one each for under-23 women, under-23 men, elite women, and elite men.
The time trial course starts and finishes in the pit lane at Croft Circuit, a 3.3km motor racing circuit with a tight hairpin bend to negotiate.
Once the circuit is completed, the route then moves to a longer 10.3km lap around the picturesque roads of Dalton-on-Tees.
The under-23 women, under-23 men, and elite women will set a time over two laps of the longer circuit, plus the Croft Circuit, covering 27.4km in total. The elite men, meanwhile, will complete three laps of the longer circuit along with the Croft Circuit, equating to 41.1km overall.
With less than 50 metres of climbing per lap on the main circuit, the course should be fast. In its press release about the route, British Cycling predicts it “will be one of the fastest courses the national championships has ever seen.”
Circuit races, Friday 23 June
The circuit races take place on Friday 23 June on a tight, flat and technical 1.1km circuit around the picturesque seaside town of Redcar.
The start/finish line is on the esplanade, with two 90-degree lefthand turns then taking riders onto the High Street. The course then jinks onto Lord Street before starting on the seafront before another two sharp lefthanders take riders back to the seaside for a long, straight dash back to the start/finish line.
Both the men’s and women’s races will be contested over 55 minutes plus five laps.
Being at the roadside for the circuit races is a particular highlight at the nationals. With spectators spilling out from the bars, cafés and restaurants around a tight circuit, watching some of the country’s best riders flying round and round, it’s an exhilarating spectacle.
Road races, Sunday 25 June
The road races will conclude this year’s championships on Sunday 25 June on a course that has us licking our lips.
Starting and finishing in Saltburn by the Sea, the circuit has climbing aplenty, culminating with a finish just after Saltburn Bank, a short, twisting climb with a maximum gradient of more than 22%.
Both the men and women will follow an 18.8km loop, with the women completing seven laps to cover 132km, and the men taking on 10 laps and 189km.
VeloViewer suggests each lap involves over 400m of climbing, meaning that the women’s race features 2,826m of climbing in total, while the men will tackle 4,073m of climbing. Even if this overestimates the total elevation, it’s a course for the punchers and climbers.
To put the elevation into context, the women’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège features 2,478m of climbing over 142.8km this year. Not too dissimilar, then, in terms of numbers at least, to the women’s road race. The men’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège might be more fearsome – it typically involves over 4,300m of elevation over the course of more than 250km. But still, if the men’s nationals road race is packing in 3,500-4,000m of climbing in just 189km, it is a stiff test, to say the least.
Each lap begins on Glenside in Saltburn. The route then heads out of Saltburn, dragging upwards for the first two kilometres, taking in Saltburn Golf Club along the way. A left turn sees the route join the A174.
Then, after a steep descent, the first climb begins just before Skelton-in-Cleveland, with historic Skelton Castle on the right.
It is almost two kilometres long, with average of 5.4%, but it becomes steeper toward the top, peaking out at around 14% according to VeloViewer.
The course then rolls along for the next seven kilometres or so through the villages of Boosbeck, Lingdale and Kilton Thorpe.
As the circuit heads back toward the coast, there is another very steep descent between two roundabouts on the A174. At the second of the two roundabouts, the course turns left into Brotton. Here the riders will face the second main climb of the circuit.
Shorter than the first climb through Skelton-in-Cleveland, the Forge is less than a kilometre, but once again features double-digit gradients in places. Another leg-sapper, especially after multiple ascents.
Once at the top of the climb, four kilometres from the finish line, there is a long downhill section. It is perilously steep in places; there is a short section as the road leaves Brotton that is over 24% according to VeloViewer. You can imagine riders punching clear on the Forge and then using this descent to stay clear all the way back to Saltburn.
Once into Saltburn though, there is the small matter of Saltburn Bank to tackle. Beginning less than a kilometre from the finish line, the climb is the punchiest test on the course. 300 metres long, with two tight hairpin bends, the wall of a climb will be familiar to anyone who has raced the Klondike Grand Prix in the past. It averages 14.5% and goes above 20% in places, according to British Cycling.
Once at the top, it is only around 200 metres to the finish line, so it will be all out on Saltburn Bank for any riders arriving together at the bottom of it on final lap. It should provide a brilliant finale to what promises to be a savage two races.
The peloton takes on Saltburn Bank at the 2017 East Cleveland Klondike Grand Prix. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Entries for all three events are now open and will close on Sunday 28 May. You can enter the time-trial here, the circuit race here, and the road race here.
British Cycling has today published the routes for the 2023 National Road Championships. Hosted by Redcar and Cleveland, there will be three days of racing from 21 to 25 June.
The time trials open proceedings on Wednesday 21 June on what looks set to be a fast and furious course. The circuit races follow on Friday 23 June on a picturesque but technical seaside course in Redcar. The championships culminate with the road races on Sunday 25 June on one of the most testing national road championship courses we’ve seen for years.
Let’s take a detailed look at the routes…
Individual time trials, Wednesday 21 June
As is customary now, the individual time trials open the National Road Championships in North Yorkshire. Four jerseys are up for grabs, one each for under-23 women, under-23 men, elite women, and elite men.
The time trial course starts and finishes in the pit lane at Croft Circuit, a 3.3km motor racing circuit with a tight hairpin bend to negotiate.
Once the circuit is completed, the route then moves to a longer 10.3km lap around the picturesque roads of Dalton-on-Tees.
The under-23 women, under-23 men, and elite women will set a time over two laps of the longer circuit, plus the Croft Circuit, covering 27.4km in total. The elite men, meanwhile, will complete three laps of the longer circuit along with the Croft Circuit, equating to 41.1km overall.
With less than 50 metres of climbing per lap on the main circuit, the course should be fast. In its press release about the route, British Cycling predicts it “will be one of the fastest courses the national championships has ever seen.”
Circuit races, Friday 23 June
The circuit races take place on Friday 23 June on a tight, flat and technical 1.1km circuit around the picturesque seaside town of Redcar.
The start/finish line is on the esplanade, with two 90-degree lefthand turns then taking riders onto the High Street. The course then jinks onto Lord Street before starting on the seafront before another two sharp lefthanders take riders back to the seaside for a long, straight dash back to the start/finish line.
Both the men’s and women’s races will be contested over 55 minutes plus five laps.
Being at the roadside for the circuit races is a particular highlight at the nationals. With spectators spilling out from the bars, cafés and restaurants around a tight circuit, watching some of the country’s best riders flying round and round, it’s an exhilarating spectacle.
Road races, Sunday 25 June
The road races will conclude this year’s championships on Sunday 25 June on a course that has us licking our lips.
Starting and finishing in Saltburn by the Sea, the circuit has climbing aplenty, culminating with a finish just after Saltburn Bank, a short, twisting climb with a maximum gradient of more than 22%.
Both the men and women will follow an 18.8km loop, with the women completing seven laps to cover 132km, and the men taking on 10 laps and 189km.
VeloViewer suggests each lap involves over 400m of climbing, meaning that the women’s race features 2,826m of climbing in total, while the men will tackle 4,073m of climbing. Even if this overestimates the total elevation, it’s a course for the punchers and climbers.
To put the elevation into context, the women’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège features 2,478m of climbing over 142.8km this year. Not too dissimilar, then, in terms of numbers at least, to the women’s road race. The men’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège might be more fearsome – it typically involves over 4,300m of elevation over the course of more than 250km. But still, if the men’s nationals road race is packing in 3,500-4,000m of climbing in just 189km, it is a stiff test, to say the least.
Each lap begins on Glenside in Saltburn. The route then heads out of Saltburn, dragging upwards for the first two kilometres, taking in Saltburn Golf Club along the way. A left turn sees the route join the A174.
Then, after a steep descent, the first climb begins just before Skelton-in-Cleveland, with historic Skelton Castle on the right.
It is almost two kilometres long, with average of 5.4%, but it becomes steeper toward the top, peaking out at around 14% according to VeloViewer.
The course then rolls along for the next seven kilometres or so through the villages of Boosbeck, Lingdale and Kilton Thorpe.
As the circuit heads back toward the coast, there is another very steep descent between two roundabouts on the A174. At the second of the two roundabouts, the course turns left into Brotton. Here the riders will face the second main climb of the circuit.
Shorter than the first climb through Skelton-in-Cleveland, the Forge is less than a kilometre, but once again features double-digit gradients in places. Another leg-sapper, especially after multiple ascents.
Once at the top of the climb, four kilometres from the finish line, there is a long downhill section. It is perilously steep in places; there is a short section as the road leaves Brotton that is over 24% according to VeloViewer. You can imagine riders punching clear on the Forge and then using this descent to stay clear all the way back to Saltburn.
Once into Saltburn though, there is the small matter of Saltburn Bank to tackle. Beginning less than a kilometre from the finish line, the climb is the punchiest test on the course. 300 metres long, with two tight hairpin bends, the wall of a climb will be familiar to anyone who has raced the Klondike Grand Prix in the past. It averages 14.5% and goes above 20% in places, according to British Cycling.
Once at the top, it is only around 200 metres to the finish line, so it will be all out on Saltburn Bank for any riders arriving together at the bottom of it on final lap. It should provide a brilliant finale to what promises to be a savage two races.
Entries for all three events are now open and will close on Sunday 28 May. You can enter the time-trial here, the circuit race here, and the road race here.
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