British Cycling has announced the 2025 Lloyds National Road and Circuit Series calendars. The series sees some notable additions alongside returning favourites, but also the loss of several races that were part of last year’s schedule.
With a backdrop of challenges for organisers and high expectations after the stalling of delivery on the recommendations of the Elite Road Task Force, this announcement will be under close scrutiny. Here’s a breakdown of the calendars.
National Road Series
The National Road Series remains the flagship competition for domestic road racing in the UK. The 2025 calendars for both the Open and Women’s National Road Series include a mix of familiar and new races, offering diversity in terrain and geography.
Open calendar
The Open National Road Series will include six one-day races this year, which is more than the five rounds that ultimately took place in 2024. While the 2024 calendar had initially planned for seven rounds, including two stage races (the Tour of the Reservoir and a ‘TBC’ stage race), neither of those went ahead in the end.
| Date | Round | Race |
|---|---|---|
| 13 April | 1 | East Cleveland Classic |
| 11 May | 2 | Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix |
| 27 July | 3 | South West Round |
| 17 August | 4 | Beaumont Trophy |
| 31 August | 5 | Yorkshire Round |
| TBC | 6 | Lancaster Grand Prix |
Key Changes:
- The South West Round is a new addition, expanding the series into a previously underrepresented region. Its end of July date sits where the Lancaster Grand Prix was last year.
- The Yorkshire Round effectively replaces the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix, which came to an end in 2024.
- The Beaumont Trophy moves to a mid-August date from the mid-September date it had in recent years.
- The Lancaster Grand Prix, a race that has gained prominence in recent years, is included but awaits funding confirmation.
What’s Missing:
- The Tour of Reservoir, initially slated for a return in 2024, remains absent.
- The Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix is no longer part of the calendar.
- The ‘TBC’ stage race announced in the 2024 calendar is also absent.
Women’s National Road Series Calendar
The Women’s National Road Series will feature seven races, continuing its growth from five rounds in 2023 to six in 2024.
| Date | Round | Race |
|---|---|---|
| 23 March | 1 | ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic |
| 13 April | 2 | East Cleveland Classic |
| 11 May | 3 | Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix |
| 27 July | 4 | South West Round |
| 17 August | 5 | Curlew Cup |
| 31 August | 6 | Yorkshire Round |
| TBC | 7 | Lancaster Grand Prix |
Key Changes:
- The South West and Yorkshire rounds are new for 2025, as per the Open calendar.
- The Curlew Cup moves to mid-August along with the Beaumont Trophy.
- The ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic retains its March slot, continuing as an early-season highlight.
What’s Missing:
- As with the Open calendar, the Tour of Reservoir and the ‘TBC’ stage races are absent, and Ryedale has been replaced by the Yorkshire Round.
National Circuit Series
Known for its fast-paced town centre races, the 2025 Circuit Series includes six rounds, one fewer than last year. Despite the addition of the Dawlish Grand Prix, the series sees the loss of two key races: the Beverley Grand Prix and the Dudley Grand Prix. The calendar is the same for both the open and the women’s categories.
National Circuit Series Calendar
| Date | Round | Race |
|---|---|---|
| 2 July | 1 | LOGCO Otley Cycle Races |
| 4 July | 2 | Ilkley Cycle Races |
| 9 July | 3 | CANYON Guildford Town Centre Races |
| 16 July | 4 | Sheffield Grand Prix |
| 22 July | 5 | Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix |
| 25 July | 6 | Dawlish Grand Prix |
Key Changes:
- The Dawlish Grand Prix is a brand-new addition, bringing a scenic coastal venue to the series. The date is just before the South West road race, offering the opportunity/cost of a summer holiday stayover in Devon for the domestic peloton.
- The series retains iconic venues like Otley, Sheffield, and Guildford.
What’s Missing:
- The Dudley Grand Prix is off the schedule for 2025.
- The Beverley Grand Prix, which served as a highly popular 2024 series finale, is no longer part of the calendar.
What are your thoughts on the 2025 calendar? Let us know in the comments below or on social media.
Featured image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
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It is no surprise there is a lack of UCI race teams in the UK now. When there are only 6 National road races and 6 National circuit races. There isn’t much in terms of return of investment for any team sponsors.
The Tour Series is a sad loss to domestic teams
Its a shame that dudley has been taken off. It has proved extremely popular with the locals and has kick started a loy of young riders into the sport with the view of being able to compete in the open event in their home town. Whoever thought this was a good idea needs to have a word with themselves.