New year's day Cyclocross coming to Harrogate's Ripley Castle

You’re probably sitting around today in a turkey fug, wondering if you’ll ever be able to even walk again, let alone ride a bike. But the new year is coming, and that means resolving, once again, to get fit and ride more and lose weight and be healthier and so on and so on. And what better way to start than with a cyclocross race?

If you’re within striking distance of Harrogate then you don’t have to wait long to get into the swing of things. Harrogate Nova CC are heading up to Ripley Castle on 1 January 2014 for what they’re billing as the first cycling event of Yorkshire’s biggest ever year in cycling. Ripley Castle Cyclocross will feature elite racing alongside a full supporting programme of junior and novice races, so there’s no excuse to not have a go. And with a prize list of over £1,200 it’s attracting riders from a good distance away too, so it should be a strong field.

Event organiser Steve Smales, said of the event, “The inaugural running of the Ripley Castle Cyclocross will be the first cycling event in Yorkshire in the Tour de France year. Our organising team have worked hard over the last twelve months to bring you a day of exciting, high quality and accessible cyclocross racing.

“The race is a first for Ripley Castle and the course strikes a balance between providing challenging racing for committed riders and great fun for less experienced racers. Ripley Castle is both a beautiful and spectator friendly venue that can be easily reached from anywhere in the North of England. We really look forward to seeing you on New Year's Day, be it to blow away that hangover, fine tune your race form, or simply have a go on whatever bike you bring.”

For more information, and a sneak peek at some of the course, head over to www.ripleycastlecx.org.uk