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Join in Torbay's Festival of Cycling at brand new Paignton £800,000 closed road circuit

Festival includes women's and children's races on new 1.5km macadam course...

Torbay is to host its first ever Cycling Festival around Paignton’s new £800,000 closed road circuit.

The event which takes place on the 1st of June, includes a mass participation cycle ride around the brand new 1.5km track, and races for all, with women’s and children’s fixtures included.

It’s being promoted by British Cycling, who funded half of the cost of the new facility, and they’re urging all their members to come and see what their membership fees have helped build next month.

Cllr Robert Excell, Torbay Council's executive lead for sport, told the Herald Express: "We want to attract the committed racer and members of the wider public alike who want to take part of cycling club activity.

"This regional centre for cycling is a great addition to Torbay's sporting infrastructure and really puts us on the map for cycling development as well as creating an exciting new facility for visitors and residents of Torbay who just want to come along and have fun."

Catherine Williams, community and sports officer for Torbay Council, said: "Remember if 200 people join a cycling club, 20 will stay around for more than five years and two of them will be talented riders. If we do not get the 200, there is no chance of getting the 20 or the two!"

Brian Johnston, recreation manager south west for British Cycling, said: "I am very much looking forward to the Torbay Cycling Festival which will showcase this great new facility in Torbay.

"I hope to see riders of all ages coming along, whether they are existing riders, new to cycling or returning after many years, the event will provide a great opportunity to sample what cycling has to offer."

Registration has opened here.

The day will run from 10am to 4pm on June 1.

We reported recently how the new track will be a 1.5km macadam circuit open to all users, and it’s hoped will boost cycling in the area, with the nearest similar facility in Somerset, 90 miles away.

The land was previously  used as sports pitches, on a former landfill site. The track will be raised to avoid waterlogging, and protected with 1.8-metre high fences.

It may soon be followed with a velodrome in Clennon Valley, which British Cycling has earmarked as being among its ‘highest priority national projects'.

It’s not yet clear whether the circuit would be open at all times to allcomers or whether it would be subject to advance booking and only through clubs.

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4 comments

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Jimmy Ray Will | 10 years ago
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Wow... massive missing of the point there. I don't think this facility has anything to do with the segregation of cars and cyclists... this is about providing a designated facility where competitive cyclists, inline skaters and wheel chair/hand cyclists can go and compete.

In addition it provides a facility for those groups to actively train in their respective disciplines.

Its a great thing for the regions road cyclists where dedicated facilities are seriously lacking.

My only minor grumble is that the first cycle race on the circuit is not open to Elites or first cats.

Oh, and not wanting to be the bearer of bad news, but I'll happily wager there will be no velodrome on that site in the next 10 years.

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ironmancole | 10 years ago
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Don't wish to be ungrateful...however a 1.5k opportunity to go cycling without being harassed, victimised, seriously injured or killed by our state designated 'golden child' in the wonder car is hardly cause for celebration.

We have millions of miles of highways we should be able to use free of worry but the government refuses to offer us any protection whilst still claiming it cares about getting people cycling.

With my motorist cap on I can expect hundreds of millions of tax payers money to be spent on ever fruitless road expansion schemes to promote congestion, obesity, laziness and environmental carnage.

With my bike helmet on I'm expected to be overjoyed about being marginalised whilst riding around a tiny, flat and featureless circuit I probably have to drive to use?

Yeah, thanks Mr. Cameron. That'll really help the hoardes of obese, convenience obsessed diabetes candidates get into cycling.

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kris1 replied to ironmancole | 10 years ago
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I understand where your coming from, but the track is a fantastic facility to train and race on, full stop. This is just the first stage with the second stage being an out door velodrome. Well done Torbay council for having the foresight and the guts to do this during times of austerity..

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localsurfer | 10 years ago
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Nothing about it on that register link?

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