Lincoln National Road Championships could make a loss

The organisers of this year’s National Road Championships, which this year will take place in Lincoln, are appealing for sponsors as they seek to balance the books. At present, another £20,000 is needed to meet the costs of the £250,000 four-day event.

Ian Emmerson, a former Team England chairman and British Cycling president, described the national championships as “the biggest sporting event ever held in the area” but told the Lincolnshire Echo that more money was needed. "We do have support from local authorities and businesses, but we're still £20,000 short of balancing the books.

The 2015 National Road Championships will run from Thursday, June 25 until Sunday, June 28. The time trials will begin on Cadwell Park Motor Racing Circuit, while the road race route is a variation of that used for the 2014 Lincoln Grand Prix, the centrepiece of which is the steep cobbled climb up Michaelgate in Lincoln.

Lincolnshire Media managing director, Steven Fletcher, said the event would get wide exposure and promised to be a great opportunity for sponsors.

"We all saw the support which local businesses and the whole community gave last year when the Tour de France came to Yorkshire and, with the assured interest from the TV companies who will be providing live coverage of the Cadwell Park time trials and Sunday's main event, this is surely the ideal opportunity for businesses to be backing a major international event – where the focus will be upon Lincolnshire."

To offer sponsorship, e-mail info [at] lincolngrandprix.org.uk or call Ian Emmerson on 01522 750000 or 07785 347174.

Last year, the elite men’s race was won by Peter Kennaugh. The Manx rider said this week that he may leave Team Sky when his contract finishes at the end of the season, and that his manager has approached him about other teams he could potentially join in 2016.