Thousands witness a festival of cycling

An estimated 10,000 spectators and competitors flocked to Aberystwyth over the bank holiday weekend to watch and take part in a three day celebration of cycling.

Friday’s ‘around the houses’ races in the town centre incorporated the televised Pearl Izumi Tour Series professional race which included Olympic stars and other top UKriders. Saturday’s ‘Conquer the Cliff’ mountain bike downhill event also attracted a large entry including a world champion and Sunday’s fun ride took participants the length and breadth of Ceredigion, finishing on Aberystwyth promenade.

350 School children

The eleven round Tour Series runs across May and June each year, and visits cities such asLondon,Colchesterand Torquay with Aberystwyth being its only Welsh round. The day’s racing included ten children’s races and three adult support races leading up to the big finale.

Local schools were heavily involved in the event with over 350 children participating, from under 8’s up to 16 years of age. Races of varying length, depending on age were hotly contested around the 850 metre circuit, shortened on the morning of the race due to high winds which blew waves onto the promenade area of the course at high tide.

The new course which involved cutting out Castle point, using a detour throughCastle StreetandKing Street, was a hit. The relocated finish line inPier Streetattracted even bigger crowds than the 2012 event.

Fans were treated to a night of entertainment by the commentary team at the finish line including some big tunes and loud claxon horns during the pulsating racing action.

Double Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy won the race for the second time, having previously won in 2011. Clancy, part of the famous quartet of Team GB track pursuiters at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, formed an early breakaway with three other riders, Chris Opie (Team UK Youth), Andy Tennant (Madison-Genesis) and Alexander Blain (Team Raleigh). These four rode strongly and were never caught by the pack, contesting the sprint finish together where Clancy got the better of Opie who had to settle for a third consecutive second place at Tour Series Aberystwyth.

Eager amateur racers also had their chance to shine with three separate races. The ‘Town’ team were the victors in the Town v Gown fun race with Hywel Sion taking the individual prize, outsprinting Gareth Lewis. Fancy Dress prize went to ‘Welsh Lady’ Anna Evans.

The race also included an emergency services challenge where the Ambulance Service came out on top.

Richard Rees (Ystwyth CC) won the Cat 4 race from Sarn Helen’s Dylan Lewis whilst Jack Sadler (Vanilla Bikes) took the Cat 2/3 race win from Elliot Jones (Paramount RT) with Ystwyth’s Stevie Williams in fourth place.

Children’s race winners were :

Lowri Richards (Ciliau Parc) Year 3 Girls; Alaw Davies (Ysgol Gymraeg) Year 4 Girls; Xavier Teece-Round (St Padarns) Year 3 Boys; Griff Lewis (Ysgol Rhydypennau) Year 4 boys; Shannon Haird (Llanfarian) Year 5 Girls; Hannah Davies (Aberaeron) Year 6 Girls; Owen Evans (Ysgol Rhydypennau) Year 5 Boys; Cai Jones (Llanilar) Year 6 Boys; Crwys Rees (Cardigan) Secondary School Road; Lewis Ellis-Jones (Penweddig) Secondary School Mountain Bikes.

Each race also featured a team award for the school’s first two finishers. Winning schools were :

Ysgol Llanilar (Year 3 Girls, Year 4 Boys, Year 6 Boys), Ysgol Gymraeg (Year 4 Girls, Year 3 Boys, Year 6 Girls), Ysgol Llanfarian (Year 5 Girls), Ysgol Aberteifi (Year 5 Boys).

Downhill Mountain biking

Saturday’s action involved downhill mountain biking on the town’s famous Constitution Hill. The ‘Conquer the Cliff’ race attracted well over 100 amateur and professional downhill specialists from across the UK who treated over a thousand spectators to some thrilling action in glorious spring sunshine.

Riders were timed individually, starting above the Café at the summit and heading down via the footpath, over two wooden bridges and narrow stairways followed by a series of switchbacks down to the promenade finish line. Crowds lined the route throughout the day as each rider whizzed down the hillside, taking an average of a minute and a half to complete the course.

An ‘uplift’ of riders and bikes was ideally provided by the Constitution Hill Cliff Railway.

Winning female rider was 2011 World Junior Champion Manon Carpenter (Madison Saracen) whilst Harry Molloy (Madison Saracen) took the men’s Pro/Am race.

Other category winners were Joe Parfitt (Juvenile men), Jack Jenkins (Youth men), Phil Atwill (Junior men), James Storey (Senior men), Chas Barker (Masters men) and Ian Sanders (Veteran men).

Ceredigion cycling experience

The final event of the festival was a chance for all non-racing cyclists to get in on the action, courtesy of the ‘Welsh Wild West’ Sportive. Sportive rides are fun rides over a route market course including up to three different distances to suit all abilities.

Almost 250 riders set out from Aberystwyth and headed north towards Borth before swinging back inland towards Talybont where the ‘Corrach’ route meandered back to Aberystwyth after 28 miles of cycling, again in glorious sunshine.

The middle ‘Mynach’ route took the riders over Nant y Moch and via DevilsBridge, covering 62 miles while the Cawr was not for the faint hearted, covering 105 miles via Tregaron, Lampeter and Talsarn before a final sting in the tail from Llanfihangel up to Trisant.

The Welsh Wild West Sportive cycle ride took in some stunning Ceredigion coastal scenery

Each ride included full technical support from sponsors Continental Tyres, plus feed stations where riders were able to fill up with energy drinks and gels, not to mention Bara brith and welsh cakes.

Back at the finish line on Aberystwyth promenade, each finisher was handed a goody bag and again fed and watered at Aberystwyth Boat Club.

First riders to return from the epic 105 mile route were Carwyn Henson and Arwel Jones whilst the majority of competitors were from outside the county.

“Would like to pass on my compliments and congratulate the organising team, and the people who helped on the day, for what is without a doubt amongst the very best sportives I have ridden, and I have done a few now! Everything ran like clockwork on the day, right amount of marshals, well signed, friendly volunteers at feed stations, which were superbly stocked.... food at the finish was excellent and much needed after a strenuous but very rewarding and scenic route. Well done to everyone, and I sincerely hope you'll be putting it on again next year, I'll definitely be back!

Phil Paul – Newtown

Next year’s AberCycleFest in scheduled for the weekend of May 23-25^th. 

Ride Y Cawr

Ride Y Corach

Ride Y Mynach

Info for Riders

Sunday 26th May is the Aber Cycle Festival event for the masses! We have rides over three distances for road riders of all abilities - The Welsh Wild West Sportive. Come and see the county of Ceredigion in all its glory and experience the quiet country roads, spectacular views and challenging terrain to finish your weekend with a real sense of achievement”.