The open road, a smell of hot tarmac, an expectant crowd, the hum of tyres and the whirring of gears – this is road racing! One for the Road! Road Racing’s territory is the open road. Events range from short Junior races of an hour or less, through one day classics of over 250km like Paris-Roubaix, to the Tour de France which hurtles round 3,500km of the flatlands and mountains of France for three weeks every summer.

In the shorter races the first rider over the line is the winner, but in multi-stage “Tours” there are prizes for each stage winner, for the best sprinter in the race, the best climber (aka King of the Mountains), the leading team and, of course, the overall winner.

Racing Qualities – Endurance, Sprinting, Climbing
Top Road racers need to be able to stay in the saddle for hours at a time (endurance), to accelerate to speeds of up to 50mph (sprint) and climb mountain passes up to almost 10,000 feet.

How to get involved
As with all sports, Road Racing beginners can find their feet in easier events. Under sixteens ride on what are called closed road circuits – they are courses off the public roads where they can race safely and learn the many tactical skills which make Road Racing so exciting. British cycling run events of this kind all round the country during the summer months.

Further Information is available on the following:

Road Race Courses – Visit the Time Trial Courses page

Racing and competing as a Hull Thursday member – Visit the Home Page

Road Race League – Visit the 2017 East Yorks RR League page.