Press release 6 May 2015
SWAP HORSEPOWER FOR PEDAL POWER
6 May 2015
With under a week to go the excitement is building for a special spring weekend of cycling in Wiltshire.
Sir Bradley Wiggins’ newly-formed Team Wiggins will be one of the 11 professional cycling teams that will be racing through south Wiltshire in the Cycle Wiltshire Grand Prix on Sunday, 10 May.
Around 120 elite riders from top professional teams will take part in the elite cycle race, part of the British Cycling National Road Race series. Starting with team introductions at the Salisbury Guildhall from 10am, the riders will then set off under non-race conditions at 11am.
The peloton will head through Salisbury city centre including the Cathedral Close, before the official race start in Wilton.
The racing circuit will then take in Burcombe, Barford St Martin, Compton Chamberlayne, Fovant, Ebbesbourne Wake, Bishopstone and Broad Chalke, with riders taking on the challenging climb of Fovant Hill multiple times.
The race will pass through Wilton 10 times and will finish in Wilton Market Place at approximately 3pm.
The event is part of Wiltshire Council's Legacy for Wiltshire initiative, which focuses on encouraging people to keep fit and active, bringing local communities together and boosting the local economy. The event also includes a sportive on Saturday 9 May with routes of 20, 64 and 100 miles. More information can be found at www.cyclewiltshire.org.uk
David Andrews, CEO VisitWiltshire said: “We are delighted that Wiltshire is hosting this important event again as it will encourage more visitors to the county not only to line the route in support of some of the best riders in Britain but to get in the saddle themselves and experience first-hand the beauty and heritage of the extraordinary Wiltshire landscape.”
Forthcoming cycling events across Wiltshire this year include Warminster Wobble on 13 and 14 June; the Bowood Triathlon on 11 and 12 July which will take the form of a 750m swim, 21km cycle (road) and 5km run; the HandleBards, a four-strong, all-male troupe of cycling players, who have pedalled the length and breadth of the UK (over 2,000 miles) to reach the Larmer Tree Gardens on 1 July where they will perform the fast-pace Shakespeare production A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Castle Combe Cycling Festival is back for another year and will take place on 30 August; there is a choice of three exciting routes in Wiltshire 100 and Big Wheel Bike Ride which will take place on 6 September.
Swapping horsepower for pedal power is a fantastic way to connect to Wiltshire’s amazing heritage and natural wonders. What better way to immerse yourself in this ancient landscape than to take to the saddle and cycle through the ever changing Wiltshire countryside.
There is a range of cycle routes across the county suitable for both mountain and road biking, along quiet country lanes passing many of the region's most iconic places to visit. Wiltshire Cycleway detail a 160 mile cycle route which is supplemented by a network of shorter loops offering a wide choice of distance and terrain.
These cycle routes range from 16 miles to 33 miles and take between three and seven hours to complete, allowing cyclists of all abilities to journey through the Avon Valley, Salisbury Plain and Wylye Valley. Not only can you pass through the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge and Avebury, but you can travel through picturesque towns including Chippenham, Bradford on Avon, Marlborough, Salisbury and Trowbridge, amongst others. These are all available to download from www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/things-to-do/outdoor-activities/cycling
Wiltshire has a range of excellent accommodation providers, many of whom offer secure bike storage facilities. Find out more about visiting Wiltshire at www.visitwiltshire.co.uk
Bike hire is available from Hayball Cyclesport while Heritage Cycle Tours offer guided cycle experiences.
For images or further information or a press visit please contact Florence Wallace, PR Manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk or tel. 01722 341309 or 07436 588860.
Note to editors: VisitWiltshire was established in August 2011 and is the official Tourist Board for Wiltshire. It is a private sector membership organisation representing over 600 partners. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend. Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1.5billion and supports over 28,000 jobs.
Images for Cycling in Wiltshire are now available on our Flickr gallery via this guest link: https://www.flickr.com/gp/129320754@N03/4U24Bf/ Photos may be used in print and/or online for the promotion of tourism to Wiltshire and any photos used must be credited to www.visitwiltshire.co.uk, unless otherwise stated in the title of the photo. Full terms and conditions can be found here.
Wiltshire Cycleway Routes PDF - http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/wiltshire-cycleway-complete-route.pdf