National road cycling championships will next year be hosted in Norfolk, it has been announced.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk will be hosting the National Road Championships next June. Picture: Julian ClaxtonNorfolk will be hosting the National Road Championships next June. Picture: Julian Claxton (Image: Archant)

The HSBC UK National Road Championships will take place on the first day of the British Cycling Festival, Thursday, June 27, and will include a new city to coast 100-mile closed road cycling race.

The events will form part of the Great British Cycling Festival, with amateur cyclists given the opportunity to ride the same, closed road course as the professionals.

The organisation of the tournament has been arranged in partnership with Norfolk County Council and Active Norfolk and sponsored by the University of East Anglia.

Council leader Andrew Proctor said: 'Since our Pushing Ahead cycling and walking initiative launched in 2016, we've encouraged more people to get on their bikes and engage in active travel across the county.

'Hosting such a prestigious cycling event will only help inspire more people to consider cycling as an alternative way to get around.'

Previous winners of The British Cycling Championships include Geraint Thomas, Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish. The event next year is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors to the region.

An 100-mile sportive will take place on the Sunday, June 30, with riders of all abilities able to take on the professional closed circuit course.

As well as this, a family ride will give families chance to enjoy the event atmosphere while taking to their own bikes and riding on a closed road circuit around the city.

The championship has been organised by British Cycling and Golazo Cycling in partnership with the county council and Active Norfolk.

Jonathan Rigby, British Cycling's commercial director, said: 'We're thrilled to confirm the award of the 2019 HSBC UK National Road Championships to Norfolk.

'The championships are the flagship event of our road racing calendar and represent the pinnacle of domestic road racing, they are also a celebration of cycling as a whole.

'We're delighted to again be staging mass participation rides alongside the elite races, and are pleased to have linked up with Active Norfolk, Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council.'

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