A video has captured the moment hundreds of cyclists took a wrong turn at the National Road Championships.

Eastern Daily Press: The start of the British Cycling Festival men's elite race at City Hall. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe start of the British Cycling Festival men's elite race at City Hall. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)

The British Cycling race formed part of Great British Cycling Festival in Norfolk on Sunday, June 30, which also included a 100-mile sportive and a family cycle around Norwich.

The men's elite race saw hundreds of professional cyclists set off from Norwich City Hall at 9am on a route which took them along the coast towards north Norfolk and back to the city.

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But just 10 minutes later, the cyclists in the lead of the 125-mile race on Sunday morning were left playing catch-up after making a wrong turn at Hoveton.

Eastern Daily Press: The map showing the men's road race on Sunday, June 30. Photo: British CyclingThe map showing the men's road race on Sunday, June 30. Photo: British Cycling (Image: Archant)

Spectator Phil Rees, 41, an electrician from Taverham, captured the blunder on his mobile phone.

The video shows a series of motorcycles and a police car drift past in the correct direction, shortly followed by three cyclists.

Stood in the middle of the road is a marshal dressed in a bright orange jacket signalling cyclists to go straight ahead on the route towards Beeston St Lawrence.

Moments later a horde of cyclists appear and turn left, zooming past in the wrong direction for at least 10 seconds.

People watching from the sidelines can be heard screaming 'you're going the wrong way' and whistling at the oblivious cyclists to grab their attention.

Mr Rees said: "It was a bit of a surprise to see the first three cyclists go by and then the rest of them turn. "It was pretty surreal for that to happen in front of you, about 80pc of the cyclists went the wrong way."

After realising the mistake, the cyclists come to an abrupt stop and double back towards the correct direction.

Mr Rees said: "It shows how professional they are, none of them collided together and the road was blocked by cars as well.

"There were 30 cyclists at the end that went the right way, the ones at the back of the race were at the front."