The Northern Rock Cyclone festival of cycling will once again be held in Newcastle & Northumberland from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th June 2009.

The event has grown year on year since 2006. This year promises to be bigger and better than ever before. There really is something for everyone; the opportunity to watch world class cyclists in action and the opportunity to race on the same race circuit or ride on the same race route as the professionals themselves.

The cycling bonanza starts on the evening of Friday 12th June with the highly successful and lucrative Newcastle Leazes Criteriums – high speed closed circuit cycling races held in Leazes Park in the shadow of St. James Park, only 800m from the City Centre. There will be a series of races for Youths, Novices, Senior and Elite category riders. The Elite race will be the highlight of the night starting about 8pm and lasting 1 hour.

Saturday 13th June is the day of the Cyclone Challenge rides, designed to provide an experience and a challenge for all ages and abilities. There is a choice of three rides of 33, 62 and 101mls – starting and finishing at Newcastle Falcons Stadium at Kingston Park. In 2008 there were nearly 1,500 Challenge participants making the event one of the biggest of its kind in the UK. The organisers are hoping to see approximately 2,000 riders taking to the roads through the unspoilt Northumberland countryside in 2009 as cycling continues to experience a massive surge in popularity.

The Beaumont Trophy Premier Calendar Road Race will take place on Photograph of cyclistsSunday 14th June. The race will once again feature three climbs of the energy sapping Ryals as the peleton circuits Stamfordham Village six times. All the major UK teams are expected to ride and will be competing with some good Continental teams who have accepted the challenge to come over and race the UK teams in their own backyard.

If you’re looking for a challenge to motivate you to get back on your bike in the New Year whether to get fit, raise money for charity, or if you simply want to come along and watch top class cycling, then this event is for you.