Some of the world’s top para-cyclists, including Beverley-born double world and Paralympic champion Adam Duggleby, will be in the town next month for the start of the Yorkshire 2019 Para-Cycling International.
Adam, who is the tandem pilot for partially-sighted Steve Bate, will join around 60 cyclists in Beverley’s Saturday Market on Saturday, 21 September for the start of the Yorkshire 2019 Para-Cycling International.
Adam and Steve won gold medals in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio in the individual pursuit and the time trial and also picked up a bronze medal in the road race.
In 2018, the pair became double world champions, winning their first world title in the individual pursuit at the 2018 UCI Para-Cycling Track Championships in Rio before claiming the time trial title in the 2018 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships in Italy.
This will be the first time the Yorkshire 2019 para-cycling international race will take place alongside the UCI Road World Championships, where each race finishes in Harrogate.
Athletes from every Paralympic road racing classification will be taking part in the race, which also has start points in Tadcaster and Wetherby, with some riders looking to use the race to gain qualifying time for the Paralympics in Tokyo next year.
In Beverley, athletes will be riding either tandems, which involves a visually-impaired rider with a sighted pilot on the front, or bicycles which have been adapted for riders with physical impairments.
The riders will leave Saturday Market around 12noon and race through Bishop Burton, Market Weighton, Holme on Spalding Moor, Foggathorpe and Bubwith before heading into North Yorkshire and finishing in Harrogate.
Alongside the race, a programme of free, fun and family-friendly events will be taking place in Saturday Market between 10am and 4pm.
People will be able to register to take part in a family-friendly parade cycle ride which will set off from Saturday Market will see them ride part of the actual route before stopping on the Westwood to cheer on the cyclists as they race by. Registration for the parade cycle ride will open in September with more details released nearer the time.
Saturday Market will play host to a stunt cycle team and children and adults will have a chance to try out some weird and crazy bikes as well as having a go on a pump track – where the bikes don’t require any pedalling!
Viking FM Breakfast presenters Alex and Ellie will also be attending and there will be a number of live bands performing throughout the afternoon.
Councillor Richard Burton, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: “These para-cyclists are truly inspirational and I hope people will come out to show these athletes their support – not just at the start in Beverley but also in the towns and villages along the race route.
“We want to make this a celebration of cycling and with the fun and free events planned for Saturday Market there should be something for people of all ages to join in with.”
