This entry was posted on Monday, May 12th, 2014at 3:44 pm by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

Country’s Elite Cyclists Battle At ‘Biggest Race On The Calendar’

Hundreds of cyclists set off from Active Nation’s Yarborough Leisure Centre over the weekend and took over the city’s historic cobbled streets for the Lincoln Festival of Cycling.

The 4th Lincoln Grand Prix Sportive kicked off the festival on Saturday when around 1,500 riders took part over the 4 distances of 30, 55, 75 and 100 miles, finishing in Castle Hill after a gruelling 12% cobbled climb up Michaelgate.

Those taking part got to experience some of the challenges that the country’s elite riders faced on Sunday in the 59th Lincoln Grand Prix and the West Common Junior Road Race. Heavy rainfall made the tough course even more difficult, causing problems for some of the riders.

This year’s winner of the 124.7 mile course was Yanto Barker from Team Raleigh, who completed the race in 4 hours 37 minutes and 46 seconds.

His win came after a dramatic last couple of laps where he and rival Marcin Bialoblocki (Velosure Giordana) were neck and neck. They caught breakaway rider Tom Moses (Rapha Condor-JLT) on the final climb, before Yanto got the better of his rival.

The win also saw Yanto clinch the British Cycling Spring Cup Series, as well as taking the lead in the season-long Elite Road Series.

He said: “I’m so pleased and proud to win the Lincoln Grand Prix as it’s one of the biggest races on the calendar. On a day like today with the wind and rain it was like a war of attrition.”

In the West Common Junior Road Race, Joseph Wiltshire snatched the lead.

Active Nation’s contract manager for Lincoln, Stuart Blackbourn, got to experience the excitement on Sunday at the finish line.

He said: “As a charity we are on a mission to persuade the nation to be active and what better way is there to motivate people than to see so many elite riders racing through the city’s streets.

“The talent and determination shown by the junior riders in the West Common Road Race was also inspirational – I’m sure we’ll see some of those names competing in elite races in the future.

“Congratulations to everyone who took part and to the organisers who put on a brilliant weekend of events.”

The next Lincoln Grand Prix will be held on June 28 2015 – as the county hosts the British Cycling Championships – when the elite winners will get to wear their championship jerseys in all the major road race and time trial events, such as Le Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta.