Hundreds of keen cyclists will take to roads in Huntingdonshire, Fenland and Peterborough on the weekend for the Tour of Cambridgeshire.
Part of the Gran Fondo World Series - which hosts dozens of events throughout the world - this weekend's event is a chance for riders participants to qualify for the amateur World Championships in Italy this autumn.
The event begins on Saturday, June 11 with a 16.4-mile time trial.
On Sunday, June 12, amateur riders will take on 100-mile, 70-mile and 50-mile courses which start and end at the East of England Arena and Showground, Peterborough.
For motorists in Cambridgeshire, this means some roads will be shut throughout the weekend.
Road closures on Saturday, June 11:
Road closures for the 16.4-mile Saturday course begin at 9am and end at 8pm.
Roads in the Chesterton, Folksworth, Washingley and Caldecote areas will shut:
- Oundle Road between the East of England Arena and Elton Furze Golf Club
- Bullock Road
- Morborne Road
- Manor Road
- Washingley Road
- Washingley Lane
Road closures on Sunday, June 12:
Timed road closures will be in place throughout northern Cambridgeshire on Sunday.
The Tour of Cambridgeshire route runs through the Folksworth, Great Gidding, Alconbury, Ramsey, Whittlesey and Yaxley areas.
8am - 8.15pm (Chesterton, Bullock Road):
- Oundle Road between the East of England Arena and ELton Furze Golf Club
- Bullock Road between Oundle Road and Haddon
8.15am - 12.45pm (Folksworth, Washingley):
- Bullock Road
- Washingley Lane
- Washingley Road
- Redhill Road
8.30am - 1pm (Great Gidding, Winwick):
- Bullock Road
- B660 between Bullock Road and Winwick, through Great Gidding
8.45am - 1.30pm (Hamerton):
- Hamerton Road
8.45am - 2.30pm (Old Weston, Leighton Bromswold, Barham):
- Unnamed road between Alconbury and the B660 at Old Weston
- B660 Main Street through Old Weston
- The Avenue
- Sheep Street
- Barham Road
- Church Road
- Hamerton Road
9am - 3pm (Alconbury):
- Buckworth Road
- North Road Alconbury
- Vinegar Hill
- Alconbury Hill
- B1090 near Monks Wood Nature Reserve
- B1043 Ermine Street between Sawtry and Alconbury Weald
9.15am - 3.15pm (Alconbury Weald):
- Routes through Alconbury Weald
9.30am - 4.15pm (Abbots Ripton, Wennington):
- B1090 in the Abbots Ripton area
- Unnamed road over New England Bridge, through Wennington and Little Raveley
- Huntingdon Road
- Unnamed road between Kings Ripton and Wistow
- Unnamed road between Wistow and Huntingdon Road
9.45am - 4.30pm (Great Raveley, Upwood, Ramsey):
- Huntingdon Road
- Meadow Road Upwood
- High Street Upwood
9.45am - 6.45pm (Ramsey, Pondersbridge):
- Longholme Road
- Ugg Mere Court Road
- B1040 Ugg Mere Court Road
- B1040 Herne Road
10am - 7.15pm (Pondersbridge, Farcet, Yaxley):
- B1095 Ramsey Road Pondersbridge
- Wrights Drove
- Straight Drove
- Main Street Farcet
- B1091 Broadway
10.15am - 7.30pm (Yaxley):
- Mere View and Main Street Yaxley
- Church Street
- Waterslade Road
- A15 London Road
10.30am - 7.15pm (Haddon):
- New Road adjacent to A1(M)
- Unnamed road through Haddon
10.30am - 5.15pm (Ramsey):
- Oilmills Road
- Wells Bridge
- B1096 Ramsey Road
10.45am - 5.30pm (Ramsey Hollow Drove, Puddock Road):
- Hollow Road
- Long Drove
- Ramsey Hollow Drove
- Puddock Road
11am - 6pm (Ramsey Forty Foot, Benwick, Whittlesey):
- Forty Foot Bank between Puddock Road and the B1096 Ramsey Forty Foot
- B1096 between Ramsey Forty Foot and Benwick
- B1096 High Street Benwock
- B1096 Doddington Road
- B1093 Whittlesey Road
- B1093 Benwick Road
11.15am - 6.45pm (Whittlesey, Pondersbridge):
- Turningtree Road
- Glassmoor Bank
What is the Tour of Cambridgeshire?
The Tour of Cambridgeshire is one of several dozen events in the UCI Gran Fondo World Series.
The first Gran Fondo event in 2022 was held in Dubai on February 19.
More than 2,000 cyclists participated in the community ride, with 80 elite riders taking on the 94.8km course through the city.
Great Britain’s Simon Henley and Egypt's Ebrissam Zayed were the first across the finish line - each earning 10,000 Eirati dirham (around £2,000 at the time) from the prize pot.
Other events included the Cyprus Gran Fondo in April, the Tour de Brisbane in Australia, the French 66 Degrès Sud and the Gran Fondo Suisse last weekend (June 4-5).
As well as the Tour of Cambridgeshire, the Maraton Franja BTC City in Ljublijana, Slovenia, and the Niseko Classic in Japan are taking place this weekend.
The tour culminates with the 2022 Gran Fondo World Championships for amateur cyclists, which will be held in Tento, Italy, between September 14 and September 18.
Next year's 2023 Gran Fondo World Championships will take place in Great Britain, in Glasgow.
"While promoting high level competition for Masters and Amateurs, one of the aims of this series is the globalization of 'Cycling for All'," a UCI statement reads.
"With that in mind, the geographical spread of the events is very important, alongside with strict organizational and sporting criteria, and a certain tourism interest.
"The UCI Gran Fondo World Series concept is focusing on both very competitive riders who either just miss the skills and talent to become a Pro Elite rider or who still want to compete at a high level at a later age, but also to fun riders who like to keep fit and finish the event."
Tom Malcolm, of Tour of Cambridgeshire, claimed the event is Britain's biggest cycling festival.
He said: "The whole team would like to say a big thank you to those of you who have deferred their entry twice to join us in Peterborough for the return of what we are proud to say is the biggest and best ToC to date.
"We would also like to thank all the volunteers who help out.
"But there's more - the local authorities who support us in closing the roads and ensuring the safety of all participants.
"Our partners who make the event viable are all essential to your enjoyment.
"Residents living and working along the route unwittingly help us get this show on the road.
"We're eternally grateful."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here