National road race recce

Elite riders James Moss, Tom Last and Ross Creber braved the cold and took to the roads of Northumberland in January to recce the route of this year's National Road

Race Championships.

"I know the roads like the back of my hand and it should make a good race," Endura Racing team rider Moss told Cycling Weekly. "It will be more of a circuit you can properly race on than last year where it was more of a case of last man standing."

The route will basically follow the same roads as the Beaumont Trophy (Premier Calendar race) course featuring the Ryals climbs and two circuits to the north-west of Newcastle.

"Ryals is a nasty hill but it's only two minutes of effort - something you can blast up in two steps really," said Moss. "You can see someone like Cav getting over that climb. The race might also suit Hunt, Millar, Hayles and Downing - those strong all round riders with a bit of punch.

"Not everyone will want to get to the line with a sprinter," he added. "It should be really interesting and attacking like the Commonwealth Games road race. Endura should have a pretty strong squad for it too."

The men's and women's road race on Sunday June 26 are the headline events of the Northern Rock Cyclone weekend. Other events include the big money Leazes Criteriums on Friday evening and the Cyclone sportives on Saturday.

Related links

British race calendar 2011: Road, crits and TTs

External link

www.northernrockcyclone.co.uk