Cricklade Festival Road Race

Saturday 18th June 2005

Race Photo's now available click HERE

Report and Results

from race organiser Bryan Telford ;

Kevin Grant (Hardley Athletic CC) was a worthy winner of the annual Cricklade Festival Road Race promoted by Swindon RC. The Cricklade Town Crier started the race at 10am from the High Street and the sixty racing cyclists had ten laps ahead of them including the ascent of Common Hill each lap.

The early pace found a number of riders losing contact with the bunch as the mid morning temperature rose. Lap three saw the first of many attempts to break clear as six riders gained a handful of seconds through Chelworth, the response from the peleton saw this group reeled in just in time for a counterattack up Common Hill which again saw riders dropped. The attacks continued each lap with the most successful only gaining ten seconds which included the only lady rider, Claire Hall (CC Giro) from Swindon.

The penultimate climb of Common Hill was at a more leisurely pace as the remaining riders contemplated the last lap before a final fast drop through Chelworth and returning to Cricklade with one kilometre to go. The fast pace up the hill started to take its toll with riders dropping off. At the head of the race Kevin Grant, who had been active throughout, was setting the pace and took the win just ahead of junior rider Jon Opie (Team Tor 2000) who placed one better than last year in second, and Chris Ward (Antelope RT) close behind in third.


As in previous years this race was part of the Cricklade Festival week with proceeds towards local charity, Jubilee Gardens Project, based at Purton Stoke.

Result ;

1st Kevin Grant (Hardley Athletic CC) 55km in 1 hour 28 minutes
2nd Jon Opie (Team Tor 2000)
3rd Chris Ward (Antelope RT)
4th Giles Hembrough (www.bikeshop.uk.com)
5th Lloyd Sockett (Bristol RC)
6th James Griffin (Cheltenham and County CC)
7th Mark Thomson (St Ives CC)
8th Nick Watson (Hardley Athletic CC)
9th Stuart Hopkins (Team Maestro)
10th Nick Stephen (Swindon RC)

1st Junior Jon Opie (Team Tor 2000)

1st Woman Claire Hall (CC Giro)

Part of the national bikeweek events aimed at promoting cycling in all it's guises.

Swindon Road Club will again be promoting the popular Cricklade Festival Road Race on Saturday June 18th 2005 under British Cycling rules.

The race is held over 55km and is open to 3rd and 4th category riders.

The circuit is a 3 mile loop just south of Cricklade village as shown in the map below.

HQ is at the Leisure Centre in Cricklade, from where the neutralised start will commence.

The circuit is from the Leisure Centre roundabout on the B4040 towards Malmsbury. First left onto unclassified road through Chelworth Upper Green.   Turn left onto B4553 towards Cricklade.  Into Cricklade turn left at the roundabout onto B4040.

The circuit is mainly flat but with one 'big ring' climb from the Leisure Centre upto the Country Hotel.  The race is over 10 laps which is a distance of 55km.

The finish is situated in Cricklade between the roundabout leaving the B4553 and the roundabout at the Leisure Centre.

Click HERE for last years results

.Course Map (HQ is at the Lesiure Centre)