LEADING cyclists Steve Cummings and Mark Cavendish are among several big names in the district for this weekend's Cyclone Festival of Cycling.

The four-day event started with the national time trial championship today, and the national road championship on Sunday.

It is the first time the two national championships have been held at the local festival since 2011, when Sir Bradley Wiggins won the national time trial.

Cummings will be aiming to defend his time trial title on the district's roads, with the route starting and finishing at Kirkley Hall near Ponteland, and will incorporate routes around Stamfordham, Belsay and Matfen.

Five-time champion Alex Dowsett will be among those looking to de-throne Cummings.

In the absence of reigning women's champion Claire Rose, Hayley Simmonds will be looking to reclaim the time trial titles she previously won in 2015 and 2016.

Hannah Barnes will be looking to improve on the silver medal she picked up at last year's championships, which took place on the Isle of Man.

Another contender will be Dame Sarah Storey, who competed in last week's Tour of the Reservoir at Edmundbyers.

Former Tour de France champion Mark Cavendish will compete in Sunday's road championship.

Other household names involved over the weekend include Geraint Thomas and Elinor Barker.

The festival will also see thousands of members of the public taking part in two events - the Tyne Six Bridges Fun Rides tomorrow (FRI JUNE 29); and the Cyclone Challenge, which is run over 34, 64, 90 and 106-mile routes, on Saturday, June 30.

The Cyclone Festival of Cycling was established over a decade ago, to encourage people to get on their bikes.

Peter Harrison, organiser of the Cyclone Festival of Cycling, said: "It's exciting for the Cyclone Festival of Cycling is hosting the national championships again.

"This is a huge event for the area, bringing some of the world's leading competitors, and it will be a fantastic spectacle for cycling enthusiasts."

Northumberland County Council has confirmed that there will be a number of temporary road closures during the course of the event.