BEAUMONT Trophy victor Pete Williams will make a swift return to the area, looking to capture another prestigious title.

The ONE Pro Cycling team member has confirmed he will race in next weekend’s two-day Tour of Reservoir in another elite field of riders.

The Premier Calendar fixture has been pushed back to July 1 and 2 after freezing weather conditions for the past two years made riding incredibly tricky for competitors.

There will also be a change of start position as both the men’s and women’s races on both days will head off from The Old Village Shop, in Edmundbyers, instead of the traditional venue of Blanchland.

The women will get the action under way with a 65-mile run, comprising five laps of the area before finishing in the grounds of Derwent Reservoir, with the first leg at 8.50am on Saturday. The second leg, over 80 miles and a slightly different route, will be off at the same time the following day.

The men are off at 12.30pm on Saturday as they take in 80 miles, followed the slightly extended distance of 85 miles from 1.45pm on Sunday.

There is a similar field to the high profile one which appeared in the Beaumont Trophy, with third placed Tom Stewart, William’s ONE Pro teammate, and runner-up James Gullen, of JLT Condor, both in action.

The GB National Team will again send out a strong, youthful team headed up by Matthew Bostock, who was fourth in Stamfordham at the weekend. After last year’s triumph, Joe Fry, racing for Pedal Heaven, will try to defend his crown.

There is a strong women’s field too, although Nikki Juniper, of Team Ford Ecoboost, has had to pull out after crashing in the Curlew Cup, in Stamfordham.

Low House Haven, in Edmundbyers, will be used as the race headquarters over the weekend, and members of the public will be able to see the riders warm up at the venue around an hour before their races.