For the Premier Calendar race, Tour of the Reservoir, which takes place in and around the villages of Blanchland and Edmundbyers, has been moved from April to July.
Weather conditions for what is one of the largest races in the North-East have typically been harsh as riders hit the open roads around the North Pennines, but the past two years have been particularly severe.
In 2015, the course was changed because of heavy snow and freezing cold temperatures.
Some of the female riders in the two-day spectacular were close to hypothermia as a result, forcing organisers to shorten the second stage of the men’s race from 100 miles to 72. Things didn’t improve too much ahead of last year’s event, even though British Cycling pushed it back a week, with riders again hit by freezing cold snow storms to make cycling conditions extremely tricky.
Chief organiser Mike Hodgson, who lives in Edmundbyers, has long lobbied British Cycling for a summer date for the event which is the most viewed elite road race in the country, and has now got his wish as he is to welcome more than 100 of the country’s top riders to the area on July 1 and 2.
Hodgson said: “We have had to fight hard to get the date, but it was finally accepted by British Cycling. I was very happy, in fact I was quite ecstatic, when we got the new dates.
“The women’s race last year had to be put back an hour because of the very cold conditions, and the year before we even had to cut the races short.
“It is a very hard course and is open to the elements, especially in the North Pennines, and other parts of the area incorporated in the route are Blanchland, Crawleyside and Edmundbyers, which are again in very open countryside.
“To have it in the summer will be a new thing for us and the riders, and hopefully it will attract new spectators especially as we’re playing around with the finish at the reservoir to add to the drama.”
The Tour of Reservoir has grown in stature and reputation over the years, and regularly attracts top names from the cycling world.
A regular competitor is three-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy, while many upcoming names tipped for Team GB selection turn out in force too.
Joe Fry, of Pedal Heaven RT, is expected to return to defend the title he won last year, as is Ford’s Nikki Juniper who followed up success at the Derwent with the prestigious Curlew Cup, held in Stamfordham.
And now Hodgson is excited to be bringing the star names to the area when it should be somewhat warmer than what they’ve been used to.
He said: “British Cycling has given us this date and at last seen the light at the end of the road, and we can’t wait to hold this Premier Calendar event in such different weather conditions.
“It will be the hardest race ahead of the Tour of Britain at the beginning of September, and it will be a good warm-up test for most of the riders.”
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