Over the last few years North Cheshire Clarion have become increasingly involved with road racing. Within the senior members we have 4 2nd cats, 6 3rds and 3 4th cats. From a kids perspective there’s quite a few across varying age categories.
The road racing season kicks off as it does every year with the Eddie Soens Road Race on Saturday 10th March. This is a fast flowing closed road race around the car racing circuit at Aintree Racecourse. A great chance to ride in a peloton of 200+ rubbing shoulders (and elbows) with some very well-known pros. It’s handicap race for all abilities with the various categories setting of at different times. It does however come together very quickly and can be a bit sketchy at times with the various ranges of abilities racing in such close proximity. Still it’s an early chance to stretch your legs and good indication of your early season form.
If you prefer something a bit more low key there’s some racing the next day at the world famous Pimbo circuit in Skelmersdale. There’s 3/4 race on first which should be 1 ½ hours of racing on the wide roads of the Pimbo industrial estate. It’s a 2 mile loop with long sweeping right-hand only turns and usually stays together, so a good intro into Road Racing. There’s also a women’s only race and a longer race for e/1/2/3 cats later in the afternoon.
Road racing comes thick and fast as we get into the back end of March with regular races all over the North West ranging from hilly/rolling races like the East Lancs road race up in Clitheroe to pan flat races like the ones up at Bickershaw and the Frank Morgan in Knowsley.
The Criterium season kicks off at Tameside with their Tuesday league starting 3rd April. They have races for youth categories starting at U8s through to U16s with separate races for boys and girls. There’s also racing for the seniors with the 2/3s racing for an hour start from 7:15 with the 3/4 cats following. The racing at Tameside is notoriously competitive and if you’re after honing you cornering skills this is the place to do it.
The Wednesday league at Litherland starts the week after and also has racing for all age groups. This seems to be the circuit of choice for most our racers for the last couple of seasons, we’re always well represented here across all categories and this we’ll be hosting a few rounds too. Litherland is a good place to start if you’re new to road racing as it’s a bit less ferocious and a bit more laid back than Tameside. Points are easier to obtain too, if that’s your goal.
Then there’s the Thursday league at Preston Arena starting the 19th April. Only senior racing available this year though with a 3/4 race followed by an e/1/2. The facilities are second to none and the fast flowing circuit is a arguably the best around.