A motor-racing circuit, coastal roads and the fearsome Saltburn Bank will all play host to the best cyclists in Britain over the coming days. Here’s all you need to know.

Redcar and Cleveland hosts the British Cycling Road Race Championships from Wednesday to Sunday.

The action gets underway at Croft motor-racing circuit on Wednesday with the time-trials, moves onto the seaside town of Redcar on Friday evening for the town centre circuit races and then down to Saltburn on Sunday for the men’s and women’s elite road races.

Geraint Thomas is among the favourites for this year’s British jersey, fresh from his second-place finish at the Giro d’Italia. He has a powerful Ineos Grenadiers team backing him up, one that consists of the Swift cousins, Ben and Connor, who have each won the title in the last five years.

Mark Cavendish of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team celebrates winning the Elite Men's Road Race at last year's British Road Race Championships in which Sam Watson of Leeds, left, finished second (Picture: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Leeds cyclist Sam Watson, who finished second to Mark Cavendish last year and thereby won the Under-23s title, is a contender again and will be ably assisted by his Groupama-FDJ team-mates Lewis Askey and Jake Stewart.

In the women’s road race, Alice Towers will be hoping to defend her title after her solo ride to victory in Castle Douglas last year.

The women’s race is a 132km route that encompasses seven laps of a course that starts on Saltburn Bank, heads past Skelton Castle and through Kilton. It begins at 9am.

The men will complete 10 laps (189km) of the same course from 1.45pm on Sunday.

Ben Swift of Team INEOS celebrates the win with cousin Connor Swift following the 2019 British Road Race Championships' elite men's road race (Picture: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

The route is defined by the 10 ascents of Saltburn Bank and its 22 per cent gradients, but with plenty of climbing in between too.

Great Ayton’s Charlie Tanfield is one to watch in the 1km circuit race around Redcar on Friday night; 8pm for the men, 6.30pm for the women.

And getting proceedings underway today is the time-trials at Croft starting with the Under-23s from 9.10am, with North Yorkshire’s Abi Smith and Huddersfield’s Maddie Leech going for glory in the women’s race from 10.15. The senior races start from 12.50pm (women) and 2.10pm (men).

Schedule

Abi Smith of Team EF Education TIBCO SVB will be a contender in the women's Under-23s time-trial on Wednesday and the women's elite road race on Sunday (Picture: Craig Zadoroznyj/SWpix.com)

Time-trials, Wednesday 21 June

Under-23 men – 09:10

Under-23 women – 10:15

Elite women – 12:50

Elite men – 14:10

Circuit races, Friday 23 June

Women’s race – 18:30

Men’s race – 20:00

Road races, Sunday 25 June

Women’s race – 09:00

Men’s race – 13:45

Spectating

The time-trials are taking place on Croft Motor Circuit in Darlington on Wednesday 21 June, and spectators are invited to park on the circuit (DL2 2PL). If you’d like to watch the race elsewhere on the circuit, please be mindful of road closures and parking suspensions in place.

For Friday’s circuit race, spectator parking will be well signposted. You can park at the Civic Centre, Seafield House, or Majuba Road in Redcar, all of which are free after 6pm. These parking locations are just a five to ten minute walk from the start/finish line on the Esplanade. Alternatively, a return park and ride facility is available for this event. Prior booking is required for each leg.

The road races on Sunday 25 June start and finish at the top of Saltburn Bank in Saltburn. We highly recommend arriving early, taking public transport or utilising the park and ride facility due to full road closures taking place.

Road closures

A full road closure will be in place. This means the entire route will be closed to traffic. Roads affected include Redcar Esplanade, Moore Street, High Street, from Redcar Lane to Moore Street, Zetland Park roundabout to Granville Terrace, and Lord Street to Oxley Street.

Closures are in place for a short period (usually around 30 minutes) to allow – the race to pass safely. Glenside will be closed between the junction of Windsor Terrace and the junction of Albion Terrace to all unauthorised vehicle traffic from 06:00 hours on Sunday 25th June.

Route maps

Click here for the route maps.

How to watch

Sunday’s road races are live on GCN+, discovery+ and the British Cycling YouTube channel, with a full highlights programme on ITV4 on Thursday, June 29, at 6pm.

Friday’s circuit races are live on GCN+, discovery+ and the British Cycling YouTube channel, with a full highlights programme on ITV4 on Wednesday, June 28, at 6pm.

British Road Race Championships in Redcar and Cleveland: Road closures, where to watch, TV guide and full race previews