Bridging the gap to greatness (From Gazette Series)

Bridging the gap to greatness

THE 32nd staging of the Severn Bridge Road Race takes place this Sunday, and promises to once again be one of the premier sporting events to hit the region.

The popular annual cycling marathon has become an institution with South West riders and bike fans alike over the years, and this year's race will be as competitive and frenzied as ever, with many riders seeking Olympic selection through their performance.

The race is a 90km (55 mile) epic, involving nine laps of a looping circuit that is situated 12 miles to the north of Bristol. Beginning at Olveston Sports and Social Club at 10am on Sunday morning, the race will take in some of the most scenic and picturesque sights on offer in South Gloucestershire, not to mention some of its steepest hills.

With a circuit that goes through Old Down, Alveston, Elberton, Olveston, Tockington and Old Down Hill, the race will finish at The Green, a suitably flatter area situated directly between Old Down and Alveston. For those fans who enjoy watching the climax to cycle races, it is expected that the lead riders will hit The Green at approximately midday.

The annual event will host a top class field of riders that will include many elite and first category cyclists, with notable entries dominating the list of competitors.

Included in this year's roll call is Bristol's Ben Luckwell, a former professional who is forever linked to this event having won it twice in the mid-eighties as he dominated the Bristol cycling scene.

Then there is the 2002 British Road Race champion Julian Winn. The Abergavenny flyer enjoyed a huge year in 2003, finishing last year's Tour of Italy, one of the world's top cycling events, and now returning to Britain to cement his place as one of the greats.

Although completing the 'Giro de Italia' marked the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, Winn wasted little time celebrating the achievement, starting the Tour of Germany immediately afterwards, only to retire with a chest infection after four stages.

Despite having problems with flu and infections throughout the year, Winn still made it one to remember and is now looking to excel on home soil.

The Severn Bridge Road Race is one of the main early season races in Britain and is seen as the traditional curtain raiser in the cycling year.

The race is organised by Bristol Road Club, in association with their sponsors, Fred Baker Cycles, and the event is held under the technical regulations of British Cycling.

Race headquarters for the day are to be situated at Olveston Sports and Social Club, the starting point, and all enquiries on the big day should be made there.