WITH only days left before Stockton Cycling Festival returns to the Town Centre, families are being encouraged to dust off their bikes ready for the popular RideStockton event.
The fun, traffic-free, cycle ride is open to everyone, on any bike, and it’s free to enter. The route loops around Stockton High Street and Riverside and participants can cycle at a leisurely pace and are free to travel round as many times as they wish!
RideStockton is part of Family Festival Day and takes place on Sunday 16 July between 12noon and 2.30pm. RideStockton participants will have a fantastic opportunity to line up on Riverside Road at 12noon alongside the country’s top professional cycling teams and riders who will then go on to battle it out in the elite Stockton Grand Prix race. Watch as they set off from the Riverside, enjoy cycling the RideStockton route, then watch the Grand Prix return between 3pm and 4pm for a gripping five lap finale through the Riverside and Teesdale
There will be incredible stunt demonstrations, activities and entertainment, plus refreshments on offer at the event village all day on Stockton Riverside.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Leisure and Culture, Councillor Norma Wilburn, said: “RideStockton is a wonderful community cycle ride offering a great opportunity for people of all ages to experience the fun and freedom of cycling on traffic free roads. Everyone is welcome, no matter what their age or ability.
“Whether you are a cycling fan or a bike novice there will be so much to see, try and do throughout this year’s Stockton Cycling Festival and the Family Festival Day will be no different. With RideStockton, Extreme Bike Battle stunt shows, an event site packed with cycling related activities, face painting, climbing wall and even crazy golf, plus elite professionals set to thrill the crowds, make sure you head to Stockton Town Centre to get close to the action.”
Register for RideStockton on the day at the registration tent on Stockton Riverside and participants will be in with a chance of winning some fantastic prizes including a signed Chris Boardman bike, ‘Trott’ girl’s bike and ‘Wiggins’ boy’s bike both courtesy of Halfords, a Frog bike courtesy of Frog Bikes and Skinnergate Cycles as well as great family Tees Active prize bundles and scratch cards for a chance to win a host of fabulous free activities.
Stockton Cycling Festival is a three day event and takes place from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 July. Kicking off with exhilarating Town Centre racing on the evening of Friday 14 July, elite cyclists will race around a unique closed road circuit to mark the start of the festival in style.
Saturday 15 July sees the Sportive take centre stage as cyclists of all abilities take on challenges ranging from 36 to 106 miles. All riders enjoy an escorted start in true ‘Tour de France’ style.
For full information about Stockton Cycling Festival, visit www.stockton.gov.uk/cyclingfestival