Staffordshire cycling festival races into top gear

More than 700 riders are taking part in the weekend showdown that today sees a series of longer races at Shugborough while sprint races were held in Stafford town centre yesterday.

Among the top names in the line-up were Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy and, fresh from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, track gold medal winner Tom Scully.

Staffordshire County Council's economy chief Mark Winnington said: "Staffordshire is a great county for cycling and events like this help to inspire many of our budding young cyclists and provide a welcome boost to our local tourism economy.

"The Staffordshire Cycling Festival attracts among the very best in the UK and it has now become a top event in the sport's calendar.

"Over the last few years we have seen a huge spike in the popularity of cycling and this is something we are fully behind. We want to see more people on their bike – both for leisure and for getting to and from work, which is all part of our aim of having an active Staffordshire."

This is the second year running that the festival is being held.

As well as the professional cyclists, more than 500 riders have signed up to take part in the two public races around Shugborough Park.

Event organiser Paul Rowlands said: "We've been astounded by the response to this year's event. With the number of cycling events staged throughout the UK at an all-time high, the vast increase in the number of registrations is something to be celebrated by the county and is testament to the quality of the course and rides to be enjoyed in the area."

Mr Rowlands praised the council and businesses for backing the project that is expected to contribute more than £225,000 to Staffordshire's economy - double last year's figure.