Express & Star

New Velo date set

Organisers of the Vélo Birmingham and Midlands have revealed the cycle race will return on Sunday, June 28, 2020.

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Riders line up for this year's Velo

It will once again take up to 18,000 riders of all abilities on a journey through the West Midlands in front of tens of thousands of spectators.

The event – which this year raised over £1 million for charity and injected £2.4m into the economy – features a 100 mile fully closed road route that takes riders through the West Midlands countryside.

Following the success of the 42 mile route in 2019, organisers are planning on announcing details of their shorter route early next year.

Coventry – the UK’s City of Culture 2021 – will once again play host as the finish location of the shorter route. Entries aren’t open yet, but prospective participants can pre-register on the event website.

More information on both routes will be released in the coming months, including detailed road closure information. Entries for the shorter route will open in the coming months once the 100 mile event is sold-out.

Richard Relton, CEO of the Vélo Series, commented: “We are delighted to have secured a brand new, summertime date for the third edition of Vélo Birmingham and Midlands.”

Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, commented: “Vélo Birmingham and Midlands is an incredibly important event for Birmingham and the Midlands."

John Carrigan, business relationship manager at the Active Wellbeing Society, commented: “Vélo Birmingham and Midlands is an essential event in helping us realise the full potential of cycling’s contribution to the health and wealth of the West Midlands. We’re incredibly proud to play host to the second biggest closed road sportive in the UK and we are looking forward to working closely with the organisers to ensure the event helps us deliver against the ambitious goals within our Cycle Charter.”

Vélo Birmingham and Midlands 2019 raised over £1 million for local and national charities and next year’s event will once again work closely with its four Charity Partners – Cure Leukaemia, Alzheimer’s Society, NSPCC and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity – along with dozens of other charities to raise even more money than this year.

Organisers said this year's event also injected £2.4m into the economy, with overnight visitors spending an average of £140.00 during their visit to the West Midlands. Participants travelled from 36 different countries to take part in Vélo.

The Business 100 will feature as part of Vélo offering the Midlands business community a unique VIP participation experience alongside networking and exclusive training opportunities.

Vélo Birmingham and Midlands will continue its ambition to reflect the diversity of the region and Naseem Akhtar of the Saheli Hub community project has been announced as the new ‘Women of Vélo’ ambassador.

Naseem was recently awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her activity groups for women in Birmingham. She helps women of all abilities exercise and has taught more than 1,000 women how to cycle. Naseem organised a group of 25 women to take part in a ‘Ramadan Express’ 10-mile section of Vélo Birmingham and Midlands 2019. With next year’s event falling outside of Ramadan, Naseem is hoping to spearhead further growth in female participation throughout the Midlands and beyond.

Naseem will be joined by Solihull-born England rugby legend and Vélo Series ambassador Martin Johnson CBE, who described Vélo Birmingham & Midlands 2019 as ‘the perfect showpiece for the Midlands’.

Pre-register for Vélo now at www.velobirmingham.com

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