May the 6th isn’t that far away (argh!), and neither is the inaugural Sheffield Urban Cyclocross race (yay!). Aiming to bring the action and excitement of cyclocross racing into the Sheffield city centre, the Kelham Island Cyclocross (KICX) event will be the first of its kind in the Steel City, with some 120 competitors set to battle it out on a cobbled race track on all kinds of different bikes.
Interested to see what it’s all about? Check out the full press release below!
Sheffield’s most iconic urban spaces are playing host to a series of exciting Urban Cyclo Cross races in 2017. The first event in the Sheffield Urban CX series – the Kelham Island Cyclo Cross (KICX) – takes place on Saturday 6 May and will see 120 cyclists battle it out on the cobbles in and around Kelham Island Museum. The next race will take place at Park Hill flats in August.
Each venue has been chosen for the part it has played in the story of Sheffield’s industrial past, as well as its pivotal role in the city’s regeneration. Sheffield Urban CX organiser, Adam Simmonite explains:
“Sheffield is still the Steel City, but it’s also increasingly well known for being The Outdoor City. Our events are all about celebrating Sheffield’s industrial heritage and its reputation for being one of the UK’s choice destinations for outdoors enthusiasts. We’re reimagining spaces across the city and turning them into an arena for riders to test their skills. These completely new courses will offer riders a range of dynamic and different features guaranteed to make it a race to remember.“
The Kelham Island Cyclo Cross (KICX) race has sold out all the mens categories, there are still places in the women’s races. As well as being well received by the ever growing local cycling community it has also attracted riders from further afield. Adam Simmonite says:
“It’s going to be an action-packed day. The first KICX race starts at 10.30am and riders will battle it out in different categories running until around 8pm. Our event coincides with the popular Kelham Pedlars Market, so we expect the Kelham area to be buzzing all day and into the evening. We hope to see lots of Sheffield folk cheering on the riders on May 6th”.
The events will also highlight Sheffield’s vibrant local industries, with the backing of several local businesses secured for the races. Adam continues:
“We are proud to have some of Sheffield’s independent and innovative businesses on board as sponsors. Craft & Dough will have a stall serving Pizza and drinks for spectators and to keep the riders fueled. Local Bike shops, 18 bikes and Expert Bike repair got involved straight away and it’s great that they can see the potential of this exciting series. We have Benchmark Recruitment and Knight Composites on board too representing the thriving business and innovation that Sheffield is becoming recognised for”.
“We hope this year’s races will be the first of many. We are really excited to see how the Sheffield Urban CX series develops over the next few years. We have a five-year plan in place and a clear aspiration for these events to become a regular fixture in Sheffield’s growing calendar of outdoor events.”
Other information
The Kelham Island course will take riders down the cobbled road, past some impressive industrial heritage then into Kelham Island museum, exiting down the ‘Little Mesters street’. It’s going to be a challenging course with some exciting racing. There are mens and womens races and we will be putting Junior races on as part of the Parkhill races.
Social Media Links
We regularly update our social media feeds, they also contain links to videos and photos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheffieldurbancx/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KelhamIslandCX/
Twitter: @SheffUrbanCX
#sheffieldurbancx #KICX
We are also still on the lookout for marshals and we have a signup form on our website, so if you could promote this through your channels that would be great http://sheffieldurbancx.co.uk/get-involved
