IN THIS ISSUE:

·                     COACHING INSIGHT - NEW COACHING PUBLICATION

·                     NPS CROSS COUNTRY

·                     ONABIKE DOWNHILL WINTER SERIES

·                     ENGLISH POINTS SERIES (Downhill)

·                     SCOTLAND DOWNHILL SERIES

·                     FORT WILLIAM WORLD CUP “CHASER” EVENT

·                     BMX NORTH

·                     BMX SOUTH WEST

·                     WEST MIDLANDS TEAMS

·                     TWICKENHAM CC/EVANS CYCLOSPORTIVE

·                     PARIS ROUBAIX CYCLO 2004

·                     CENTRAL DIVISION WOMEN’S TEAM

·                     EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE TOUR

·                     RACING CALENDAR UPDATES, AMENDMENTS, CANCELLATIONS

BRITISHCYCLING.ORG.UK

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk  this week includes Rachel Heal’s latest diary from South Africa where she is training with her new Farm Frites-Hartol team-mates. There’s also a feature on the GB Men’s Endurance squad as they begin their build up to the Athens Olympics. And of course there’s all the usual news, results, classifieds and photo galleries.  GO THERE>>>

COACHING INSIGHT - NEW COACHING PUBLICATION

Coaching and Education have recently launched a new coaching publication called Coaching Insight.  Coaching Insight will be produced quarterly in February, May, August and November, and includes a range of technical, scientific and coaching articles that will serve as useful reference material in the future.  We will also look at one cycling discipline in depth in each issue. Coaching Insight is distributed to all British Cycling coaches registered on the database via email or hardcopy (for those coaches who have not registered an email address with us). However, Coaching Insight is available to all members as it is published on the website.  You can download a pdf copy of the publication or view each article separately as web pages.  View Coaching Insight (PLEASE LINK TO http://WWW.BRITISHCYCLING.ORG.UK/COACHING/COACHING_INSIGHT.HTML ) 

GO THERE >>>

NPS CROSS COUNTRY http://www.inevent.co.uk

The NPS Cross Country and Trek 642 Enduro series dates are set, just a few minor details to confirm on the 3rd venue and a more detailed announcement will be made. Expect some news on a couple of special guests attending the NPS races this year, all to be revealed very soon. Here are the dates:  GO THERE >>>

April 11 (Easter) Newnham Park, Plymouth Round 1 NPS XC

April 12 Round 1 Trek 6,4,2 Enduro

May 8 Drumlanrig, Scotland Round 2 NPS XC

May 9 Round 2 Trek 6,4,2 Enduro

June 12 Midlands (TBC) Round 3 NPS XC

June 13 Round 3 Trek 6,4,2 Enduro

August 7 Margam Park, Port Talbot Round 4 NPS XC

August 8 Round 4 Trek 6,4,2 Enduro

Contact Martyn Salt Tel: 01752 344517 Email: mailto:martynsalt@aol.com

ONABIKE DOWNHILL WINTER SERIES http://www.naccevents.co.uk

There's just the one event on the Downhill calendar this weekend. It's at the Freeride Park, Blanford near Shaftsbury. Race information and contact details are below. With only the final weekend's racing at Combe Sydenham in March to go, this penultimate weekend at a great venue should prove well worth a visit.

Event info: Format Run to 2004 age categories

Sign on 8.00am onwards

Practice 9.00am until 11.30am

Racing 11.45am until finish

Race Dates:

February 8 MTB Freeride Park, Blanford Round 4

Contact Dave Morgan Tel: 0870 8000 234 Email: mailto:sws04@naccevents.co.uk= 0

GO THERE >>>

ENGLISH POINTS SERIES (Downhill) http://www.mountainbikeracing.co.uk

Dave Morgan's new English Downhill series, which replaces the previous Southern Downhill Series has had a date change. This is to avoid clashing with a Midlands Downhill event in July. The details of the dates affected are below.

Event info: Format

Sign on 8.00am onwards

Practice 9.00am until 11.30am

Racing 11.45am until finish

Race Dates:

June 26 Bratton, Minehead Round 5

June 27 Bratton, Minehead Round 6 (UCI E2 Status)

Contact

Dave Morgan Tel: 0870 8000 234 Email: mailto:eps@mountainbikeracing.co.uk

GO THERE >>>

SCOTLAND DOWNHILL SERIES http://www.descent-world.co.uk

The SDA have announced that one of their race dates will be changing. This is to avoid clashing with the NPS Downhill event at Innerleithen on July 24-25. The SDA are yet to announce the venue, so expect this to be a new course.

Event info: Practice Saturday 9.30am until 4.00pm

Practice Sunday 8.30am until 11.30am

Racing Sunday Midday until finish

Race Dates:

July 11 New Venue TBC Round 4

Contact

Stuart Ruffell Tel: 0781 7040679 Email: mailto:SRuffell@aol.com

Andrea Fern Email: steve@beastieboy.free-online.co.uk GO THERE >>>

FORT WILLIAM WORLD CUP “CHASER” EVENT

The Alpine Bikes World Cup Chaser is to be held on Sunday 6th June at Fort William as part of the World Cup weekend. The World Cup organisers have enlisted Glasgow MTB Club to stage the Alpine Bikes sponsored "Citizens Race", following the success of the 2003 event. The 2003 Chaser was well supported and everyone was amazed to see World Cup winner (and subsequent World Champion) Filip Meirhaeghe join the race at the last minute for a "warm down", as well as awarding all of the prizes. There will be a limit to the entries this year so entry forms should be sent in as soon as possible to avoid missing out. 

Entry forms here http://www.walkerscycling.co.uk/world_cup_chaser.htm   
For updates and further information see <http://www.fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk/>

also http://www.gmbc.org.uk & http://www.alpinebikes.co.uk

GO THERE >>>

BMX NORTH

Leeds BMX club are hosting a joint Midlands and North regional this Sunday at Tarnfield Park, Yeadon. Anybody wishing to attend, but are not familiar with the area can find the track located to the north west of Leeds, very close to Leeds-Bradford Airport. Expect registration to be held between 10.30 and 11.30am with racing commencing at Midday.

Feb 8th Midlands/North Regional Leeds BMX Club (Tarnfield Park, Yeadon)

Web http://www.leedsbmx.co.uk

Tel Paul Drinkwater 0113 2936370

Email mailto:Drinkie@leedsbmx.co.uk  GO THERE >>>

BMX SOUTH WEST

Indoor BMX Event at Weston Supercross Arena 5th-6th March. BMX 40 presents this spectacular indoor event featuring Pro and Amateur class BMX racing, Pro MTB Racing plus Pro Dirt jumping in a 1000 seat venue. The team that brought you Decoy’s BMX/BSX open and the NEC Bike show are back on the case to build you the usual challenging and exciting technical track designed for 6 man flat pedal action. Dirt jumps by the Decoy Trails crew. The finals will be featured as part of a public show with lights, sounds and sideshows. The racing will be an international open event that is designed to attract a strong US/European rider entry. MTB and Dirt jumping entries will be by invitation only Spectators will be seated in the grandstand and a special viewing gallery will be provided for VIPs and sponsors. There will be a separate viewing area for competitors. Staging will be partly under cover. Tickets for Grandstand are £10.00. Entry will be by pre-registration only and entry forms may be downloaded from http://www.bmx40.com  Rider sign-in will be on Friday from 16:00-21:00. Moto sheets will be posted at 8:00 am Saturday.

GO THERE >>>

WEST MIDLANDS TEAMS

The West Midlands Division will again be supporting divisional teams in the Junior and Espoirs series and, with the aim of boosting women's racing, a team in the Women's Team Series. All riders in the relevant categories should be receiving a letter in the next couple of days inviting them to express an interest. If you are interested but do not receive one please contact Sarah Adams tel 01564 702122, mobile 0781 392 7024 or email mailto:junior.rr@btinternet.com  asap They hope to have a get together on Saturday 14 February, including a chance to test out the circuit designed for the National Junior RR Championship

TWICKENHAM CC/EVANS CYCLOSPORTIVE
This event is to be run on 15th February 2004 and is over a distance of 120km following a loop through Surrey - Dorking, Rusper, Cranleigh, Chilworth, Alabany, Dorking and Hampton Court. Start time is 10am, entry fee £1 to charity – for more details, contact Doug Collins 020 8560 8855.

PARIS ROUBAIX CYCLO 2004

Would you like to follow in the wheeltracks of Museeuw and the rest of the Pro peloton? Pearson Cycles of surrey are planning a trip to the event, which will go ahead if there’s enough interest. There are three distance options to choose from as follows: 

1. The full course (280km) is the same as that followed by the professsional race in April covering all 43km of legendary Pave. 
2. The second route starts from Bohain-en-Vermandois, is 190km in length and still covers all 43km of Pave.
3. The third route covers the final 120km of the route and still includes 26km of Pave, more than enough to rattle your teeth a little!   

The plan at the moment involves leaving Surrey on Saturday, staying overnight near Roubaix, being bussed to the start in the early hours of Sunday morning, completing the ride and then being driven home Sunday afternoon/evening. The estimated cost is between £150 and £200 per person, including the entry fee, accommodation and travel. If enough people are interested, they may be able to get a sleeper coach. If you are interested, please reply to gpearson@pearsoncycles.fsnet.co.uk or phone 0208 642 2095 and ask to speak to Scott at Pearson Cycles. For more information on the ride (in French) visit http://asso.nordnet.fr/vcrcyclotourisme/PRx2004.htm   GO THERE >>>

CENTRAL DIVISION WOMEN’S TEAM

New women's team coordinator Richard Harrison is planning a team get together at Cranfield on Saturday 28th February. The team is being re-launched and anyone interested, your club has to be in Central should contact Richard at mailto:richardhharrison@btinternet.com  The day will include a training session, lunch and discussion afterwards regarding coaching and team plans.

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE TOUR

This year’s East Riding of Yorkshire Tour will be promoted by Hull City Road Club over the weekend of 16th, 17th, & 18th April 2004 and will include a category for Juniors, 4th and 3rd Category Seniors and Ladies, plus National Youth circuit Series Round 2 for Under 16, Under 14, Under 12 and Under 10 and Under 8. 

The schedule for the weekend is as follows:

Friday evening 2km Hill Climb Brantingham Dale

Saturday 20km Hilly Time Trial/5mile Time Trial

Saturday Circuit Races

Sunday   Circuit Races

Entry forms and details from David J Bishop, “Thevenet”, 67 Grandale, Sutton Park,

Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. HU7 4BL; Telephone  O1482 824635; E-mail  david.bishop.bsca@care4free.net

RACING CALENDAR UPDATES, AMENDMENTS, CANCELLATIONS

Extra services you will find in the calendar section of the www.britishcycling.org.uk= 0 website include an event updates page, where new events, amended events and cancelled events are listed. The Calendar itself is also amended where necessary and all changes are clearly marked. If you are an event organizer and you have an update concerning your event which you would like to communicate, please send it to the appropriate contact, who will process it and ensure it appears both on the website and in this newsletter -

Road and Track – Paul West paulwest@britishcycling.org.uk
MTB and BMX – Roger Wilbraham rogerwilbraham@britishcycling.org.uk

Cycle Speedway and Cyclo-Cross – Brian Furness brianfurness@britishcycling.org.uk

The full Racing Calendar is now on-line at http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/calendar/2004/calendar_contents.shtml  GO THERE >>>

ROAD & TRACK CALENDAR AMENDMENTS, ADDITIONS, CANCELLATIONS

ROAD MAJOR EVENTS CALENDAR - GO THERE >>>

20th June Asda Elite Mens Circuit Race, Horwich Now known as the the Mller Metcalfe Elite Men's Circuit Race

ROAD CALENDAR – GO THERE >>>

All Surrey League Races Entries now to be handled by - Melanie Prince, 22 Picton Close, Camberley, Surrey GU15 1QT

All 'Portsmouth Circuits' at Mountbatten Centre Youth races now to start 1845. Senior races now to start at 1930

24th March South Division Ray Martin 150 Distance League First event now 31st March

28th March

East Midlands Division Metalteck Grand Prix Distance should read 132km. All other Information as per entry in BC E.Mail news of 16th January

28th March

North East Division Tour of Derwent Reservoir - Cancelled

25th April

South East Division Fred Cowley Road Race Address for organiser John Cosstick is now 7 Royal Drive, Epsom Downs, Surrey  KT18 5PR  Tel 01737 358707

1st-3rd May

Central Division Chas Messenger Trophy 3 Day Stage Race Tel number for Organiser Ian Chatfield to read 0208 561 9382 

31st May

Central Division Beyond Mountain Bikes Road Crits Tel number for Organiser Ian Chatfield to read 0208 561 9382 

TRACK MAJOR EVENTS CALENDAR – GO THERE >>>

22nd -26th September BC National Senior, Youth B & Youth C Track Championships Now Scheduled for 6th-10th October