Road closures in city for new cycling event

The event takes place for the first time on Sunday

About 600 people have signed up to take part in a new cycling event that will see road closures and restrictions in parts of a city centre.

The Cambridge Criterium takes place on Jesus Green on Sunday from 10:00 BST and will see cyclists tackle a 1.6-mile (2.6km) course starting and finishing on Victoria Avenue.

Entertainment, a food festival and a "celebration of cycling" will be on offer at the free-to-attend event which is scheduled to end at about 18:00.

Cambridgeshire County Council said details of road closures were available on the One.Network site, messages would be displayed on electronic signs as drivers come into the city and advance warning signs had been placed on the roads affected.

The route starts and finishes on Victoria Avenue beside Jesus Green

Monument Cycling, the event's organisers, said the inaugural Cambridge Criterium would bring the first professional cycling races to the city since the Tour de France passed through the city in July 2014.

Owen Lake, the race's director, said: "I raced at an elite level and saw the incredible positive effect free-to-attend sporting events can have on communities.

"As Cambridge locals, we wanted to host an event for all of the Cambridge community to enjoy."

During the day there will be races and rides for local people, amateurs and elite cyclists, with some well-known champion cyclists expected to take part including Megan Barker and Matt Bostock.

Elite riders will take part alongside amateurs and local people

Road closures

The race route covers Victoria Avenue, Chesterton Road, Bridge Street, and Jesus Lane in Cambridge.

Closures will be in place between 04:00 and 22:00 on Sunday, although roads will begin to clear as soon as the final event finishes, the organisers said.

• Victoria Avenue, both directions

• Chesterton Road (between Victoria Avenue and Castle Street) - westbound

• Chesterton Road (between Castle Street and Carlyle Road) - eastbound

• Magdalene Street - both directions

• Bridge Street (between Magdalene Street and Jesus Lane) - both directions

• Jesus Lane (between Bridge Street and Victoria Avenue) - both directions

Stagecoach East has also said the event will affect some of it services and that the city sightseeing tour buses will not be running on Sunday. More details are on the bus operator's website.