COLNE TOWN COUNCIL took the Colne Grand Prix into a new era last night with a well-attended 13th Grand Prix.
This was the first year the Council had hosted an event that has become an institution in Colne’s Calendar since Pendle Borough Council stepped back from the event. It was also the first year that the Colne Grand Prix acted as the finale to the Elite Series.
“It’s been a logistical nightmare, with strict British Cycling rules, infrastructure arrangements and risk assessments galore”, explained Sarah Cockburn-Price, Chairman of Colne Town Council. “But it all came together thanks to volunteers like CDPP (Cycling Development Pendle Partnership) who were our race organisers and the marshals who came from cycle clubs across Pendle, plus Pendle Council’s team who effected the efficient handover of the event and, last, but by no means least, Colin Hill, our new Clerk and CEO, who has certainly hit the ground running, plus his super diligent team of Naomi Crew and Mark Holmes.
“I’d also like to thank the generosity of our sponsors, cottages.com and Fort Vale, without whom it simply wouldn’t have been possible to keep the spirit of this British Cycling Elite Series race alive. In addition, this year, lots of local businesses got behind us and bought banners and adverts – The Crown Hotel, XLCR, The Bookshop, Inspired Interiors, Wicked Cycles, About Coffee, Boundary Mill and The Market. All our banners were generously printed for free by Hope Technology, while Going Dutch and Cycle Sport Pendle donated all the Champagne and beautiful bouquets.”
As is usual in the Colne Grand Prix, the racing was fast and furious. The winner of the cottages.com Grand Prix was Graham Briggs of JLT Condor, who also won in 2014. Second was his team-mate, Tom Moses and third was Matt Cronshaw of Madison Genesis. Colne rider, Sam Boast came a creditable 16th.
The winner of the Fort Vale Sprint for Success Race was George Nolan of Fiftyfour Eleven RT. Second was Levi Moody of Wheelbase Altura MGD and third was Thomas Wood of Bradford Olympic RC.
The male winner of the Category A Colne Town Council Youth Race was William Orrell-Turner of Chevin Cycles.com Trek, while the female category A winner was Megan Cullen of Otley CC. In the Category B section, the boys’ winner was Ethan Whiteside of East Bradford CC and the girls’ winner was Ava Oxley-Szilagyi of PH-MAS VCUK.
Colin Hill, Clerk and CEO of Colne Town Council, commented: “It was wonderful to see so many people out in Colne enjoying thrilling racing in the centre of town. We have received many compliments and we hope to make the 2017 Colne Cycle Grand Prix even bigger and better!”
