East Midland Cycle Classic - Sunday April 27th 2008

First of all let me say that the CiCLE Classic is ‘Alive and Well’, and it looks like remaining so for some years to come.
Many of you will have read that British Cycling (BC) in its wisdom has decided that the CiCLE Classic; as an international event; should be outside of the Premier Calendar. This will now certainly be the case for 2008 and onwards. However, a concession has been hard won from BC that the CiCLE Classic and any other event which goes on the international calendar (in 2008 the GP of Wales joins us in that category) will continue to receive the minimal material support that BC has offered previously to Premier Calendar events. This was in fact all that I sought to obtain from BC; an undertaking on this matter; not necessarily for the CiCLE Classic but for any other organisers who may seek to go along the international route in the future and may have been discouraged from doing so because of the potential for having to pick up even more costs to achieve this aim.
The CiCLE Classic continues to have a protected date, and the only noticeable difference will be that the race will no longer advertise itself as a PC event.
The extent to which BC will have any presence at next years CiCLE Classic is still to be negotiated, and depends upon a more realistic view being taken on BC’s part in relation to the distribution of logo branding between BC and the events own sponsors in and around the finish area.

Sponsors.
The good news is that ALL the events existing sponsors are continuing their involvement in the race for 2008, with several new secondary and supporting sponsors already signed, and numerous additional presentations being made over the next few weeks which hopefully will add to this influx. Despite what anyone thinks, a race such as ours cannot have enough sponsors and that enables the race to be sustainable as and when any do decide to change their allegiances.

Over the past few weeks during the recent debate with BC; although it is hard to have a debate when the other party never talks to you; several people have suggested that a race like the CiCLE Classic is ‘easy’ to promote because it has so many sponsors. Let me assure any who believe that, that nothing with regard to obtaining sponsors is ‘easy’, and even more difficult is then ensuring that once they have committed to a race, that the needs of each continue to be satisfied. That can be; and is; a full time job in itself, let alone having to organise the race as well! But that is all part of the FUN!!

The 2008 race.
The route for the 2008 edition will be exactly as 2007. This worked well, and all feedback from the villages and riders was positive.
The pre race HQ will again be the Thistle Hotel at East Midlands Airport. All rider and team registration and team managers meetings will take place at the hotel on SATURDAY afternoon 26th April. There WILL NOT be any rider registration allowed in Oakham on Sunday morning. With 200 riders being accepted for the 2008 race, with 180 able to start, it is obviously impractical to try and deal with registration as in previous years.
As an incentive to achieving this exercise, any team official or rider who wishes to take accommodation at the hotel on the Saturday evening will be able to do so for a specially negotiated bargain race rate of £30 for Dinner B&B.

As in 2007, there will also be an official race presentation at the hotel on the Saturday evening to which ALL race personnel are invited.

Race publicity.
Publicity for the race increased markedly in 2007, with the race being featured in several lifestyle magazines in addition to the specialist cycling press. We are looking to do even better for 2008.

CyclingPlus are planning a feature based on the Classic course, as well as the extended course used for the CiCLE Challenge Cyclo-Sportif. In addition Cycling Weekly have recently been out and covered much of the race route with a view to an article in the current ‘Rides’ series within the magazine in the next few weeks.

If anyone sees any ‘obscure’ references to the race in any other publications etc., then I would be grateful if you could let me know so that these can be properly recorded. Many thanks.

Race Teams 2008
All of the teams that competed in the 2007 CiCLE Classic from abroad have indicated their wish to return in 2008. At present there are a number of options opening up to increase not only the number of teams invited, but also the quality of those visiting the event. This is important to continue to move the event forward, although an emphasis will remain on maintaining the greatest possible participation from British riders. If nothing else, races such as the CiCLE Classic must provide the opportunity for domestic riders to compete on their own home soil (literally as far as the CiCLE Classic is concerned!) against good quality opposition from abroad.

2008 Cyclo-Sportif
The 2008 edition of the CiCLE Challenge rides which saw over 240 take part in the inaugural events in 2007 will take place on Sunday 15th June.
A new event HQ is planned and various opther changes to begin to bring the standard of that event up to the level that has been achieved for the CiCLE Classic.