Medway Cycling Festival 2019

Get on your bike this summer with the Medway Cycling Festival.

The Medway Cycling Festival returns this year with nine days of events and activities to encourage residents to get out and about on their bikes.

The festival, from Saturday 8th June, until Sunday 16th June, marks the start of an exciting summer of cycling in Medway and is designed to encourage riders of all ages and abilities to explore Medway’s cycle routes.

There will be a number of free rides on offer of various lengths and difficulties exploring Medway’s landmarks, heritage and network of cycle paths, including a women-only Breeze ride on the popular Heron Trail. Suitable for people aged 16 and above. To find out more and to book onto one of the Active Medway Cycle Group Let’s Ride events Email: cycling@medway.gov.uk or visit: www.letsride.co.uk

Free adult beginners cycling lessons will also be on offer to help bike owners master the basics of riding a bike. Email: cycling@medway.gov.uk to book your place.

Cyclists will then have the chance to take part in a series of non-competitive rides as Medway Sport joins forces with Evans to stage a day of Ride It Sportives on Sunday 15th June. Three rides, ranging from 30 to 80 miles, will set off and finish at Medway Park and take riders on a tour of the Kent countryside.

On each ride there will be waymarked routes, feed stations sponsored by High 5 Sports Nutrition and mechanical and sweeper van support if things go wrong. There will be electronic chip timing to recorder riders journeys and everyone who completes a course will receive a finisher’s medal. Prices starts from £20 per adult, children ride free.

For more information visit: www.medway.gov.uk/cyclingfestival

Get pumped at Medway’s new BMX pump track at Queen Elizabeth Fields, Gillingham, on Saturday 15th June, from noon to 4:00pm. Young riders and families can enjoy free coaching and skills sessions with coaches from British Cycling, organised supervised races on the track, BMX tricks displays plus free bike servicing and repairs.

The summer of cycling continues in July when Rochester stages the British Cycling’s HSBC UK National Circuit Championships. On Sunday 21st July, the UK’s top elite male and female riders will race around Rochester’s cobbled streets. Previous winners of the national event include World and Olympic champions. The event will be free for spectators to enjoy, with the women’s race starting at 5:00pm and the men’s race at 6:30pm.

Before the elite men’s and women’s championships races the public has a chance to ride the course in the Medway Big Ride. From 2:30pm to 3:30pm you can register to ride on closed roads around the majority of the 1.6km looping race route.

There will also be a range of activities and family-fun in and around Rochester Castle Gardens including a pump track, stunt shows, British Cycling skills coaching, trade stalls, refreshments and more. There are limited places available for the Big Ride and registration opens on Tuesday 21st May. 

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said: “The Medway Cycling Festival is a great opportunity for residents to find out more about the 81.5 miles of cycle routes across Medway and experience them for themselves. Cycling is a great way for residents to become more active and I would encourage cyclists of all ages to sign up for the Medway Big Ride when registration opens. It’s a fantastic event and this year you will be able to ride the same course as elite cyclists.”

For more information about the Big Ride, and to sign up, visit: www.medway.gov.uk/bigride

For more information about the Medway Cycling Festival, visit: www.medway.gov.uk/cyclingfestival

Medway Council

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