Twenty former national road champions are set to headline the provisional rider list for the championships. Local cycling champion Josh Tarling is joined by Ineos Grenadier team-mate and Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas on the starters list for the Lloyd's National Road Cycling Championships - here in Ceredigion!
Thursday, 26th June - Time Trials - Aberaeron
A Time Trial is a race against the clock where riders race around a set course with the winner being the rider with the lowest time. Local professional cyclist Josh Tarling has won this race for the past 2 years as well as winning a number of other time trials and competing in the Olympics in this event.
The 2025 British Road Cycling Championships Time Trial is based at Aberaeron. The challenging circuit route starts in Ffos- y-Ffin and extends along the fast-rolling roads down past Neuadd Lwyd chapel and over to Ciliau Aeron before heading back to Aberaeron via Llanerchaeron and returning for the next lap up the sharp climb up Rhiw Goch up to Ffos y Ffin. The last lap ends on the approach into Aberaeron on Lampeter Road, a great spot to watch the racing, within a short walking distance of the town centre.
The elite women, under-23 women and under-23 men will complete one and three-quarter laps to give a race distance of 27km, and the elite men’s field will be tested over two and three-quarter laps for a total distance of 41km.
Teams will be preparing at Aberaeron Secondary School from 8am before the first riders set off through the town of Aberaeron, making their way to the start point at Ffos y Ffin along the main road. The Time trials will take most of the day. The first riders out are the competitors in the Under 2U23 Men's category at 9am, followed straight after by the by Elite women at 10.45. After a mid-day break, the trials resume with Under 23 Women's at 13:40 and finally the Elite Men's racers at 14.50. The last rider sets of at 4pm and the time trials are expected to end at around 5pm.
Friday 27th June - Circuit Races - Aberystwyth
The circuit races are around Aberystwyth town centre on Friday night and will be spectacular to watch as the riders race to be the first to cross the finish line on Aberystwyth promenade.
The competitors and their team cars will be located on north promenade where you can watch the riders warming up in preparation for the racing. They will make their way along the promenade to the Bandstand where they will formally sign on.
The will be approximately 70 cyclists will undertake 5 laps along a new anticlockwise course of 1.6 km around the streets of Aberystwyth town centre. From the start on the Promenade, the race will take a left turn into Pier Street to the top of Great Darkgate Street before turning back towards the sea, switching into Portland Street and Queens Road (Morfa Mawr) returning to Victoria Terrace and the finish line.
The cyclists will be passing the Bandstand on the Promenade on each lap. The final stretch of the last lap is usually fast and furious!
Racing starts with the Women's races at 6.15pm, followed by the open competition at 8pm, so come along early, explore the town centre, browse the Ceredigion expo by the bandstand and enjoy a snack, an ice cream or coffee before the racing starts.
Saturday 28th June - Aberystwyth Cycle Festival and Welsh Criterium Championships
The circuit around Aberystwyth town's streets raced on the Friday for the British Championships is used again for the Welsh National Championships circuit (criterium) races on Saturday.
As well as the thrilling circuit races for the Welsh National Championship races for Elite men and women riders, there will be a full programme of races throughout Saturday as part of the popular Aberystwyth Cycle Festival. Races range from children's competitions for under 8s through to races for veteran riders. There will also be an exciting BMX display and an expo area featuring local sporting clubs and activity providers, a bike energy challenge, information about other upcoming events in Ceredigion, children's Lego and craft activities and more!
Cycling photos and other artefacts from past cycling races held in Wales will be on display at the National Library of Wales on Penglais hill, overlooking the town.
Sunday 29th June - Road races - Aberystwyth
The road races take place on the Sunday with the Elite and Under 23 women’s race setting off at 8.45 in the morning and the elite and under 23 open men in the afternoon.
A big screen screen, located near the finishing line on the promenade, will be showing live action from out on the course.
After a presentation start on the seafront, the road races will head south out of town on a 23.4 km anticlockwise loop towards Trawsgoed returning to Aberystwyth via Llanilar. The route has the start and finish point on the seafront as a central focus, running along almost the entirety of the promenade, past the old college and the castle grounds, before a technical section through the old harbour before looping out over Trefechan bridge.
The riders come through the finish line on Aberystwyth promenade at the end of each lap and will be needing some cheering!
The finishing circuit, undertaken after three laps for the women's race and five laps in the men’s race, is a shorter loop of 12.4km, and is ridden four times for the women’s and five times for the men’s race. This loop and includes a narrow technical 13.8% descent from Moriah which will be a test of bike handling skills for the riders. The route brings the riders back into town along the main A44, concluding back on the seafront promenade for a final time after 128km / 80 miles for the women and 187km / 116 miles for the men.
