Mildenhall Cycling Club set to hold Cycling Mini-Fest with a focus on gravel riding

A popular Suffolk cycling event is set to return next month – without its famous grass track-racing.

The Cycling Mini-Fest, organised by Mildenhall Cycling Club, will be held on Sunday July 16 at its usual venue of West Row Village Hall.

This year however, it will focus on gravel riding events - after its renowned grass-track organiser, Max Pendleton stepped down.

Current chairman of the organisers, Mark Burchett, said: “Max is in his 70s and wants to wind things down a little.

“After a distinguished career of competing in and organising grass-track racing, spanning over 50 years, he has decided to stand down from organising it at Mildenhall and will be a very hard act to follow.

“For this reason, regrettably this year we aren’t in a position to offer grass-track racing, that the club has been renowned for since the 1960s.

“We left it as late as we could before confirming this year’s line-up of events while we explored way of still including grass-track racing.

“This year will instead be concentrating on the gravel events, which have been expanded.”

For the gravel events, in addition to the main Seniors course over 20km, there will now be a separate event for Juveniles, aged 13 to 16-years-old, which will be totally off-road.

There will also be a ‘Come and Try It Ride’ for those interested in gravel riding, which will be open to anyone of all ages at a ‘more relaxed pace’, rather than against the clock.

Mildenhalll Cycling Club will be providing light refreshments and drinks all day in the village hall at jacket potatoes at lunchtime.

A licenced bar will be open in the village hall in the afternoon.

There will also be the usual Cycle Jumble, which this year will be a table-top sale inside the hall.

Famous faces who have cut their teeth at the annual cycling event include Victoria Pendleton, Nicola Cooke, and Laura Trott.

Full details of the Cycling Mini-Fest can be found at www.mildenhallfestival.bike

Gravel-riding involves riding over mixed terrain.

“The grass track events will hopefully only be on hold for a year as we find someone to organise them and reinstate grass track racing in 2024,” added Mark Burchett.