Hot on the heels of the Tour de France, cycling fever will hit Otley, on Tuesday (August 7) with over 60 top cyclists from across Britain, including Olympian Chris Newton, converging for the Chevin Cycles Otley Town Centre Road Race.

Organised by Otley Cycle Club this year there will be a curtain raiser to the main event children's races along the finishing straight on Bondgate between 6.30pm and 7pm.

Speeds of up to 40 mph are expected during the main race on a 1.4 mile closed road circuit which in the past has drawn thousands to watch the spectacle.

Cyclists will lap once every four minutes and race for one hour and five laps to contest overall victory and £1,100 in prize money.

Now in its 16th year, the race has attracted an impressive line-up most notably Chris Newton, team pursuit bronze medallist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

He is also currently the 2001 national criterion champion and who won a stage on the tour of Majorca in March this year.

Chris's teammate at the Sydney Olympics Jon Clay, of Horsforth, will start the race this year - a race which he has won in the past.

Other top rider's include last year's top ten of Danny Fox (Fox's Cycles RT), Gary Adamson (Private), Glynn Shirley (Fausto Coppi Racing) and Chris Young (Team Marie Curie) 1st and 5th respectively in this year's Yorkshire Divisional Road Race Championships.

A number of local cycling clubs are also well represented.

The main race will start at 7pm from outside Chevin Cycles on Gay Lane.

Eurosport's Mike Smith will againprovide commentary in his own inimiatble manner on what promises to be a colourful and exciting spectacle.

His experience as an international cycling commentator will also provide an invaluable insight into race tactics and the 'form' of different riders, making the event interesting and accessible to cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

As with previous years, it would be impossible to stage the Otley Town Centre Road Race without the support of local businesses, in particular Chevin Cycles (main sponsors), Massingberds Volkswagen dealers of Otley (providing the lead car and support vehicles) and Disruption Management Consultants of Leeds.

The race circuit goes along Bondgate, up Burras Lane past Safeways supermarket, left onto Birdcage Walk and back along Gay Lane (where speeds of up to 40 mph are expected).

The finish will be on Bondgate outside Kwikfit. Because of the faster finish, photo finish equipment will be used to determine the final placing's.

There will be six 'prime' prizes on offer at ten minute intervals throughout the race. These are sponsored by local businesses as follows:Prime 1 - Clearview Windows (Otley); Prime 2 - Bob Elliott, cycle importers (Keighley); Prime 3 - Whittakers, public house (Otley); Prime 4 - Yellow limited, cycle importers; Prime 5 - Northern Foiling Services Prime 6 - Andrew Monks, Forte. Representatives of each business will present the prizes.

Otley Town Centre Road Race is organised by Otley Cycle Club, which organises regular Sunday rides, leaving the Buttercross in Otley at 9am.

All cycling levels and abilities are catered for and anyone interested can contact Carol Middleton on 01943 467493.

The Chevin Mountain Bike Club also organises regular off-road rides on Sundays leaving Chevin Cycles on Gay Lane, Otley, at 9-30a.m.

New members are welcome and can contact Chevin Cycles on 01943 462773 for more details.