The Ramsbottom Rake cycling hill climb is returning this weekend - with some of the UK’s fastest cyclists taking part.

On Sunday, 16 October, 80 competitors will take part in the event with cyclists starting on Carr Street, next to Ramsbottom Library, before racing all the way up to just past the church on Chapel Lane.

The first rider is due to set off in the much-loved event at 12.01pm and the last one will set off at 1.15pm.

Event organiser Duncan Smith said: “We’ve got 80 competitors and quite a nice mix really.

“We have a child as young as 12 all the way up to a 61-year-old man.

“We’ve also got the national hill climb champion taking part too who actually won the event last year, called Tom Bell, and we fully expect him to win it again.

“He’s just so good. It’s ridiculous watching him go up that hill.

“He won the event last year and then the week after he won the national hill climb championship and he goes all over the place winning these events.”

The full event should last for around 90 minutes and will showcase some of the best cycling talent from the UK.

Duncan added: “The event has a local feel but it’s like a national event.

“We have quite a lot of cyclists from Bury Clarion, and they have a younger cycling club called 360 Cycling.

“We have someone coming from Reading Cycling Club and quite a lot of people coming from North Wales which is quite a distance to come for an event which will last three to four minutes for them.”

The Lancashire Road Club has been running the event since the mid-80s however it dates back to 1929.

Duncan said: “We ran the event last year as usual, although we were slightly down on riders but the year before we didn’t do it.

“This year we have 80 riders, but I think last year we had 60 sign up with 56 doing the event as we always get people dropping out on the day.”

The bottom of Carr Street to the top of Chapel Lane will be closed from 11.30am to 2.30pm as the race takes place to ensure the safety of cyclists.

However, organisers have said they will try and keep the closure to a minimum and will reopen the road as soon as the last rider has set off.

Cars will be allowed down Carr Street and Callender Street where possible to cross the course when it is appropriate and safe to do so.

 

Read more stories below: 

​If you have a story tweet @BuryTimes or @Alicegerrard157 or email alice.gerrard@newsquest.co.uk.