World Championships 2019 - Elite Men’s Road Race re-routed due to poor weather

The championships have been plagued by wet weather, causing plenty of incidents, and the rain continued to fall in Yorkshire over the weekend.

Because of this, the organisers and the UCI have decided to divert the riders at Bishopdale Beck in order to ensure the safety of both the riders and the spectators.

The race will now start at a new time of 9:00 GMT.

Due to heavy rain that continues to fall across the northern section of the Elite Men’s Road Race route, Yorkshire 2019 and the UCI have taken the decision to divert the route at Bishopdale Beck just outside Aysgarth, and to direct riders east up Temple Bank and along the A684 to Leyburn where the race will continue as normal.

The decision was made after extensive consultation with the UCI, our multi-agency partners, the environment agency and local mountain rescue teams. We consider the safety of spectators and riders as paramount and want everyone to enjoy the racing, but the conditions in the Dales puts that at risk.

This means, regrettably, that the race will not now pass through Bainbridge, Hawes, Buttertubs, Muker, Gunnerside, Reeth, and Grinton Moor. We know this will be hugely disappointing to the communities in these locations who have been planning events and celebrations to coincide with the race today. We are very sorry.

However, the Elite Men’s Road Race does go ahead today starting in Leeds at the later time of 9:00am. Spectators who were hoping to see the race in Wensleydale and Swaledale should head to West Witton, Wensley or Leyburn where they can view the race as it passes through just before 11:00am. There will also be nine laps of the Harrogate circuit before the finish on Parliament Street.