Steve Brine has welcomed a series of cycling events which will take place across the city during 2013.
Following a series of successful sporting events held in Winchester last year to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the city will be going cycling mad this summer, as a number of events offer opportunities for participants and spectators alike.
The Winchester Cycle Fair on Sunday 23 June will celebrate the end of National Cycle Week. families can bring their bikes along to the Broadway which will be transformed into a hive of cycling activity. This free event will encourage people of all ages to try out a wide range of cycling activities in the city including roller-racing, mountain bike display, BMX biking skills, a cycle treasure hunt, bike-decorating, smoothie bike and toddler trikes throughout the afternoon of Sunday 23 June from 12 noon to 4pm.@ There will also be a comedy unicycling policeman.
There will be a 'Bike Bus' leading cyclists along the national cycling route, across the beautiful Hockley Viaduct to a new cycle track at the South Winchester Park and Ride. As well as some light refreshments at this site, fun cycle skills provided by British Cycling will also be on offer.
There will be a wide variety of cycle themed stands including Dr Bike who can service or repair your bike and free security bike-marking. City centre shops and cafes will provide food and drink throughout the afternoon.
The fast and furious Winchester Criterium race will follow an action-packed Family Cycle Day on Sunday 11 August. There is also a Family Friendly Sportive on Saturday 10 August which is all about getting the family out cycling in Winchester.
A Criterium is a closed circuit race through the streets of the city centre where competitors repeat the same course as many times as they can within a defined time limit. They race at about 50km/hr (30mph) which makes for a great sporting spectacle. The start and finish of the Winchester Criterium will be at the Butter Cross in the High Street. There will be races for men, women and juniors and each race will be capped between 30 and 40 riders.
This event will be the largest city centre Criterium cycle race in the region this year and will be staged in the city centre on Sunday 11 August from 4pm to 9pm. Classed as the cycling equivalent to Formula One, it is fast and furious with lots of thrills and spills. There will be six races throughout the evening and many thousands of spectators are expected to line the route.
Steve Brine said: "I am delighted that Winchester is the centre of so much cycling activity this summer, and this is certainly something I shall be reporting back to my colleagues on the All-Party Group for Cycling.
"We have recently held an exciting Parliamentary inquiry on cycling, which demands a lot from Government, and I am thrilled that my own city is really stepping up to the plate."
Winchester City Council is co-ordinating the Winchester CycleFest package in partnership with British Cycling, Cycle Tours UK, Hampshire County Council and Winchester BID.
Cllr Vicki Weston, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transport at Winchester City Council, commented: "These two days of epic cycling action are for the 80,000 people who marked the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the district last year. We look forward to the people of Winchester turning out in their thousands to enjoy sport in the city once again."
These events were formally launched at the Holiday Inn Winchester at 10am on Wednesday 10 April.