WEDNESDAY'S BRITISH NEWS ROUND-UP

• Wednesday, 19 November 2008
• Andrew Canning
• 0 Comments

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COUTTS IN CHINA
Britain’s Alex Coutts (Giant Asia Racing Team) is in action at the Tour of Hainan in China at the moment.

Coutts finished the stage on Monday in the main group, maintaining his top-25 position overall over the three categorised climbs of the day.

On the penultimate stage on Tuesday, Coutts finished 21st moving up to 13th overall. Russia’s Boris Shpilevsky has so far dominated the race, winning five of the seven stages.

The race concludes later today.

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OLYMPIC CHAMPION TO OPEN SUSTRANS PROJECT
Olympic team sprint champion Jamie Staff will open the Sustrans Bike It project at Kingsnorth Primary School on Friday.

The Bike It project works proactively with pupils, parents and staff to help them overcome whatever it is that is preventing them from cycling to school. The project helps to address this with organising cycling training, installing new bike sheds and providing information about safe cycling routes to school.

Participating schools across England have seen levels of cycling treble within a year; currently there are 32 Bike It officers working with over 300 schools and over 60,000 children.

“It is great to have a role model such as Jamie Staff backing the project,” said Bike It officer, David Robert. “We know from research that 47% of children would like to cycle to school but only 2% actually do - there is an enormous potential for increasing cycling levels across the country. Cycling has so many benefits for pupils”.

In other news, an in-depth survey of behaviour in two English towns by Socialdata in association with Sustrans, has revealed the enormous potential for reducing traffic congestion in towns. The research suggests that around 54% of local car journeys can instead be made by bike or by public transport.

Whilst the trend for car use continues, Sustrans revealed an overwhelming support for change in people questioned, most of whom viewed the increase in car reliance negatively.

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WORLD CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Fancy a trip to the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Holland? There are still places available on an organised trip to the event, which takes place from January 31 to February 1 2009.

Leaving by coach from Southampton on Friday morning and returning on Monday afternoon, the trip includes travel via the Channel Tunnel, 3 nights bed and breakfast (at the Tourist Hotel, Antwerp) and travel to and from the race venue each day. Cost is just £177 per person, based on sharing a twin room.

For more information, please contact Geoff Shergold on 02380778113 or geoff.shergold1@btinternet.com

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LONDON-PARIS ENTRIES OPEN
Entries are now open for the 2009 London-Paris Cycle Tour. Promoted as the ultimate sportive experience for amateurs, the ride will see up to 300 cyclists taking to the start in London for the fully-supported 500km route.

Among the entrants for 2009 include former Tour de France winner Stephen Roche and cancer survivor, Geoff Thomas.

For more details and to register, see www.londres-paris.com


If you have any British news you would like to share, please contact andrew_canning@ipcmedia.com