moray firth cycling club

MFCC Cromarty Stage Race Preview

Moray Firth Cycling Club is promoting their annual two day Stage Race based in the picturesque fishing village of Cromarty over the weekend of 18th & 19th July.  This popular event, now in its 6th year, is one of the few remaining Stage races on the Scottish Cycling scene and for this reason is a well-established race on the Scottish Calendar.

The event is again attracting a high calibre of rider from across Scotland to take part in the 3 stage race weekend.  Teams from all of the major cities and competitors from far north as Shetland have already entered.  There is the usual strong entry from the host club along with teams from Granite City RT and Deeside Thistle CC.

Moray Firth Cycling Club is grateful for the logistical support being provided by Scottish Cycling to this event.

Day 1

Prologue:

Racing gets underway with a flat coastal 4.1 mile prologue from Jemimaville to Cromarty.

Stage 1

The first proper road stage covering 58miles.  Riders tackle an anti-clockwise circuit 3 times that begins in Cromarty, climbs to the top of Mount High before taking the rolling road and long descent back to the start.  In a bid to shake up the field the organisers have moved the finish line to the top of Mount High, an approx. 2mile climb with gradients of up to 10% is well suited for strong climbers and is sure to challenge the riders.

Day 2

Stage 2

Two laps of the Cromarty – Mount Eagle circuit totalling 50miles.  Racing again begins in Cromarty with a flat start to easy those tired legs from yesterday’s tough opening stages, or will it go from the gun?!  The flat opening miles generally encourage a fast start especially from riders looking to make up time in the General Classification as they seek to establish an early break.  The field climbs Mount Eagle twice before the fast flat run across the Killen straight, the decent off Mount High before the flat run into the finish at the entrance to Cromarty – a sprinters dream.

The race HQ is the Victoria Hall in the heart of Cromarty where riders sign on, are briefed and aside from the great racing, this race is famed for the feed!

If you haven’t already done so why not come join us?