ABERCYCLEFEST is gearing up for its ninth anniversary this weekend.

Welcoming back the OVO Energy Tour Series televised race for the seventh time, AberCycleFest now broadens its array of events by adding family rides, a BMX skills workshop and women’s specific cycling workshops to an already busy schedule.

Double Olympic medallist at the Rio Olympics, Becky James is guest of honour at the annual Gala evening at the National Library of Wales at 6.30pm tomorrow, which also features The Flying Scotsman, a film about the legendary Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree.

Saturday kicks off the bank holiday weekend with a promenade expo of stalls and cycle skills displays, which is completely free to attend.

At either end of the promenade Expo, two major sporting events take place. The town centre criterium races run from 9am through to 9pm, including races for local primary schoolchildren, the Welsh Cycling Championships for all age groups, culminating in ITV4’s OVO Energy Tour Series races where we welcome both men’s and women’s professional races for the first time.

Saturday also features the popular Conquer the Cliff mountain bike downhill race on Constitution Hill. Over 150 top downhillers from Wales and further afield are due to do battle this time with practice from 9am and racing from 1pm.

Sunday is the mass participation day with the Continental Welsh Wild West sportive taking place from Aberystwyth and incorporating four stunning routes through the Ceredigion countryside of 28, 46, 62 or 106 miles to choose from.

Bank Holiday Monday is another spectator-friendly event at Llanbadarn where 32 riders will tackle the 25 per cent gradient of Cefn Llan in the EDCO HillClimb, a knockout-style competition pitting two riders against each other in a ‘first to the top’ gladiator-style knockout format.

Families can also get involved on Monday, with the Sustrans Family Ride taking place from the Lifeboat Station to Glanyrafon, following the Rheidol all along the cycle path.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now