AS Ceredigion prepares to welcome some of the world’s top cyclists, including the 2018 Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas, local riders have the opportunity to “race like the pros” according to organisers of Aberystwyth’s festival of cycling.

Sixteen Welsh titles will be up for grabs as AberCycleFest hosts the Beicio Cymru Circuit Race Championships on Saturday 28 June with races in the under 8s, under 10s, under 12s, under 14s, under 16s, Junior, Elite and Masters categories.

The Beicio Cymru Championships, which kick off a full day of racing at 8:45am with the Men’s Masters race, will culminate with the hour-long Elite Men & Junior Men’s Race which starts at 2pm.

They will be followed at 3:30pm by the highly popular Ystwyth Juniors Summer Series with races for local primary schools in Nursery and Reception classes and years 1 and 2, 3 and 4 and 5 and 6.

The final event of the day, for local secondary school pupils (Year 7 and above), will line up on the start at 5:15pm for a 30-minute race.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for riders of all ages and abilities to experience the thrill of town centre racing on a course designed for champions,” according to AberCycleFest’s Shelley Childs.

“We are delighted to host the 2025 Beicio Cymru Circuit Race Championships which will use the same course that will have been used for British Cycling’s Lloyds National Road Championships the previous evening.

“It’s an unrivalled opportunity to race on a professionally designed course around Aberystwyth town centre in front of big crowds and experience what it is like to race like the pros.

“And for local school children, they can enter the Beicio Cymru Championships and the Ystwyth Juniors Summer Series races, giving them two chances of a place on the winner’s podium.”

The closing date for entries for the Beicio Cymru Championships is 21 June. Further details of how to enter are available online along with the full programme of races.

Riders wishing to race in the Ystwyth Juniors Summer Series can enter online on the Clwb Beicio Ystwyth Cycling Club website or by visiting the registration desk at the Bandstand on the day of the races.

“Over the years, AberCycleFest has been hugely popular with riders of all ages and from all parts of Wales and the UK, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back once more to be part of this fantastic event,” Shelley Childs added.

“Ultimately, this festival is about the enjoyment of cycling and getting out on the bike and we are absolutely delighted to be hosting these championships and sharing our streets and roads, which some of us have been riding for decades, with some of the biggest names in world cycling as Ceredigion hosts the 2025 Lloyds National Road Cycling Championships.”

The full programme of races, including details of the UK National Time Trial Championships which take place in Aberaeron on 26 June, and the UK National Road Race Championships in Aberystwyth on Sunday 29 June, are available on the Aber Cycle Fest website.