All you need to know about the UCI world cycling championships in Doncaster on Friday

It’s just four months since Doncaster got ‘wheelie’ excited over the Tour de Yorkshire hurtling through the borough.

But next week the decorations and the painted bicycles at the side of the road are coming back out as the UCI cycling world championships brings two races to the borough’s streets, racing from the Dome to Thorne, and then on to the finish line in Harrogate.

Thousands are expected to line the route.

Doncaster is seeing the start of the men’s under 23 race and the women’s junior race, both on September 27. The women’s race starts at 8.40am, with the men’s race starting at 2.10pm.

Once again, shops and organisations along the route are out to celebrate the occasion.

And the best decorated venues on the route have already been named, after a competition run by Doncaster Council and and judged ahead of the racing, with the Free Press on the panel.

The winner of the best dressed building overall award, the Wellness Centre, on Montrose Avenue, Intake, has covered the front of the premises with pictures of cycles and spectators. The centre’s members even created a figure on a bike to stand outside their building.

Runner-up was Jessica’s Flowers, on Field Road in Thorne, with a window packed with the race’s rainbow colour scheme, as well as a bike and blackboards detailing the race.

Awards also went to the Men’s Room barbershop on Thorne Road, Edenthorpe, which was the best dressed along the route, and Just a Little Something gift shop at Market Place, Thorne, as the best dressed in Thorne. Runners up awards also went to Tickled Pink, on Manor Road, Hatfield, and Bliss coffee shop at Market Place, Thorne.

Residents are also getting ready to mark the race at events all along the route.

Among those running activities is the People Focussed Group, which runs the Wellness Centre.

They have organised a community fun day and family sports day at The Green, on Shaftesbury Avenue, Intake, near their own base.

That is going to include bicycle relays, games of rounders, an egg and spoon race, fencing, and big board games. There will also be a face painting and music and refreshments.

Wellness Centre manager Jacqui Thompson said the centre users had been keen to get involved.

She said: “Our members are really excited, and have got really involved. We do a lot of cycling as a group, often around Lakeside. A lot of us have been involved as volunteers during the Tour de Yorkshire when it has been in Doncaster, but this feels more local and comes close to our building. Some plan to go to the Dome to see the start.”

Just up the road, there will be activities at St Paul’s Church, on Durham Road. They will be showing live race footage at a community coffee morning.

They will also have a picnic style buffet, cycling themed children’s crafts and games, indoor and outdoor games, a colouring competition, dance taster sessions and a football training session with support from Doncaster Goals coaches. They will also have a design your own cycling shirt competition for children, to be launched at Park Primary and Kingfisher Primary schools.

Sandall Park, on Thorne Road, Wheatley, will host a fan hub within the park and along the footways outside the park from Leger Way to Wheatley Hall Road.

It will feature bouncy castles, afternoon teas, fitness classes, cycle training, bicycle advice, and health checks and activities with staff from a local GP practice.

There will also be cycling promotion and training and special areas and seats for disabled and fans with special needs.

Dunsville Community Centre, on High Street, Hatfield, is opening early to sell refreshments to people watching the race, and is holding a Macmillan Coffee morning to raise funds for the charity

And Thorne Memorial Park, on South Parade, Thorne, will be the venue for a fan zone community day.

That will feature a large television screen, and a host of activities including face painting, funfair rides, sports coaching, walking netball games and bike sessions.

It will also have stalls and food and refreshments.

There will be a viewing hub and accessible seating for disabled and elderly people outside Gazette House on King Street, Thorne, with tea and coffee available.

Thousands of schoolchildren will be lining the route.

There will be 1,000 youngsters at the start line at the Doncaster Dome, with pupils from Bessacarr Primary School lining the new cycle track, which is part of the route.

Plover Primary School, Sandringham Primary School, Park Primary, Edenthorpe Hall Primary School, Sheep Dip Lane Primary School, Hatfield Woodhouse Primary, Thorne Greentop Primary School, and Trinity Academy will also line to route out of Doncaster.

School administrator at Edenthorpe Hall Primary School, Laura Bardell, said the pupils were excited about see the race, which they will watch from close to the school.

She said: “They will be seeing races both in the morning and the afternoon, and they have already been doing work at school themed around the cycling, including artwork. The class teachers have organised events around it, and they will be waving flags along the route.”

Road closures

The UCI championships will mean a number of road closures during the day as both races will see elite riders racing on local roads

As the races sets off from The Dome, there will be a ‘rolling road closure’ along the route. These are due to start and finish around 30 minutes before and after the riders pass through. The route follows the A18 into Hatfield, before turning onto the A1186 Thorne Road, and the A614 Tudworth Road as it arrives into Thorne, then joining South Parade, and leaving via the A614 Selby Road.

Certain sections of road near the Dome will be closed from 5am until 6pm. They are Booth Avenue Race from the race start to Gliwice Way; Belle Vue Way from Gliwice Way to Bawtry Road; and Gliwice Way from Herten Way to Bawtry Road.

All car parks within The Dome will be closed from 6pm Thursday September 26 until 6pm on September 27.

Parking restrictions will apply to the whole route, with no stopping in place from 5am until 6pm on the route on race day.