COMMONWEALTH Games bronze medal winner Scott Thwaites will be the star attraction in this year's Ilkley Town Centre Cycle Races.

Thwaites, who rides for Team Bora-Argon 18, will be racing the ZLM Tour in Holland from June 17-21, followed by the elite men's race at Ilkley on Wednesday, June 24, as part of his build up to the National Road Race Championships at Lincoln on June 28.

Born in nearby Steeton, Thwaites grew up down the road in Burley-in-Wharfedale and knows the challenging 1.5 km circuit around The Grove very well and will be assured of vocal local support.

"I'm really looking forward to racing in Ilkley," said Thwaites, "I watched the race last year and was really excited that an Elite race was being put on this time. It's a fantastic circuit and it's always nice to race in my home town in front of friends and family."

The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist finished 17th at Gent-Wevelgem this Spring in scenes of incredible carnage as the peloton was lashed by 50 mph winds, causing many not to finish and countless crashes.

The organisers are hoping the sparkle of the inaugural event last year, staged just before the Grand Depart of the Tour de France, will see spectators again lining The Grove to watch another memorable sporting evening of cycling.

The scene is set for an exciting, atmospheric town centre race showcasing the country’s elite racing cyclists as well as encouraging youth participation in the sport.

The races will again provide free entertainment and top sporting action for both residents and visitors alike. There will be five separate races, catering for youth riders, local racing cyclists and culminating in races for the top male and female riders in the country.

The club is hoping for a repeat of the fantastic mid-summer weather enjoyed last year, which really added to the special atmosphere of the evening.

Holding races in Ilkley gives local youth riders a chance to race in front of a home crowd, and will hopefully inspire some of them to emulate the tremendous success of the top cyclists that Yorkshire has already produced.

A performance that really stands out from last year is that of Tom Pidcock from Otley. He easily won the under 16s race, and with that effort still in his legs he rode the men’s race and took sixth place, just ahead of another rider given special dispensation to race with the men – Olympic silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead. Two excellent performances in one night and he was then only 14-years-old!

Tom said “Races like Ilkley are really important for young people like me because they provide us with challenging courses on closed roads that we can develop our skills on. Since the Ilkley Town Centre Criterium in 2014, I have become an Olympic Development Apprentice, following in the footsteps of GB's best riders like Mark Cavendish. In September I became the under-16 Yorkshire Road Race Champion. I am also hoping to be selected for the Youth Olympics in Tbilisi, Georgia, Russia this summer to represent GB.”

The event is generously supported by a range of sponsors. The under-16 youth races are being sponsored by MAS Design. There is still an opportunity available to sponsor the under-14 event and anyone interested in doing so is invited to contact the organisers by email at organiser@ilkleycycleraces.co.uk .

The men's race is being sponsored by club member Bill Fazackerley. Avanti Gas are again sponsoring the women's race and Lister Horsfall again back the Elite men's race.

The club is grateful for the wider support of businesses and residents in the town, especially in relation to road closures around the circuit.