Race on to win town-centre cycle race

OLDHAM town centre is in the running to stage a televised national cycling event this summer.

Fifty professional cyclists would race around a 1.5 mile circuit during the flagship race on June 9 as part of the Halford Tour Series.

The series, featuring international and national cyclists, visits 10 towns in Britain in May and June.

Hopes are high for the town’s bid, which is planned to act as a launch for One Future, a project to ensure the borough benefits for the Olympic legacy of the London 2012 games.

The project, made up of Oldham Council, Oldham Community Leisure, Oldham Community Health Services and the Oldham Business Leadership Group, will aim to take advantage of local spin-offs from next year’s games.

Councillor Kay Knox, the cabinet member charged with making the most of such opportunites, said: “Every opportunity to secure an Olympic legacy should be grasped as London 2012 is certain to have a major impact on generations of our citizens.

“We must do all that we can to ensure there is a lasting local legacy.

“This cycling event will provide a fantastic national platform to showcase the borough’s positive attributes, promote economic investment and inspire more people to take up healthy activities.”

The race would be screened on ITV4 the following day.

Oldham Council has provided £25,000 to support getting the race contract, while members of the strategic group and private sector individuals are also said to have made significant contributions.