Major cycle ride comes through the heart of Cov

THE route for a major Midlands cycle ride has been revealed - and it comes right through the heart of Coventry.

Velo Birmingham and Midlands is the UK’s second biggest closed road cycle event.

The 100-mile ride will see around 17,000 cyclists hit the roads next May.

A ‘major highlight’ of the route will be when participants pass though Coventry, the European City of Sport in 2019, and past the iconic Cathedral.

The Velo Birmingham was first held in 2017 but organisers took a year out this year to prepare for an even bigger Midlands-wide event in 2019.

The description of the route on the website reads: “Riders will encounter stunning countryside, panoramic views, picturesque villages and iconic climbs... not to mention the tens of thousands of residents lining the streets to cheer the riders on!

“A major highlight of the 2019 route comes around mile 40 when riders will pass right through the heart of Coventry - UK City of Culture 2021.

“Cycling on the cobbled streets of the historic Coventry Cathedral in front of thousands of supporters will be a truly unique experience and will make you feel as though you’re riding in the pro peloton!”

Riders will start their hundred mile journey in Digbeth, Birmingham, before leaving the city via the A45.

Riding out through the suburbs of Birmingham, they will then pass through Solihull towards Warwickshire into the sprawling countryside that characterises so much of the route.

Cyclists will meander through the villages of North Warwickshire before heading down to Bedworth and onto Coventry via Longford Road and through Bell Green.

They then make their way down Sewall Highway, through Barras Heath and into the city centre on Cox Street.

After passing the magnificent Cathedral cyclists will head onto the ring road and back out of the city past Radford and Coundon.

From there, the route takes cyclists through Meriden and the suburbs of Sandwell and Dudley.