ELITE cycling will come to Dorset next year with a 97-mile road race, based around Milborne St Andrew, writes Eamonn Deane.

The ‘One Day in Dorset’ event on May 24 is expected to attract top British-based professional teams and will have a minimum prize fund of £2,000.

This new race on the calendar takes in Bulbarrow Hill above the picture postcard village of Milton Abbas, which riders go through six times on the 9.6-mile circuit.

At 892ft the road across the top is the highest in the county, with the race route visiting the summit nine times.

A total 8,651ft of climbing promises to make it one of the toughest races on the domestic calendar.

Bulbarrow Hill is well known to local riders and a big favourite on club runs and charity rides.

The race is ideal preparation for the National Road Race Championships in Aber-gavenny four weeks later.

Meanwhile, 27 riders took part in CC Weymouth’s 35-mile event, which preceded the club’s AGM.