The East Yorkshire Classic is the areas premier cycle race. It's history dates back to 1956 when the Alpha Road Club first organised a 2-day road race from Beverley to Whitby and Back. Hull Thursday Road Club took over the organisation of this event, now named the White Rose GP, in 1964 and competitors included Hull Thursday's own Bill Holmes, winner of the 1961 Tour of Britain and Olympic silver medallist. In subsequent years many riders took part who were to become the mainstay of the British Professional Scene of the 1970's and 1980's including Sid Barras, Doug Daily and Keith Lambert.
In 1971 the event attracted outside sponsorship from the Zerny dry cleaning company, a relationship that was to last till 1976. The route was also changed to an out and home run to Scarborough, including the climb of Hackness hairpins. The 1971 event saw a field of 60 first category riders at a time when any field over 40 required special government dispensation, marking the race as being one of the highest quality events in the country. The quality of the Zerny Two Day saw it receive extensive coverage in magazines such as the now defunct 'International Cycle Sport'. In 1976 the race was an Olympic selection event and saw the whole G.B. road and G.B. track teams take part.
In 1977 new sponsors arrived in the form of Skeltons Bakery, a company who were to sponsor the event until 1994. A new race format was also adopted with the race concentrating on the challenging climbs to be found around Bishop Wilton and Garrowby in the Yorkshire Wolds. In this form the race gave the classier local riders an opportunity to race on home roads against top level competition (and local 2nd and 3rd category riders the chance to be given a hard time!). Notable performances from local riders included Mark Robinson of Hull Couriers stage win in 1983 (with Robinson breaking away within the first mile of the 85 mile stage) and Paul Peacock's stage win in 1994 (this victory coming from a bunch sprint which saw the Cottingham Coureurs man get the better of riders such as Paul Curran, Wayne Randal and the late Pete Longbottom). Between 1995 and 1997 the event continued as the Land's Foods Classic, then in 1998 was run as the Procam Classic.
Although the event always attracted top riders, from 1999 the overall quality of the field began to more closely resemble the old Zerny 2 day. The East Riding of Yorkshire Council became the events main sponsor and in 2000 and 2001 the race formed part of the Premier Calendar series, having 2 top level winners in Jon Clay (who was to take a Bronze Medal in the Olympic games in the team pursuit) and John Tanner, National Road Race Champion, Sydney Olympics Road Race competitor and overall winner of the Premier Calendar series.
In 2002 the event was not held due to the long time organiser Barry Trotter standing down. 2003 Saw the event return to the cycling calender as a single day race over 100 miles of the East yorkshire Wolds.
This year the race is once again part of the British Cycling Premeir calender series, atracting some of the countries best riders and once again is supported by the east Riding of Yorkshire Council.
The Premier Calendar is the most prestigious domestic road race series, comprising of 10 events held all over the UK.
- 26/28 March
- Girvan 3 Day, Scotland.
- 3 April
- Archer Grand Prix, West London.
- 8 May
- Lincoln International Grand Prix, Lincoln.
- 29 May
- Rutland to Melton CiCLE Classic, Rutland.
- 12 June
- Five Valleys Road Race, Port Talbot.
- 19 June
- East Yorkshire Classic, Beverley.
- 17 July
- Tour of Pendle, Lancashire.
- 14 August
- Havant International Grand Prix, Hampshire.
- 21 August
- The Celtic Manor Grand Prix, Abergavenny S.Wales.
- 11 Sept
- Tour of the Peak, Buxton.
For reports and results of the series visit www.bcf.uk.com
