HUNDREDS of people from across the country will be making there merry way to Abergavenny shortly for one of the biggest weekends of the year.

Why? Because the 2010 Abergavenny Festival of Cycling promise to be even bigger and better than before as it has joined forces with the town's Carnival to give riders a fantastic day on the road as well as superb entertainment out of the saddle.

Riders can turn up on the day to enter the Iron Mountain Sportif on Saturday and take a tour of the Monmouthshire countryside in the tracks of the British stars who are currently in the Tour de France field.

Organiser Bill Owen said, "We have combined with the Abergavenny Carnival this year which entails great entertainment for everyone in Bailey Park once they have finished the Iron Mountain Sportif."

The Sportif - a mass participation event which is becoming extremely popular throughout the country as the rise of cycling continues - gives families, friends and individuals the chance to ride part or all of last year's National Championships course which ended in Abergavenny town centre.

It is the fourth year that the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling has held a Sportif and all those who enter - and they can do so on the day - for the Gold, Silver or Bronze rides which run over 100 miles, 50 miles or 25 miles respectively - will get entry into Bailey Park for the Carnival festivities which normally costs £5.

The Bronze event will see riders enjoying the flatlands of Monmouthshire which take in Raglan along the Usk Valley.

The Silver ride adds another 25 miles with some outstanding views to be discovered before

riders cross the finish line in Bailey Park to enjoy the town's carnival.

Those going on the Gold ride, however, will not be able to dismount their bikes as quickly as they will be only half-way around their course.

And on Friday night, the Get Connected Welsh Open Criteriums will see British road race stars, who were in the area last year for the National Championships, take to the streets as part of the National Elite Circuit Series.

Owen added, "I think a lot of people will definitely make a weekend of it and stay in our town for this year's Festival of Cycling and Carnival which promises to be a lot of fun for a lot of people."