This year’s Velothon Wales will be the ‘biggest and best yet’ with organisers and local volunteers planning a festival atmosphere and no controversy over road closures, organisers have said.

Working with families, businesses and community volunteers, race bosses are pushing for a rolling road closure system which would open up the route once cyclists have passed through, ending the all-day closures of recent years.

Nigel Russell, event director, said the organisers have received ‘unprecedented support’, and that he understood local concerns over blocked roads.

“We have worked closely with the five local authorities involved to take lessons from the previous years and develop an alternative that provides a safe environment for the participants as well as minimising the impact on local residents and businesses,” he said.

“This means large sections of the route will be reopened, where it is safe to do so, between the amateur Sportive and the professional race. This will give an opportunity for residents to move away from the event if they need to.”

Stoking a festival atmosphere, Monmouthshire County Council is lining up events ahead of the July spectacle, encouraging locals to join in welcoming riders training in the area for one of cycling’s calendar highlights.

After saving old bikes discarded to recycling centres, MCC is teaming up with Cycle Usk at a Bangers ’n’ Bikes BBQ party on Friday May 12 to decorate the cycles, before displaying them around the town. The two-hour event starts at 3.30pm at Usk Primary School.

Mr Russell urged locals to get involved with the decoration plans by emulating the efforts made in Usk.

“The drive for this year has been greater community engagement. An example of this is in Usk where the community are really behind the event and are painting old recovered bikes and adorning the town centre with them this year. It would be fantastic if the other communities in Monmouthshire picked up this lead and adorned their area in a similar way.

“Monmouthshire communities have got behind this year’s event with schemes like ‘Cycle Usk’. Local residents and businesses are giving old bikes facelift to bring an extra splash of colour to the route and it would be fantastic to see the initiative spread to Abergavenny and northern Monmouthshire.”

Paul Matthews, the council’s chief executive said the party would kickstart the buildup, and encouraged other parties to adopt Usk’s approach.

“Monmouthshire sends a warm welcome to people training for the Velothon in our beautiful county — the perfect setting for cyclists to prepare for this summer’s event,” he said. “We have many wonderful cycling-friendly cafes, restaurants and pubs, so I would encourage everyone to stop for a coffee, cake and rest.

“Anyone who would like to decorate their towns, villages or streets are urged to contact us and we will be happy to provide bikes donated or rescued at our recycling centres to replicate Usk’s approach.”

Local organisers said efforts to create a more festival-like atmosphere will boost the local economy, and address the issues related to road-closures which marred previous events.

Nigel Russell, event director, said his team had been working with the council since last year, in a bid to minimise road closures and disruption.

“It has been fantastic to see how local communities along the stunning route are getting behind this year’s Velothon Wales to make it the biggest and best event yet. Monmouthshire always goes the extra mile to make riders and supporters feel welcome, and we cannot wait to see some of the creations as cycling continues to make a positive impact on the county.”

Organisers said locals would be kept up-to-date with information as to avoid any major disruptions. Nigel Russell, added, “Our localised letter drop will provide residents along the route with clear timings of road closures, while offering a different route from Abergavenny that should allow motorists to travel around the Velothon route or beyond without disruption.”

For more travel information, local residents can go to velothon.com/wales.

The county council said anyone wishing to help out with the decoration scheme can donate paint, brushes or craft materials to decorate bikes. For more information, please contact [email protected]