Local cycle racing is being given a boost with the launch this season of the annual Devon Cup awarded to riders’ best of five results from nine time trial (TT) races.

Sid Valley Cycling Club is just one of 40 clubs representing memberships of up to 100 each throughout Devon committed to the cup by incorporating the series into the following TT races scheduled from March to September: Mar 30, S7-17S Exeter Wheelers; May 7, S26-R10 Sid Valley Cycling Club; May 26; S12-R24 North Devon Wheelers-Southfork; Jun 18, S40-10 Tavistock Wheelers; Jun 29, S100-25 Cycle Logic, July 10, S4-10 RNRMCA; Aug 10, S4-50 Plymouth CCC; Aug 24, S4-25 RuTrainingtoday CC and Sep 14, S4-25 Mid Devon CC.

Devon Cup spokesman and sports coach Simon Edney from Torrington in North Devon said: “There will be a points scoring system based on the popular Cornish Cup format that was launched over the county border in 2006.”

Edney is sponsoring a derby match between Devon and Cornwall with a trophy to be awarded to the county whose top 15 riders subsequently race the fastest at the Camel Valley 25-mile time trial on September 21.

This course (CTT ref S100-25) has an especially fast reputation, where the best local club racers have succeeded in maintaining nearly 30mph average speeds for over 50 minutes.

Edmey said: “Competitors’ results from any of the nine races in the series are automatically converted to points for the Devon Cup standings. There is no cost to the riders entering the Devon Cup series, instead the clubs pay the £15 fee that covers the end of season awards.”

The series is open to all members of a Devon club affiliated to the CTT (Cycling Time Trials) organisation, which have registered by payment of the £15 annual series fee.