WITH the Tour of Britain's arrival in East Lancashire just three weeks away Cycle Sport Pendle have put in place a series of events to try and capitalise on the race.

Club development officer Peter Boast hopes the wide-ranging programme will attract cyclists new and old to the Steven Burke Hub.

The second stage of the Tour of Britain starts in Clitheroe and features the Ribble Valley and Pendle before finishing in Colne, and Mr Boast admits the event is huge for the area.

"It's a great occasion and it's inevitable we were going to look to capitalise on it," he said.

"We've put on a number of events, particularly on the Saturday, and hopefully people will come down and get involved.

"When the race arrives on the Monday it will become more of a social aspect with Cycle Sport Pendle erecting gazebos in Albert Road."

On Thursday, September 3, there will be racing for senior riders and juniors at the Steven Burke Sports Hub from 6.30pm, with a social ride for CSP members and families to Cafe Cargo and back, with a prize for the best Tour-themed fancy dress or decorated bike.

On Friday, from 6.30pm, there will be dads and lads and mams and gals racing and skills challenges at the hub.

From 9.30am there will be racing for all ages at the hub, as well as a pop-up pump track for mountain bikers and BMX riders, to promote the second phase of the hub's development, which will see a permanent pump track installed.

From 10.30am to 11.30am on Saturday there will be race for under 12s, under 10s and under eights, specifically aimed at youngsters who are new to racing.

On Sunday there will be a chance to ride the stage in full before the professionals do it a day later, and anybody wanting to take part can enter at the British Cycling website.

In recent years Cycle Sport Pendle have seen a dramatic increase in their membership, something which Mr Boast attributes to several factors.

"There has been a lot of positive publicity about cycling recently, both nationally and in Pendle," he said.

"But most important for us has been the Steven Burke Sports Hub. Having a base has been huge for us, it was like a swimming club not having a swimming pool, and it has made a big difference."