The proposed courses for the 2011 British National Road Race Championships have been announced.

The 2011 event is part of the Northern Rock Cyclone festival in Newcastle and the 122.5-mile men’s race will use the same course as the Beaumont Trophy in 2010 – with the winner of the event also being awarded the Beaumont Trophy.

The course will take in three laps of the larger circuit, which includes the savage climb of the Ryals. The race will then go onto the smaller finishing circuit which will be completed four times before finishing in Stamfordham on the final lap.

The women’s race will use the same roads as the men, tackling the Ryals circuit once and the smaller circuit three times, making a total distance of 64 miles. The women’s race will precede the men’s on Sunday June 26.

Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas is defending men’s champion, while world time trial champion Emma Pooley took the women’s crown. 

Meanwhile, organisers have upped entries for Saturday’s sportive to 5,000 after unprecedented demand.

The two longer versions of the 33, 63 and 104-mile sportives share part of their courses with the National Road Race Championships, giving weekend warriors the chance to pit themselves against the pros.

Organiser Peter Harrison said: “Every year the Northern Rock Cyclone Challenge gets bigger and better and we’re thrilled by reaction to the 2011 event so far. With the National Championships forming part of the same weekend it’s set to be better than ever.”

Entries cost £25 for adults and £12.50 for juniors and can be made via www.northernrockcyclone.co.uk