Road closures planned for Ironman Leeds
Jack Schofield for IronmanThousands of athletes will take on one of the toughest endurance challenges in sport this weekend in the Leeds Ironman triathlon.
About 2,000 athletes are expected to take part in Sunday's race, which starts and finishes at Roundhay Park.
It marks the second time Leeds has hosted an Ironman, which made its debut in the city last year.
The event consists of a 2.4-mile (3.8km) lake swim, a 112-mile bike ride (180km) and a 26.2-mile (42.2km) run.
What is Ironman Leeds?
Ironman triathlons take place throughout the year around the world, including in Sweden, Denmark and the United States.
Athletes will begin the Leeds event in Roundhay Park with a 2.4-mile lake swim.
They will then embark on a 112-mile bike course up into the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with approximately 2,500m elevation gain.
Finally, athletes will take on a 26.2-mile run on a multi-lap course around Roundhay Park before reaching the finish line.
Organisers are advising residents and commuters to allow extra travel time and check their routes before setting off.
What is the route?
Ironman Leeds begins with the swim in Roundhay Park at 06:00 BST.
The circular route for the bike stage runs from Roundhay Park to Shadwell and then goes through or near communities such as Thorner, Bardsey, Wike, Harewood, Eccup, Arthington, Adel and Alwoodley.
Athletes will return to Roundhay Park for the final run before starting to cross the finish line, near the park's cricket pavillion, at about 15:00 BST.
You can see a full map here.
What road closures are in place in Roundhay?
Temporary restrictions will be in place around North Leeds and Roundhay, with some closures beginning as early as 06:00 BST and remaining in place until about 18:00.
Road closures in Roundhay include:
- Gledhow Avenue
- Jackson Avenue
- Gledhow Lane
- Old Park Road and the stretch of Street Lane between Devonshire Avenue and Princes Avenue
- Park Avenue will be closed near the Lakeside Cafe from 06:00 on Saturday until 17:00 on Monday
Closures will also be in force around sections of the cycle route linking villages to the north and east parts of the city.
Which roads are closed during the cycling?
There will be other road closures in place specifically for the cycling part of the event.
Closures include:
- Carr Lane between Shadwell and Thorner (closed 06:00 BST to 15:30)
- Bramham Road and part of Thorner Road, both to the east of Thorner (closed 06:00 to 15:30)
- The A61 Harrogate Road between the A659 at Harewood and Wigton Approach, near the Grammar School at Leeds (closed 07:00 to 17:30)
- Alwoodley Lane between its junctions with King Lane and the A61 Harrogate Road (closed eastbound 07:30 to 17:30)
- Wigton Lane between its junctions with the A61 Harrogate Road and Wike Ridge Lane (closed eastbound 07:30 to 17:30)
Which areas will see bus services affected?
Services will be diverted in areas including Adel, Roundhay, Bardsey, Harwood, Rigton, Thorner and Shadwell.
Where is the best spectator spot?
Roundhay Park visitors can watch the start and finish of the race, with multiple opportunities to see the competitors throughout the day.
The car park will be open from 03:45 BST.
There will be dedicated spectator information available on the Ironman website, including athlete tracking and schedules.
What will the weather be like?
The forecast for Leeds on Sunday is expected to be sunny intervals, with temperatures of 13C at 06:00 BST, rising to 20C at midday, before peaking at 23C degrees at 16:00.
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