British Cycling has awarded the right to stage the 2016 British Cycling National Road Championships to Stockton-on-Tees.

The men’s and women’s road races will take place on Sunday 26 June and the time-trials on Thursday 23 June after Stockton secured the backing of the board of British Cycling ahead of a rival bid from the Isle of Man.

In recent years, the British national titles have been won by Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Lizzie Armitstead, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell, Emma Pooley and Pete Kennaugh.

British Cycling director of cycle sport Jonny Clay said: “Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has an excellent record in staging large-scale events and they put together a very strong bid.

“I look forward to seeing their contribution to an event which is established as a landmark on the British sporting calendar with some of the biggest names in world cycling competing for the right to wear Britain’s national champion jersey for 12 months.

"Following an initial tender, British Cycling invited Stockton and the Isle of Man to present their final stage bids. It was hard to choose between them but to have two such strong bids in the final stage of selection demonstrates the attractiveness of the British Cycling National Road Race Championships to towns and cities across the country.” 

Reuben Kench, Stockton Council’s head of culture, leisure and adult learning, added: “Bringing the country’s most exciting elite cycling competition to Stockton-on-Tees is a huge coup for us

“We view the evening time-trials taking place ahead of the races themselves as an opportunity for people to find a rider to root for, which will make the experience all the more personal.

“Our intention is to position the championships at the heart of our well-established Cycling Festival and in doing so, we will place elite racing alongside entertainment, fun and participation.

“Through the powerful combination of elite spectacle and recreational riding, we hope to change lifestyles and inspire people to get into the saddle themselves.”

Full details of the course will be confirmed in the coming months but spectators can look forward to the kind of town centre finish which made the championships in Glasgow in 2013 and Abergavenny in 2014 so exciting.

This year’s British Cycling National Road Race Championships will be held in Lincoln from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 June 2015, beginning with the time trial at Cadwell Park Motor Racing Circuit.

The road races, which will take place on the Sunday, are set for a dramatic finish in Lincoln’s Castle Square.