This year’s CARTEN100 ride event that is due to take place this weekend has been cancelled by organisers.

Organisers have made the difficult decision to postpone the event, which was due to take place tomorrow (Saturday 27th April) in Tenby.

A statement on the website this morning reads:

“For the first time in 15 years, it’s with a very heavy heart that I write this statement, but I regret to inform that we have taken the difficult decision to postpone the CARTEN100 ride this Saturday 29 April 2019.

“We have not come to this decision lightly, but we have been in discussion alongside our partners and riders whilst closely monitoring weather charts to see if the storm will alter its course.

“However, on the advice of the local councils, the police, and our medical team, we feel it is unsafe to have the ride go ahead as planned this Saturday.

“We understand that our riders have put in a huge amount of time and effort in training and preparation with the support of family and friends.”

Organisers of the event have stressed that they cannot guarantee the safety of riders due to the extreme weather conditions that have been forecast by the Met Office.

Peter Palmer, one of the CARTEN100 organisers said:

“To those who are still intending to cycle to Tenby on Saturday, we ask you to be extremely careful and consider your safety.

“We have a fantastic team of volunteers, partners and supporters, but ultimately it is our riders that make this event possible. First and foremost, we value your safety, and we cannot put this at risk.

“We thank you for your understanding this difficult decision, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience.”

Riders due to take part in the CARTEN100 have been advised to keep hold of their numbers, as organisers work with partners to see if there is a suitable date to reschedule.

Earlier this week, the Met Office issued a yellow warning to parts of the UK, including Wales, forecasting strong wind with gusts of 60-70 mph likely around exposed coasts of south Wales and southwest England. High winds are expected from tonight at 9pm until 3pm Saturday afternoon.

The areas in Wales which are likely to be affected are:

Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Cardiff
Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion
Gwynedd
Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouthshire
Neath Port Talbot
Newport
Pembrokeshire
Powys
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Swansea
Torfaen
Vale of Glamorgan

What to expect

Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely, with bus and train services affected
Delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges likely
Some short term loss of power and other services is possible due to fallen branches
It’s likely that some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities could be affected by spray and/or large waves