PREPARATIONS for this weekend’s Abergavenny Festival of Cycling have suffered a setback after road signs were defaced along the route.

Thousands are expected in the town when it hosts the Motorpoint Grand Prix Series/Grand Prix of Wales on Sunday.

As well as elite racing from Britain’s top cyclists, there will be support races which will feature local schools and young riders.

Among the volunteers who have been preparing the roads for the event is Bill Owen, 72, who has more than 30 years’ experience promoting the race in Abergavenny.

Mr Owen spent much of last weekend putting up warning signs along the race’s route from the Chart House to Raglan, and up Llanarth Road to Old Monmouth Road.

But on Wednesday, he said he was horrified to discover that the signs, which had been laid out over 10 miles, were vandalised with blue ink.

Mr Owen’s son, Alun, 47, said he could not understand why someone would do this, with his father even suffering an allergic reaction after touching the ink.

“You just don’t go there with a spray can – it’s pre-mediated," he said. "It’s just a very small percentage don’t like it and you see it with the Velothon as well.

“My father’s come out with an allergic reaction on his arms with it. His arms have swollen up. He’s won a lot of accolades - he’s bought a lot of benefits to Abergavenny.

“He’s now got to go back and try and redo it. Those signs are there to warn the public. At the moment, they’re covered in blue ink and it creates extra work with it when we have not got that time.”

The Monmouthshire leg of the tour kicked off with the Chepstow Grand Prix on Wednesday and continued with today's Wales Open Criterium in Abergavenny.

Both events were part of this summer’s British Cycling elite circuit series.