ORGANISERS of the Milk Race yesterday insisted it would be ''business

as usual'' despite the Milk Marketing Board's decision not to renew its

sponsorship of the prestigious cycle event. Race organiser Brian Elliott

said schedules were already being drawn up for the race next year, when

they hoped to have new sponsorship agreements in place.

The decision follows changes to the way milk is marketed in the United

Kingdom. Ross Lovelock,the board's commercial director, said: ''By this

time next year it is likely that the Milk Marketing Board will have been

abolished.''

The British Cycling Federation said it hoped links between the race

and the milk industry, first established in l958, could be maintained.

But although Milk Marque, the farmers' co-operative which is taking over

from the board, is considered a potential backer, its sponsorship alone

is unlikely to be enough to maintain what has become the world's leading

amateur cycle race.

The federation is understood to be in negotiation with three possible

backers for the event which will revert to its original title ''Tour of

Britain.'' Elliott said he was talking to a potential sponsor ''bigger

than the Milk Marketing Board''.