Getting into gear to welcome the world

Some of the world’s leading female cyclists will be tearing through the roads of Montgomeryshire tomorrow with a memorable finish expected outside Welshpool  Town Hall mid-afternoon.

Over 100 competitors from the UCI Women's WorldTour will be leaving Stage 4 in Wrexham at 11.15pm before entering the county at Rhydycroesau sometime between 12.13pm and 12.26pm.

The peloton will then head towards Lake Vyrnwy via Llangedwyn for a loop of the lake before heading south towards Welshpool via Dolanog, Llangyniew, Castle Caereinion, Berriew, Garthmyl, Montgomery, Forden and Leighton.

The riders will enter Welshpool from Severn Road before reaching the town centre via Severn Street for a finish on Broad Street outside the town hall.

The 90-mile stage is expected to take up to three-and-a-half hours to complete, depending on headwinds, with the first expected to cross the finish line from around 2.30pm. Children's activities will be held on site from around 11.30am, while a local club race will finish around 1.30pm.

Barriers will be erected from the early hours to provide safe spectating along the town centre route with the town centre roads expected to be closed all day until around 5pm.

The other roads in Powys will be closed 20 minutes before the riders arrive and then be reopened after they have all passed through.

The Tour started on Monday, and is snaking its way around the UK before reaching Wales tomorrow. It will continue until Saturday when it finishes in Oxford.

It is hoped that the event will provide an economic shot-in-the-arm for Powys to the tune of around £650,000.

Nigel Brinn, Powys County Council's Executive Director Economy and Environment said: “Hosting The Women's Tour will bring a considerable economic boost to Powys, and we hope it will particularly benefit the hospitality sector in the county which was so badly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We realise the road closures will also cause some inconvenience and would respectfully request those residents and businesses who are affected to please bear with us - we will be getting in touch with many of you directly and will do all we can to minimise any disruption.”

The Women's Tour will feature all 14 of the top division UCI Women's WorldTeams, with 18 teams and 108 riders competing in the race, marking the biggest field in its eight-year history.

The full Stage Four route can be viewed here

The breakdown and timings for the stage can be seen here