Tour of Britain to launch in Welshpool
Llandudno will host the stage finish on day one before Wrexham welcomes the world’s top female riders and teams for both the start and finish of stage two.
Taking place from June 6- June 9, the event will feature four tough stages of racing, in what will be the first major international stage race delivered by British Cycling Events.
Hundreds of thousands of fans will line the route for what is the nation’s biggest free-to-attend sporting event, as the country gears up for another thrilling summer of cycling.
Powys County Council’s Director of Economic Development and Growth, Diane Reynolds, said: “We are delighted that this year’s Tour of Britain Women is going to start in Powys, from one of our many beautiful market towns, Welshpool.
“It is a town that cycling enthusiasts will enjoy visiting and the area includes many places of interest, and lots of great places to eat or drink a coffee while taking in the race action and exceptional scenery.”
The event will be held almost two years to the day since the town hosted a stage for the UCI Women’s WorldTour.
The route
This year’s race will feature a number of familiar start and finish locations which have successfully hosted major international events in recent years.
The race will begin in Welshpool, which hosted the thrilling finish of stage four of the 2022 Women’s Tour, where Australia’s Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) sprinted to victory. The stage will see riders head north to the picturesque seaside town of Llandudno, in what will be a challenging start to the race.
Stage two will see riders stay in Wales for a start and finish in Wrexham, which also featured in the 2022 Women’s Tour. The rolling route will take in a series of challenging climbs in the dramatic Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales.
The caravan then will cross the Welsh border to the north-west of England, where Warrington will host both the start and finish of stage three on Saturday, with a flatter route that will favour the sprinters. Warrington welcomed the men’s Tour of Britain in 2021, where Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) claimed a memorable stage win.
The race will conclude in Greater Manchester, as part of the city region’s European Capital of Cycling celebrations. Riders will depart from the National Cycling Centre, the home of British Cycling, before taking in some of the region’s challenging climbs before they reach the finish line in Leigh, where the race winner will be crowned.
“A monumental effort”
The race route has been designed and agreed in just 10 weeks, since a new vision for major cycling events in Britain was launched.
It is believed to be receiving support from the Welsh Government.
Jon Dutton OBE, CEO of British Cycling, said: “While there is still a great deal of work to do, today is another important milestone in our journey and reflective of the enormous goodwill and support which major road cycling events continue to enjoy.
“Our primary focus has been to deliver a safe and competitive race in 2024, but we remain every bit as determined to harness the race’s spotlight to make a real impact in the communities which it touches, and know that is a vision which resonates strongly in conversations with prospective commercial partners and hosts.”
Rod Ellingworth, who was announced as Tour of Britain Race Director in March this year, said: “It’s been a monumental effort by the whole team over the past 10 weeks to confirm the stages for this year’s Tour of Britain Women. The race will take in four competitive and challenging routes, some challenging climbing in Wales and what I’m sure will be brilliant crowds on the roadside throughout.”
Lizzie Deignan, former road world champion and Olympic silver medallist, said: “It’s always special to race in Britain, and I’m so pleased to have two top level stage races to look forward to on home soil as I ramp up my preparations for a busy summer ahead.
“There’s clearly so much support and fondness for the race, both at home and further afield. The four stage hosts deserve credit for their commitment to women’s racing and for helping to make the race happen, and I’m sure that together we can put on a brilliant show in June.”
Earlier this month, British Cycling announced that the Tour of Britain Men would be delivered over six days in 2024, with an ambition to bring future parity to the two national tours, following the alignment of the event names in 2024.
Positive conversations continue with a number of commercial partners along with towns and cities interested in hosting future stages of both the men’s and women’s events.
“An opportunity to showcase the best of our area”
Welsh Government Economy Secretary, Jeremy Miles said: “Wales and cycling go hand in hand, with our spectacular scenery and routes providing elite and recreational cyclists alike with both challenge and enjoyment.
“This is a welcome return to Wales for this fantastic event and provides an excellent opportunity to showcase Welshpool, Llandudno, Wrexham and the surrounding area to an ever-growing cycling audience. We are very pleased to have been able to support the event and look forward to providing a warm ‘Croeso’ to all in June.”
Tour of Britain Women 2024:
Stage 1 – Thursday 6 June 2024: Welshpool to Llandudno
Stage 2 – Friday 7 June 2024: Wrexham
Stage 3 – Saturday 8 June 2024: Warrington
Stage 4 – Sunday 9 June 2024: Greater Manchester
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