News: Tour of Britain returns to Devon

The Tour of Britain will return to Devon next year, as Devon County Council and race organisers SweetSpot confirm that the county will host Stage Two.

News: Tour of Britain returns to Devon

The Tour of Britain will return to Devon next year, as Devon County Council and race organisers SweetSpot have confirmed that the county will host Stage Two.

The Tour of Britain has already unveiled Cornwall as the location of the Grand Depart on Sunday 6 September 2020. The following day, Monday 7 September, the race will move across the border for the Devon Stage, which will start in the new community of Sherford in the South Hams and finish in the city of Exeter.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for cycling, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting another stage of The Tour. Crowds in Devon are among the most passionate and supportive in this race and I’m sure they’ll do us proud again in 2020.”

“Devon made history as the first stage of The Tour of Britain to host a summit finish when the race celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2013, and we were the first stage to race through a building when the 2018 stage went through South Molton Pannier Market, and I’m sure we’ll have another exciting stage in prospect next year”.

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“With next year’s Tour starting in our neighbouring county of Cornwall, it should be another spectacular Tour for our county. To give the riders and spectators two days in our region by racing through Devon as well as Cornwall has the potential for a big economic boost for our region and it’s always a great opportunity to showcase Devon as a premier destination for cycling tourism.”

The 2020 edition of the Tour of Britain – the 17th edition – takes place from Sunday 6 to Sunday 13 September next year. It will be the 11th time that Devon has featured in the Tour of Britain, with more than 1.7 million people having lined the routes in Devon to watch the stages, generating over £41 million in net economic impact for the local economy.

Tour of Britain Race Director Mick Bennett said: “We are delighted to confirm the return of Devon to the Tour of Britain route in September 2020. The early announcement of our South West stages will contribute to making next year’s race bigger and better than ever before and allow fans from across the UK to begin planning their trip to the opening weekend of the race.”

Further details of the Devon stage will be announced alongside the full route for the 2020 Tour of Britain at the national launch of the race in the spring.