Men’s Tour of Britain Route Update

Stages three and four of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men will take place across Milton Keynes, Central Bedfordshire, and Warwickshire this September,

WARWICKSHIRE, MILTON KEYNES, AND AMPTHILL JOIN LLOYDS TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN ROUTE

Stages three and four of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men will take place across Milton Keynes, Central Bedfordshire, and Warwickshire this September, following this week’s earlier announcement that the UK’s largest free-to-attend sporting event would start with two stages in Suffolk.

Britain’s biggest professional cycle race will return to the city of Milton Keynes for the first time since 2008 for the start of stage three on Thursday 4 September, with the stage heading to Ampthill, as Central Bedfordshire host the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men for the first time. A day later Warwickshire will welcome the return of the world’s top cyclists for a testing hilltop finish, as the county hosts stage four on Friday 5 September between Atherstone and Burton Dassett Hills Country Park.

Commenting on the announcement, Jonathan Day, Managing Director of British Cycling Events, said; “It is great to be working with Milton Keynes City Council and Central Bedfordshire Council to bring the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men to their communities this September. “Warwickshire has a long and proud history of hosting the Lloyds Tour of Britain with great support from the communities across the county, so we are delighted to be returning, especially with such a challenging finale at Burton Dassett Hills Country Park, that will draw spectators from right across the heart of England. Over the coming weeks we look forward to sharing more exciting details about this year’s race with fans and building up to what will be another incredible edition of the Lloyds Tour of Britain.”

Stage three will start from Midsummer Boulevard in Milton Keynes city centre, and finish on Woburn Street in Ampthill, Central Bedfordshire. It marks the first time that the Lloyds Tour of Britain has come to Central Bedfordshire and Ampthill, and a return for Britain’s national tour to Milton Keynes for the first time 17 years, with the city last hosting a start during the 2008 race. Cllr Mick Legg, Milton Keynes City Council’s Cabinet Member for Sport and Leisure said: “Milton Keynes is truly a cycling city with more than 200 miles of redways, two national cycle routes and so many passionate cyclists. We’re excited to welcome the Lloyds Tour of Britain back to our city and it promises to be a fantastic celebration for all our cycling enthusiasts.”

“We’re incredibly proud to be hosting a stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain cycle race for the very first time,” said Cllr Adam Zerny, Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council. “Many of us remember the moment we were inspired to take up a sport, so perhaps amongst those who watch the athletes whizz past them in September will be a future cycling champion. We hope it will be a thrilling day for all residents and visitors alike and are looking forward to welcoming the riders and celebrating this world-class sporting event with our communities.”

Stage four will take in all five districts and boroughs of Warwickshire (North Warwickshire Borough; Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough; Rugby Borough; Warwick District; and Stratford-upon-Avon District), as the county hosts the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men for the first time since 2019, with a stage heading from Atherstone to the ever-popular hilltop finish at Burton Dassett Hills Country Park. The challenging finale will see riders tackling the 700-metre climb of Burton Dassett Hills Country Park, averaging almost 9% gradient, on three occasions in the closing kilometres, the final time for the stage finish, making for a great location to see the riders at their limit on multiple occasions.

Warwickshire school children will also have the chance to be involved once again, with Warwickshire County Council launching competitions giving pupils the chance to design the flag that will start the race in Atherstone, and also the trophy that will be presented to the stage winner at Burton Dassett. Cllr George Finch, Interim Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “This is a fantastic boost for Warwickshire, and I am particularly delighted to see the breadth of the county that will be encapsulated within the Tour. From north to south, towns to countryside, this event will shine a light on what an incredible place Warwickshire is to live and visit onto an international stage.

“We’re thrilled to have been given the opportunity to host such an exciting and esteemed event, and I hope the people of Warwickshire will take to the streets and the hills, as they always have, to give the Tour the support it deserves.”

This September will be the third time that Warwickshire has hosted Britain’s biggest professional men’s cycle race, with the most recent occasion being in September 2019, when Dutch sensation Mathieu van der Poel won atop Burton Dassett Hills Country Park. The county has also hosted the men’s and women’s road races in the Commonwealth Games in August 2022, with both events starting and finishing in Warwick.

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men begins in East Suffolk on Tuesday 2 September, with an opening leg between Woodbridge and Southwold, followed by a second stage in Suffolk at Stowmarket. Further announcements about the host venues of the remaining stages, as well as the participating teams for the Lloyds Tour of Britain will be made over the coming weeks.