Stonehenge
Elite international cyclists will be racing through the streets of Wiltshire this September after confirmation that a number of the county’s towns are on the route map for one of the world’s key cycling events.
The Tour of Britain, which attracts more than 100 top international cyclists, will thread its way through the centre of Bradford on Avon, Trowbridge, Devizes and Pewsey on September 12.
Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire Council said: “I’m delighted Wiltshire is going to be part of one of the most exciting events in the cycling calendar. Having such a high profile event race through our streets is a huge boost for the county and also supports our own ongoing legacy work to bring communities together, boost the economy and encourage more people to be active.”
Inspector Chris Chammings of Wiltshire Police said: “It’s been amazing to be able to work with the Tour of Britain, Wiltshire Council and Bradford on Avon Town Council to change the route for Britain’s premier cycle race. This gives us a fantastic chance to showcase the towns of West Wiltshire to the countries worldwide that this event will be broadcast in, and to once again show how partnership working can add value to communities and businesses in our local area.”
The British national squad and international teams will be racing the route as part of the event which attracts more than 1.5m spectators in total and runs from September 7 to 14.
The Tour of Britain is considered to be a cornerstone of the UK’s cycling calendar and the country’s biggest professional cycling event. This year it has been upgraded to 2.HC(hors category) status by the Union Cycliste Internationale – the governing body for cycling.
Tour of Britain 2014 will start in Bath and finish in Hemel Hempstead. The exact route has yet to be confirmed and will be announced later in the year.
