Wilmslow Town Council is thrilled to announce that Wilmslow will host an intermediate sprint of the Tour of Britain on Thursday 9th September, when stage 5 kicks off from Alderley Park.
Martin Watkins, Chairman on Wilmslow Town Council said of the news, "Being selected as a Stage partner of the Tour of Britain is fantastic news for Wilmslow. As well as being an exciting event for residents, it will raise the town's profile nationally and regionally, attracting visitors to the town, and promoting cycling. We hope that Wilmslow's businesses and schools will embrace the wonderful opportunities it brings."
The Tour of Britain is British Cycling's biggest professional race, featuring Olympic, world and Tour de France champions, held annually across eight days in September.
The Tour is free to watch and attracts a roadside audience of over 1.5 million spectators. Live coverage of the race and highlights will be shown daily on ITV4, in addition to featuring on local and worldwide news.
Wilmslow Town Council first agreed to express an interest to the Tour's organisers in March 2021. The cost to the Town Council of being a stage
partner will be £10,000, and the Council will work with Groundwork - Wilmslow's Town Centre Management service - to harness the opportunity to attract visitors from the region into the town centre as part of a series of initiatives to drive footfall to the town.
Wilmslow's intermediate sprint will be part of Stage five of the race, starting from Alderley Park at 11:30am, going through Macclesfield, Rainow and Adlington, before the intermediate sprint in Wilmslow that afternoon.
The race will enter Wilmslow travelling down Dean Row Road, turning left at the Bluebell lights then travelling down Manchester Road to Wilmslow Town Centre and turning right at the main lights by the Rex. The sprint continues along Water Lane, concluding prior to the junction with Hawthorn Street. Stage five will then continue towards Morley Green and beyond.
It is currently expected that the Wilmslow sprint will take place between 2.30pm and 3pm.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
More details please.
There is little disruption to traffic as these guys don't hang about so are not there for long, unlike the road closures we get for the jogging events.
It's always going to attract the moaners, usually with their thinly veiled anti-cycling rhetoric. I'm not quite sure what 'public consultation' is needed, or how it would benefit...equally, once again, the 'parking of bikes' has never been an issue in any UK town/city; bizarre argument.
For a sport that will see riders travelling at 30-40kph, lifting up to 50-60kph down Water Lane for the sprint, the disruption will be virtually zero, and nothing like the disruption the current roadworks are bringing.
Well done to WTC for winning this. Massive ROI on the £10k.