Wilmslow to host Intermediate Sprint of Tour of Britain 2021

ToB2021_Stage5

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.

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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Jon Williams
Thursday 29th July 2021 at 2:21 pm
Great news
Brian Etchells
Thursday 29th July 2021 at 5:01 pm
No public consultation as usual. Which roads will be closed, when will they be closed. How will the crowds be organised, where will all the bikes be parked.

More details please.
Jon Williams
Thursday 29th July 2021 at 8:10 pm
Brian, it's an intermediate sprint in Wilmslow, not the finish, the finish of this stage is in Warrington. "How will the crowds be organised" - what do you mean ?
Rick Andrews
Thursday 29th July 2021 at 8:23 pm
Great news - we need something positive !
Vince Chadwick
Friday 30th July 2021 at 8:23 am
It is good news indeed. We've had 'The Tour' come through the area before and the police travel in front of it on motorcycles closing side roads as the cyclists pass, and forming a 'rolling road block'.

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.
Nick Jones
Friday 30th July 2021 at 12:01 pm
Fantastic spectacle.. great athletes.. lets help them through !! well done
Gary Chaplin
Monday 2nd August 2021 at 1:26 pm
Great news. Showcases Wilmslow and celebrates a sport that Britain, and especially this area excels at, as well as promoting the sport in general and encouraging more people to use cycling to increase their fitness/well-being.

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.